Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Should Doctors Face Consequences For Providing Misinformation?
The Washington Post: California’s Anti-Misinformation Bill Is A Bad Idea
One of the many lessons from the covid-19 pandemic is that misinformation can be deadly. It can lead people to forgo lifesaving precautions and turn instead to potentially harmful therapies. If it’s egregious for politicians and celebrities to purvey misinformation, it’s far worse when the lie peddler is a physician. Surely, such an individual would be in violation of their oath and should be stripped of their medical license. (Leana S. Wen, 9/12)
The Hill: Addiction Often Goes Hand-In-Hand With Mental Illnesses — Both Must Be Addressed
Using substances to treat mental illness can begin a difficult cycle. Substance use to manage mental illness can lead to addiction and can in turn worsen the original mental illness. Regularly taking drugs or alcohol causes the brain to adapt to that substance—known as dependence. Effectively, the brain dials down its own neurotransmitter systems upon which the drugs act. A person trying to relieve anxiety through substance use will feel worse anxiety most of the time, because their brain now depends on the drug for relief. (Nora D. Volkow, 9/12)
Stat: Why Health Care Needs A Black Friday Sale
The best time to buy a car is at model year-end sales, and Black Friday deals can’t be beat for major appliances. Ever wonder why you don’t see a President’s Day sale on colonoscopies? Or ads for buy-one-get-one free knee replacements? (Stacy Bratcher, 9/13)
Stat: Medicare: Update Wheelchair Coverage For The 21st Century
Both of us have spent much of our lives in wheelchairs. But not just any wheelchairs. Ours are equipped with power seat elevation and standing technologies individually configured to meet our needs. (Paul Amadeus Lane and Jim Meade, 9/12)
