Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Despite Growing Trend, Doctors Warn Against Women Eating Their Placenta
The Washington Post: Don’t Eat Your Placenta, Researchers Warn
More than 200 millennia of human civilization and two centuries of modern medicine have brought us to this recent heavy-handed admonition by scientific researchers: It’s probably a bad idea to eat your placenta. (Wootson, 10/18)
The New York Times: Lack Of Sleep Tied To Diabetes In Pregnancy
Lack of sleep may raise the risk for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes — abnormally high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy — can lead to excessive birth weight, preterm birth or respiratory distress in the baby, among other problems. It can also increase the mother’s risk for Type 2 diabetes later in life. (Bakalar, 10/18)
The Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com: The Other Virus That Kills During Flu Season
Most people probably know by now that flu can make fall and winter dangerous for older adults. But another virus that circulates at the same time and causes similar symptoms is now getting more attention as a killer of older people, especially those who are frail, or have chronic health problems or weakened immune systems. ...Long thought to be a threat mostly to infants, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is increasingly recognized for its impact on adults. (Burling, 10/18)
The New York Times: Concussions In Teenagers Tied To Multiple Sclerosis Risk
Here’s yet another reason to protect young athletes from head trauma: A large-scale new study found that concussions in adolescents can increase the risk of later developing multiple sclerosis. The risk of multiple sclerosis, or M.S., an autoimmune nervous system disorder with an unknown cause, was especially high if there were more than one head injury. (Reynolds, 10/18)
Bloomberg: Ex-Biogen CEO Raises $500 Million To Conquer Infectious Diseases
Veteran biotechnology executive George Scangos has been busy since leaving Biogen Inc. and setting up an infectious-disease startup: After founding Vir Biotechnology Inc. in January, he’s done seven deals and raised more than $500 million. That’s one of biggest fundraising rounds for any biotechnology startup this year, particularly for one focused on infectious diseases, an arena that traditionally hasn’t made a lot of money. Vir, which won’t start human trials for about 18 months, is setting its sights on treatments for tricky ailments that have long thwarted researchers, such as drug-resistant tuberculosis, Zika, hepatitis B and HIV. (Chen, 10/18)
WBUR: Just 'Baby Blues' Or Postpartum Depression? New App Screens New Mothers
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers are offering a new free app to help new mothers determine whether they have run-of-the-mill "baby blues" or something more serious: postpartum depression. (Fernandez, 10/18)
