Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Women Put Off Motherhood Until Later, More Are Turning To Apps Or Wearable Devices To Help Conceive
The New York Times: Women Struggling To Get Pregnant Turn To Fertility Apps
When Nicole and Christopher Roberts of North Stonington, Conn., decided to start a family in 2016, Nicole quickly became pregnant, but then miscarried three months later. Getting pregnant a second time became far tougher than they expected. Mrs. Roberts, 32, started taking neonatal vitamins, tracking her menstrual cycle carefully, taking over-the-counterovulation tests, and even trying a few wacky internet suggestions, such as putting her legs up in the air after sex and not moving for half an hour. (Morrissey, 8/27)
The Washington Post: ‘Survival Of The Laziest’: Finally, There’s A Scientific Reason To Not Get Off The Couch
No one is questioning whether leaving the couch to go for a walk or run or to lift heavy objects would personally do you some good — accelerating your heart rate, burning some calories, maybe even adding a few years to your life. But consider this: All that exercise may be a selfish act, a shortsighted game of checkers in an evolutionary chess match that’s been going on for eons. And by not stepping, you may have already taken the first step toward saving the species. (Wootson, 8/27)
Stat: Video Games Make Physicians Better In Emergency Decisions, Study Finds
Doctors who played the game [Tobi] Saulnier designed did a better job on a separate virtual simulation designed to test their clinical judgement about trauma transfers than those who used a text-based app or nothing at all, according to new research published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study found a similar result for doctors who played a story-based adventure game from Schell Games, also for the iPad. (Seridan, 8/27)
The New York Times: China Has Withheld Samples Of A Dangerous Flu Virus
For over a year, the Chinese government has withheld lab samples of a rapidly evolving influenza virus from the United States — specimens needed to develop vaccines and treatments, according to federal health officials. Despite persistent requests from government officials and research institutions, China has not provided samples of the dangerous virus, a type of bird flu called H7N9. In the past, such exchanges have been mostly routine under rules established by the World Health Organization. (Baumgaertner, 8/27)
NPR: Newly Discovered 'Rose Hip' Neurons May Be Unique To Humans
Scientists have taken another step toward understanding what makes the human brain unique. An international team has identified a kind of brain cell that exists in people but not mice, the team reported Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience. "This particular type of cell had properties that had never actually been described in another species," says Ed Lein, one of the study's authors and an investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. (Hamilton, 8/27)
WXIA: Children's Advil Recalling One Specific Lot Over Mislabeling
Pfizer Consumer Healthcare says they are voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Children's Advil Suspension Bubble Gum flavor. According to the alert, the dosage cup provided in the package is marked in teaspoons, while the instructions on the label are described in milliliters. (King, 8/27)
The Washington Post: This Is Why Your Eye Won't Stop Twitching
After a day of mainlining coffee and staring at the computer, “relaxing” at happy hour then staying up late glued to the television, getting in bed only to consume the infinite scroll of news and takes on your mobile instead of sleeping like you know you should, an eye twitch begins. You go to sleep, thinking by the time you wake up the twitch will be gone. But it's not. It's there for days, maybe even weeks. (Furby, 8/27)
CNN: A Cystic Fibrosis Patient Expected To Die Young -- Then Came The Call
Having spent a quarter of her life in the hospital, she knows how to sleep through noise. She's so good at it that she worried the phone call wouldn't wake her. But when her cell rang at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, she was ready. On the other end was the news Claire Wineland had been waiting for: Doctors had found a pair of donor lungs. She'd been on the transplant list for just over two weeks after months of uncertainty. Now she was getting her chance at an extended life. (Ravitz, 8/28)
NPR: Toddlers Prefer High-Status Winners Who Aren't Bullies
Everybody loves a winner — even toddlers, according to a study published Monday. But even though kiddos tend to like high-status individuals, they don't like those who win conflicts by using force. "It seems like toddlers care about who wins, but they also care about how they win," says Ashley Thomas, now a researcher in cognitive development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. (Greenfieldboyce, 8/27)
Kaiser Health News: Parent Alert! Your Kid May Be Vaping More Than Tobacco
By now, many parents know kids are vaping sweet-smelling tobacco — often using devices that look deceptively like pens or flash drives. And most parents are hip to the prevalence of underage marijuana use. Now comes a combo of the two: vaping pot. Experts and educators say young people are — once again — one step ahead of the adults in their lives, experimenting with this new and more heady way to consume weed. (Ibarra, 8/28)
The New York Times: Airport Meals That Are, Yes, Healthy
Is it really possible to find healthy food at an airport? When it comes to airports in the United States, at least, the answer is yes, increasingly so. In recent years, airports around the country have amped up their availability of healthy snacks, meals and drinks to cater travelers who want to follow a balanced diet when they are away from home. (Vora, 8/28)
