Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Following Luke Perry's Death, Middle-Aged Americans Are Left Wondering If An Early Stroke Could Happen To Them
The New York Times: Here’s How Strokes Happen When You’re As Young As Luke Perry
Luke Perry’s death, following a massive stroke, is both a tragedy and a bit of a mystery. The actor was just 52 years old, and the vast majority of strokes occur in much older people. Mr. Perry’s family has not offered details about the medical findings, but deaths from stroke in younger age groups are rare. About seven in one million Americans under age 50 die annually from strokes caused by a blocked blood vessel, and nine per million die from a brain hemorrhage, the two main types of strokes. (Kolata, 3/5)
The New York Times: An H.I.V. Cure: Answers To 4 Key Questions
At a scientific conference in Seattle on Tuesday, researchers reckoned with a day that many thought might never arrive. A patient appears to have been cured of H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS, for only the second time since the epidemic began. A sort of electric hope hangs in the air, said Dr. Steve Deeks, an AIDS specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, who is attending the gathering: “The whole approach to a cure is shifting more from aspiration to something that people are realizing could be feasible.” It is a hope that must be tempered with realism: H.I.V. is a wily adversary, and scientists and patients living with the virus are all too well acquainted with past failures in the fight against the epidemic. (Mandavilli, 3/5)
The Associated Press: Advice On Salt, Hidden In An Array Of Foods, Gets Specific
It can be hidden in bread, pizza, soup and other packaged foods and restaurant meals. Now, advice to watch out for salt is coming with a more specific reason. A report released Tuesday by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine ties the recommended limit on sodium to a reduced risk of chronic disease. The report, which is expected to serve as a guide for policymakers, says the updated guidance is meant to also convey that cutting back on salt can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, even if people are still above the recommended limit of 2,300 mg a day for most adults. (3/5)
PBS NewsHour: Why The Number Of Americans With Alzheimer’s Could More Than Double By 2050
Barring breakthroughs in treatment, the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to more than double by 2050, rising to 13.8 million Americans age 65 or older from 5.8 million today. That’s according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association released Tuesday. (Santhanam, 3/5)
The New York Times: Another Obstacle For Women In Science: Men Get More Federal Grant Money
For ambitious young scientists trying to start their own research labs, winning a prestigious grant from the National Institutes of Health can be career making. But when it comes to the size of those awards, men are often rewarded with bigger grants than women, according to a study published Tuesday in JAMA, which found that men who were the principal investigators on research projects received $41,000 more than women. (Jacobs, 3/5)
Kaiser Health News: Patients Experiment With Prescription Drugs To Fight Aging
Dr. Alan Green’s patients travel from around the country to his tiny practice in Queens, N.Y., lured by the prospect of longer lives. Over the past two years, more than 200 patients have flocked to see Green after learning that two drugs he prescribes could possibly stave off aging. One 95-year-old was so intent on keeping her appointment that she asked her son to drive her from Maryland after a snowstorm had closed the schools. (Taylor, 3/6)
The Associated Press: FDA Warns Of Asbestos In Claire's Makeup; Company Disputes
U.S. regulators on Tuesday warned people not to use certain Claire's makeup products after samples tested positive for asbestos, but the retailer disputed the findings. The Food and Drug Administration said it issued the warning because it said Claire's refused to comply with its request for a recall, and that the agency doesn't have the power to force one. (3/5)
The New York Times: How Breast Size Affects How Women Exercise
Breast size can affect how women exercise and whether they decide to work out at all, according to a large-scale new study of the exercise habits of women of all ages. The study suggests that physical concerns, including breast size and bra fit, should be openly and frankly discussed during considerations of what keeps people from being active. Nobody doubts at this point that exercise can improve our health, happiness and longevity. But a hefty percentage of adults across the globe rarely if ever move. (Reynolds, 3/6)
