Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Death Toll Rises In Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Linked To Mexican Clinics
The Wall Street Journal: More Deaths In Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Linked To Cosmetic Surgeries In Mexico
A fungal meningitis outbreak among people who underwent cosmetic procedures in Mexico this year has now killed at least six people. The cases have been linked to two clinics in Matamoros, Mexico, where patients received epidural anesthesia during surgical procedures including liposuction and breast augmentation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... U.S. officials said in late May two people had died from the suspected outbreak, including an otherwise healthy woman in her early 30s. As of June 23, the death toll stood at six. (Ansari, 6/27)
In other health and wellness news —
Axios: SNAP Combats Racial Divides, Study Finds
Racial disparities in food insecurity persist among low-income households that don't participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but not among those that do, according to a new study. Why it matters: Food insecurity is considered a critical public health threat, and the new evidence suggests that SNAP can be an effective tool in minimizing inequities created by a lack of access to nutritious foods. (Horn-Muller, 6/27)
Stat: Young Cancer Survivors At Increased Risk For Depression, Anxiety
Thanks to advances in treatments, children’s chances of surviving cancer are higher than ever before. But the trauma that patients experience as they deal with the disease can pose a lifelong risk to their mental health, according to a recent analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics. The meta-analysis of 52 clinical studies measured the prevalence and severity of psychological disorders in over 20,000 young cancer survivors. Overall, childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors were 57% more likely to develop depression, 29% more likely to develop anxiety, and 56% more likely to develop psychotic disorders in the years following treatment compared to their siblings or healthy members of a control group. (Iskandar, 6/28)
Fox News: As Lyme Disease Tests Miss Many Acute Infections, Potential At-Home Test Offers Hope For Earlier Diagnosis
Prompt treatment is essential to prevent the spread of the disease elsewhere in the body. Yet the current recommended laboratory test to diagnose Lyme disease misses many early cases. Now, a Virginia Tech research team is developing a promising at-home test that can diagnose the illness within hours of transmission, according to a recent report. (Sudhakar, 6/27)
Fox News: IV Therapy Craze Has Americans Pumping Vitamins Into Their Veins: Results Are 'Pretty Dramatic'
While IV drip therapy has gained popularity as a trendy hangover cure and health trend, the practice of fueling the body with essential vitamins faster than an ingestible can has been around for decades. IV clinic owners Dr. Pauline Jose (PH Drip Lab in California) and Dr. Christopher Neary (Prime IV, which has franchises around the country) shared with Fox News Digital the types of vitamin cocktails they’ve been serving up of late. (Stabile, 6/27)
On the gun violence epidemic —
AP: Doctors Give Mixed Testimony On Whether Tests Show Brain Damage In The Pittsburgh Synagogue Killer
Jurors considering a death sentence for Pittsburgh synagogue killer Robert Bowers heard mixed testimony from doctors on Tuesday about whether medical scans showed any significant brain damage — a central point of contention in his lawyers’ strategy to spare his life. The testimony came on the second day of the penalty phase in the case against Bowers, who was convicted this month of killing 11 worshippers from three congregations during the 2018 mass shooting that was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. (Smith, 6/27)
