Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Pros, Cons Of Publishing Early Results Of Research; Nationwide Response Would Let Us Reopen By October
Stat: Boosting The Promise And Reining In The Peril Of Covid-19 Preprints
There’s a common refrain in engineering: When it comes to the triple goal of “faster, better, cheaper,” you can really ever achieve only two of the three. This wisdom applies as well to the rapidly moving field of scientific preprints — fast-turnaround, web-based publications of research findings that have not yet been subjected to review by outside experts. (Rick Weiss and Jonathan Moreno, 7/28)
The Washington Post: Let’s Throw The Kitchen Sink At Covid-19 And Get Back To Normal By October
Any day now, the United States will cross another grim threshold of death from the coronavirus: 150,000 people lost. By contrast, South Korea has lost 299 people, Germany 9,125. Per million population, the United States has lost 423.6, Germany 110 and South Korea 5.8. Behind these statistics lies the epic failure of President Trump and his administration to mount a national response in the face of catastrophe.The experience of other nations in fighting outbreaks — even raging outbreaks — should make Americans realize: It doesn’t have to be this way. (7/27)
The Hill: We Need An Independent Public Health Agency
As the Trump administration seizes and buries the Centers for Disease Control's public health data and tries to isolate and undermine Dr. Anthony Fauci, we are now seeing a dangerous battle between political expediency and sound science. But it is not altogether new. And there are institutional solutions in sight. (Christopher Robertson and Richard Carmona, 7/27)
Stat: Quality Issues May Be A Stumbling Block For Contact Tracing Apps
The world is in a rush to find ways to fight Covid-19. This urgency makes sense for a pandemic that has killed more than a half-million people since it began in late December. But if the quality of these solutions is subpar, then users may turn away not only from these faulty solutions but may lose confidence in broader efforts and scientific development to combat Covid-19, putting public health at significant risk. (Elissa M. Redmiles, 7/28)
The New York Times: The Cult Of Selfishness Is Killing America
America’s response to the coronavirus has been a lose-lose proposition. The Trump administration and governors like Florida’s Ron DeSantis insisted that there was no trade-off between economic growth and controlling the disease, and they were right — but not in the way they expected. Premature reopening led to a surge in infections: Adjusted for population, Americans are currently dying from Covid-19 at around 15 times the rate in the European Union or Canada. Yet the “rocket ship” recovery Donald Trump promised has crashed and burned: Job growth appears to have stalled or reversed, especially in states that were most aggressive about lifting social distancing mandates, and early indications are that the U.S. economy is lagging behind the economies of major European nations. (Paul Krugman, 7/27)
CNN: Trump, GOP Senators Again Put Economic Openings Ahead Of Suppressing Virus
President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill are still fighting the pandemic they wish existed, rather than a virus that unfolds at its own pace and is oblivious to their artificial political and economic timetables. Despite his supposed turn to taking the coronavirus more seriously, Trump on Monday warned some governors should be quicker in opening up their states, ignoring the fact his previous advice on such lines helped spark a surge in cases in the sunbelt. (Stephen Collinson, 7/28)
CNN: Why The National Security Adviser's Covid-19 Infection Is A National Security Problem
With coronavirus casualties at sickening levels, Americans learned on Monday that no one is safe from Covid-19 -- not even the man who's supposed to be keeping Americans safe. News that US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has tested positive for the virus presents an immediate health risk within the walls of the White House while serving as a worrisome metaphor for the administration's coronavirus crisis management more generally. If the government couldn't keep a top-ranking official like O'Brien healthy, that doesn't instill confidence it can do the same for us. (Samantha Vinograd, 7/27)
Dallas Morning News: As Coronavirus Cases Rise, Prison Population Should Not Be Forgotten
Texas has had the highest number of deaths among prison inmates of the 50 states. At 94 deaths and with nearly a quarter of the populations infected with the coronavirus, the prison system must reconsider how it ensures the health and well-being of its inmates.Texas can’t forget its prisoners. It’s no secret that prisons are crowded and that spread among facilities is inevitable, but more can be and needs to be done to limit infection. (7/27)
Los Angeles Times: Trump's Disturbing Rationale For His Drug Price Reform
If the Trump administration succeeds in lowering the prices of some popular prescription drugs this year, you can apparently thank the Supreme Court and its decision to restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.This was the bizarre and disturbing position that President Trump advanced Monday when chatting briefly with reporters on the White House lawn. The president signed four executive orders last week that aim to slash the premium prices that Americans pay for insulin and other medications, a laudable goal that has met with stiff resistance from elements of the pharmaceutical industry. Although all of these proposals have been in the works for years, they have foundered in the face of industry objections and, more notably, serious implementation challenges. (John Healey, 7/27)
