Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Advises Disposing Of Florida Ice Cream Linked To Listeria Outbreak
ABC News: Listeria Outbreak Linked To Florida Ice Cream Brand
A listeria outbreak that caused one death in Illinois and sickened at least 23 other people has been linked to a Florida ice cream brand, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC advises consumers to discard Big Olaf Creamery brand ice cream they have at home. It also recommends cleaning any containers, utensils and areas that may have touched a Big Olaf ice cream product. (Alfonseca, 7/4)
In other public health news —
The Washington Post: At Last, Medical Guidelines Address Care For Adults With Down Syndrome
In the 1960s, the life span of a person with Down syndrome was just 10 years. Today, those life spans have stretched to 60 years. But until recently, no guidelines existed for treating the special health problems many adults with Down syndrome face. Now, a guide for families and caretakers breaks down a new set of advice on caring for the medical needs of adults with the chromosomal abnormality. (Blakemore, 7/4)
CBS News: Salmonella Found In A Third Of Ground Chicken, Consumer Reports Says
The nation is making little to no headway in preventing bacteria-laden chicken from landing in U.S. grocery stores and sickening thousands of Americans annually, with Consumer Reports finding in a recent test that one-third of ground chicken samples contained salmonella. (Gibson, 7/1)
USA Today: Binge Drinking May Create Risks Among Moderate Drinkers, Study Says
A study published in June in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found moderate drinkers were more likely to engage in binge-drinking behaviors, leading to an increased risk of alcohol-related problems. Researchers surveyed 1,229 drinkers ages 30 and older in 2004 to 2005, and again from 2015 to 2016. The participants were separated between moderate and heavy drinkers, with moderate drinking defined as having an average of one drink per day over the course of a week. (Fulton, 7/2)
Oklahoman: Researchers Say Running Might Help Cartilage In Our Knees As We Age
While researchers continue to examine why this appears to be the case, the most common hypothesis is that regular, weight-bearing exercises like running can help cartilage thrive. Indeed, a small study found that non-runners who participated in a 10-week running program saw improvements in a marker of cartilage strength and quality. For those who don’t or can’t run, a new study on walking offers hope. Scientists found that in more than 1,000 people aged 50 and over with OA in their knees, those who walked for exercise experienced the fewest bouts of new knee pain.(Cohen and McEver, 7/5)
In news about dementia and Alzheimer's disease —
The New York Times: New Dementia Prevention Method May Be Behavioral, Not Prescribed
Dementia cases are climbing along with an aging world population, and yet another much-anticipated Alzheimer’s medication, crenezumab, has proved ineffective in clinical trials — the latest of many disappointments. Public health experts and researchers argue that it is past time to turn our attention to a different approach — focusing on eliminating a dozen or so already known risk factors, like untreated high blood pressure, hearing loss and smoking, rather than on an exorbitantly priced, whiz-bang new drug. (Span, 7/3)
The Boston Globe: Can Biogen’s Backup Plan For Alzheimer’s Succeed?
Everyone needs a backup plan, including one of the biggest biotech companies in town. So when Biogen earlier this year gave up on turning a profit from its beleaguered Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, the Cambridge company moved its chips to another experimental Alzheimer’s treatment. (Cross, 7/3)
