Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Measles Outbreak Spreads To 21 States With 107 People Taken Ill, Health Officials Urge Parents To Vaccinate Children
USA Today Network: Measles Outbreak Hits 21 States, District Of Columbia, CDC Says
Federal health officials are investigating a outbreak of measles this year that has spread to 21 states and the District of Columbia. From Jan. 1 to July 14, 107 people had contracted the disease, federal Centers for Disease Control officials said Wednesday. Measles cases have been reported in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington. (8/16)
The Associated Press: Florida Urges Vaccinations After 3 Measles Cases Reported
Health officials are urging parents to make sure their children are vaccinated against measles after three cases of the disease were reported in a Florida county, among more than 100 cases throughout the U.S. this year. Federal officials declared the contagious virus had been eliminated in the U.S. in 2000; however, infections periodically occur nationwide, as the virus is still common in many other parts of the world. Travelers can bring measles into the country, where it can spread among people who are not vaccinated. (Kay, 8/16)
NPR: Chipotle To Retrain Employees After Latest Outbreak Of Food Poisoning
Health officials have determined that a type of bacteria found in food left at unsafe temperatures is the cause of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that struck 647 people who ate last month at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant in Ohio. Between July 26 and July 30, customers of a Chipotle restaurant in Powell, Ohio, just north of Columbus, complained of food poisoning and diarrhea after eating tacos and burrito bowls there. (Neuman, 8/17)
USA Today Network: Baby Food: 'Worrisome' Levels Of Heavy Metals Found In Some Brands
A new analysis of packaged foods made for babies and toddlers found "worrisome" levels of heavy metals in two-thirds of the tested products. Consumer Reports analyzed 50 nationally distributed baby foods checking for cadmium, lead, mercury and inorganic arsenic, the type most harmful to health. (8/16)
San Jose Mercury News: Valsartan Recall: Tainted Blood Pressure Drugs Alarms Some Consumers
Some people suffering from high blood pressure who take valsartan-containing medications have been frantically calling their pharmacies and doctors to find out whether they should stop taking their heart pills in the wake of the FDA’s recent recall. ...Consumers should start by comparing their prescription bottle to the FDA’s list to determine if their drugs have been recalled. (D'Souza, 8/15)
PBS NewsHour: The Economic Principle That Powers This Kidney Donor Market
A hundred thousand Americans are on a waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor. But another option is the paired-organ exchange, which allows living kidney donors who are not a match with their intended recipient to network with others who are. (Solman, 8/16)
San Antonio Press-Express: Access To Data Is A Patient’s Right
Today, more than 47,000 mobile apps help patients track and record their health profiles. The volume of recordable health data has seen a massive uptick. Yet a recent survey found that 63 percent of Americans don’t know where their medical data is stored or who has access to it. (Chang and Okafor, 8/16)
