Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Officials Confirm Wind-Down Of Federal HIV Meds Program
PoliticoPro: Federal HIV Program Set To Wind Down
A federal program to curb HIV by distributing free medication to the uninsured will stop accepting new patients at the end of the month, senior health officials confirmed to POLITICO. The Ready, Set, PrEP program will cease new enrollments on July 30, though it will continue providing the pre-exposure prophylaxis drug, known as PrEP, to existing enrollees, either by mail or at their pharmacy. (Ollstein and Lim, 7/23)
Houston Chronicle: FEMA Expanding Call Center Staff In Response To Hold Times
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is increasing the number of staff at its call centers after residents impacted by Hurricane Beryl reported wait times as long as four days through the agency’s helpline. Users on X said FEMA’s automated phone system warned callers that they could be on hold for as long as 7000 minutes. Some even said they were hung up on after waiting hours for an update on the status of their FEMA assistance application. (Lomax V, 7/23)
Axios: CDC Eases Requirements For Dogs Entering U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday announced it is rolling back new requirements for bringing dogs into the U.S. from countries without a high risk for dog rabies. The CDC eased the requirements, which take effect Aug. 1, following public pressure from senators, Canadian government officials and some animal advocacy groups. (Goldman, 7/23)
In other health and wellness news —
Los Angeles Times: Smart Vapes With Games Could Lure Youth, UC Riverside Experts Say
Introduced as battery-powered sticks that emit nicotine-infused vapor, vape pens have transformed into increasingly sophisticated entertainment devices. And that, researchers say, is a potentially huge problem.Disposable vapes gained small illuminated displays last year, typically to show how much battery life remained. In about six months, though, the displays grew to the size of a flip phone screen and came equipped with retro games similar to Pac-Man and Tetris — all on a product that costs less than $20. (Garcia, 7/23)
NPR: Tweens, Screens And Sleep: How Parents Can Help Kids Get Their Zzzzz's
How tweens use their electronic devices before bedtime can have a major impact on how well — and how long — they sleep, according to a new study. The study involved nearly 9,400 11- and 12-year-olds who are part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a large, long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. A majority of the tweens in the study — 72% — had their own cellphone. (Godoy, 7/24)
NPR: Dogs Can Smell Human Stress And Make Decisions Accordingly, Study Says
New research out of the United Kingdom suggests that the smell of human stress affects dogs’ emotions as well as their decisions, leading them to make more pessimistic choices. The study, published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports, was the result of a partnership between the University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the British charity Medical Detection Dogs. (Treisman, 7/23)
