Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Federal Judge Overturns Protections For Transgender Health Care
The Hill: Judge Strikes Down Rule Extending Health Protections To Transgender Care
A federal judge on Wednesday struck down a former President Biden-era rule that extended federal health antidiscrimination protections to transgender health care. Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi ruled in favor of a coalition of 15 GOP-led states that sued over the rule, which broadened sex discrimination by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected characteristics in certain health programs and activities. (Weixel, 10/23)
The 19th: Intersex Awareness Day Highlights A Fight For Rights That’s Far From Over
On October 26, 1996, two intersex people and 26 self-proclaimed transsexuals changed history around the world. (Sosin, 10/23)
On IVF —
Stat: Trump IVF Proposal Prompts Market Moves From Fertility Benefit Firms
The Trump administration’s push to make in vitro fertilization more affordable is changing the outlook and offerings in the fertility sector, even as some details of its policies remain confidential and others have yet to be released. The administration’s changes have been followed by hope for increased demand for IVF and fertility coverage, lowered prices for patients, and even some new offerings, leaders in the space told STAT. (Payne, 10/23)
Boston Globe: Massachusetts' IVF Insurance Law Leaves Many Out
It was midday when the nurse pulled her car into the Market Basket parking lot in Hanover and sidled up to a black SUV. She said hello to the SUV driver, a suburban mom she’d connected with in a private Facebook group. The driver got out and handed the nurse a plastic bag. Inside, nestled in ice, were drugs worth thousands of dollars. “Good luck,” the woman said, then vanished into the grocery store to buy food for her family. The nurse sighed with relief — she had enough hormone shots for today. (Bartlett, 10/23)
On pregnancy and breastfeeding —
The Washington Post: Michigan Women Sue Over Law Voiding End-Of-Life Choices During Pregnancy
Nine Michigan residents are suing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and other state officials over a law that voids a pregnant patient’s health care advance directive. (Somasundaram, 10/23)
AP: Extreme Heat Brings Extra Risks For Pregnant People
Doctors have long known that heat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and other organs. Those risks are exacerbated for pregnant people, as the body’s processes for staying cool are altered. It’s a problem that climate change, caused by the burning of fuels like gasoline and coal, is worsening. Intensifying extreme heat events, high temperatures well into the night and shattering weather records means more exposure for pregnant people, particularly in developing countries. (Walling, 10/23)
The 19th: Doulas Are Crafting A Climate Disaster Blueprint For Pregnant People
In the days leading up to Hurricane Irma’s landfall in September 2017, Esther Louis made preparations to flee Florida with her husband and four children. The Category 4 Hurricane was expected to hit the Florida Keys and make it’s way up the state, posing a risk to millions of residents. One of those residents was a client of Louis’ who was nine months pregnant and living in a home that the Miami-based doula feared was in too poor of condition to withstand the storm. (Kutz, 10/23)
The New York Times: Ruth A. Lawrence, Doctor Who Championed Breastfeeding, Is Dead At 101
Ruth A. Lawrence, a pediatrician who almost single-handedly elevated breastfeeding from a medical afterthought to a distinct specialty, igniting a revolution in the education of physicians and support for nursing mothers, died on Oct. 12 in Rochester, N.Y. She was 101.Her death, in a care home, was announced by the University of Rochester Medical Center, where she founded the Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center. It was among the first organizations in the country to offer feeding guidance and resources to caregivers of newborn mothers. (Rosenwald, 10/23)
In UTI research —
CBS News: Nearly 1 In 5 Urinary Tract Infections Linked To Contaminated Meat, Study Finds
Nearly one in five urinary tract infections in a group of patients in Southern California were linked to E. coli from contaminated meat, a four-year study found. And researchers say the problem could be occurring across the United States. The researchers found 18% of the more than 2,300 urinary tract infections, or UTIs, in the study — published in the mBio journal on Thursday — were linked to E. coli strains found in meat samples from grocery stores in the same area. The meats most commonly found to test positive for E. coli were turkey and chicken, followed by pork and beef, the study found. (Moniuszko, 10/23)
