Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Baby Glider Recalled After 4 Deaths; iPhone12 May Impede Cardiac Implants
The New York Times: Fisher-Price Recalls Rock ‘N Glide Soothers After 4 Infant Deaths
Fisher-Price is recalling its 4-in-1 Rock ‘n Glide Soother, a baby sleep product, after it was linked to reports of four infant deaths, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The infants who died were reported to have been placed on their backs unrestrained in the product, which is supposed to rock babies to sleep, and were later found on their stomachs, the commission said. (Jimenez, 6/6)
Axios: Study: IPhone 12's Charging System May Interfere With Cardiac Implants
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association this week found that the iPhone 12's magnetic charging system may interfere with cardiac implantable electronic devices. Authors of the study said the phone's Magsafe charging technology can produce a magnetic field strong enough to potentially "inhibit lifesaving therapy" if placed directly on the skin over one of the implantable devices. (Knutson, 6/5)
Axios: America's Next Big Wave Of Sick
Influenza cases and other common viruses have been at historically low numbers for the past year due to the safety precautions taken by the public to stifle the spread of COVID-19. But that could change soon. Experts say the last year and a half, we've largely gone without "boosts" to our adaptive immunity from exposure to viruses, as STAT News reported recently. And if flu cases start to rise in the fall, buckle up. (Fernandez, 6/7)
The Boston Globe: At Dartmouth College, First-Year Suicides A Grim Reminder Of A Year Of Loneliness
The deaths have devastated the small Ivy League campus of about 4,000 and sparked deep outrage among students, who say the school’s mental health resources have been woefully inadequate during an academic year blighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In op-eds and makeshift memorials and red paint splattered on the driveway of the college president’s home, students are ending the year in grief-stricken protest, criticizing the school for what they say were overly strict social safety protocols that failed to take into account the deep toll they took on students’ psychological health. (Krantz, 6/5)
The Mercury News: Pandemic Fuels Struggle To Buy Baby Diapers
Struggling parents with children still in diapers may get a $30 million boost under a proposed state budget allocation to assist existing diaper banks in California and launch similar services in other regions, including San Bernardino County. Money for the five state-funded diaper banks now in operation – in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Fresno and San Francisco counties – and three new ones would extend over a three-year period, with each diaper bank receiving a total of $3.75 million under the spending plan proposed by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, and supported by a host of Southern California legislators. (Walker, 6/6)
Axios: Families Opting For Summer School As Nation Re-Opens
The number of students signing up for summer school is expected to be greater than ever before, with the Biden administration requiring states to devote some of the federal pandemic relief packages to these programs, the Associated Press reports. Families are enrolling their children in academic-focused summer programs to catch up and stay on track after the last 18 months. (Reyes, 6/6)
And more people are considering cosmetic surgery —
CBS News: Plastic Surgery And Cosmetic Procedures Booming Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
As summer approaches, you may not fully recognize a relative or close friend. This may be due to an uptick in Americans seeking cosmetic surgeries. As coronavirus restrictions have eased across the U.S., the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says pent-up patient demand is fueling the industry's current boom, with interest in both non-surgical and surgical treatments increasing. (McDougle, 6/4)
The New York Times: For These Guys, A Face-Lift Is Like A Car Tuneup
Like many of his contemporaries, Eddie Wunderlich, 36, a personal trainer and hairstylist in Manhattan, spent much of the past year on FaceTime and Zoom and was not quite ready for his close-up. “Seeing myself on the screen all day, I looked tired,” he said. He was plagued by the visible hollows beneath his eyes and a slackening jawline. “It was exhausting, even looking at myself.” (La Ferla, 6/4)
