Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Eli Lilly Halts Exports Of Some Meds To Russia
Bloomberg: Lilly Halts New Studies in Russia, Exports of Some Medicines to Country
Eli Lilly & Co. said it has suspended investment, promotional activity and new clinical trials in Russia, and has stopped exporting nonessential medicines to the country, in response to the war in Ukraine. The Indianapolis-based drugmaker, which is one of the world’s biggest producers of insulin, said in an emailed statement that it will continue to deliver cancer and diabetes medicines to patients in Russia. (Griffin, 3/15)
The Washington Post: Boston Doctors Wanted To Help Ukrainians. They Made YouTube Tutorials On How To Control Bleeding Wounds.
As heavy metal music plays in the background, a doctor grabs a piece of cloth and places it atop an open wound on a medical dummy. Pressing on the cloth with both hands, he applies pressure. Later, he secures a tourniquet to the dummy’s leg. The video is less than 40 seconds long — but its creators say it could help save lives in Ukraine. (Mark, 3/15)
The Washington Post: In Middle East, Panic Buying Spreads As Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Sparks Fear Over Food And Fuel
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is sending economic ripples across the Middle East as panic spreads about the availability and prices of essential goods such as wheat, sunflower oil and fuel, that are typically imported from the two warring countries. Prices of bread and other foodstuffs in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon have been increasing as concern over their availability mounts. (Dadouch, 3/15)
Politico: 5 Reasons War In Ukraine Is A Gut Punch To The Global Food System
Guess from where the U.N. World Food Programme sourced more than half of its supplies for the hungry across the globe in 2021? Yes, Ukraine. When this "breadbasket of Europe" is knocked out of supply chains and aid networks, the world is going to feel it. The war between Russia and Ukraine, both food-producing powerhouses, has already sent prices for cereals like wheat soaring and European governments scrambling to stabilize markets. (Wax and Galindo, 3/15)
In other news from around the world —
AP: Red-Orange Sahara Dust Coats Spain, Makes It Hard To Breathe
Hot air from the Sahara Desert has swirled over the Mediterranean Sea and coated Spain with red-orange dust, prompting authorities to issue extremely bad air quality warnings Tuesday for Madrid and a large swath of the country. The national air quality index listed the capital and large parts of the southeast coast as “extremely unfavorable” — its worst rating. (Wilson, 3/15)
AP: Haiti's Health Professionals Go On Strike Over Kidnappings
Thousands of doctors, nurses and other health professionals across Haiti have gone on strike to protest a spike in gang-related kidnappings as supporters burned tires and blocked roads on Tuesday. The three-day strike that began on Monday shut down public and private health institutions in the capital of Port-au-Prince and beyond, with only emergency rooms accepting patients. (Sanon, 3/15)
Press Association: Plans To Record British Mothers’ Drinking Habits On Baby Health Records Scrapped
Proposals to include a pregnant woman’s drinking habits on her child’s medical record have been ditched, campaigners said. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) said it opposed National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) proposals that any alcohol consumption reported by a pregnant woman should be automatically transferred to her child’s medical record. The plans, part of Nice’s Quality Standard on the diagnosis and assessment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), prompted a backlash. Campaigners said the plans would have infringed on a woman’s right to privacy and denied pregnant women the ability to have a frank and confidential conversation with her midwife about alcohol. (3/16)
