Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Arsenic Levels Force Walmart To Recall Some Baby Cereals
CBS News: Baby Cereal Sold Only At Walmart Recalled For Too Much Arsenic
Certain Parent's Choice Rice Baby Cereal sold only at Walmart is being recalled after random tests found "above guidance" levels of naturally occurring inorganic arsenic, a toxin connected to impaired cognitive development for those exposed in early childhood. The product was distributed nationally through Walmart's stores and online, with the retailer pulling the recalled cereal from store shelves, according to a notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (Gibson, 10/12)
In other public health news —
NBC News: Many Breast Cancer Patients Are Using Marijuana And Not Telling Their Doctors
Many breast cancer patients use cannabis to ease the symptoms of the disease and its treatments, but few tell their doctors, a new survey finds. In an online anonymous survey of more than 600 adults with a breast cancer diagnosis, 42 percent reported using some form of cannabis for relief of symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, pain, insomnia, anxiety and stress, according to the report published Tuesday in Cancer. (Carroll, 10/12)
Fox News: Men With Higher Testosterone Likely To Have More Than One Sexual Partner At A Time: Study
Men with higher levels of testosterone are more likely to have more than one sexual partner at the same time, researchers say. According to a recent study published in The Journal of Sex Research, testosterone in women has been linked with "solo sex" or same-sex relationships. The team – from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UCL, University of Manchester and the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) – used data from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles to examine associations between testosterone levels and sexual function and behavior. (Musto, 10/12)
AP: Fewer In US Turn To Food Banks, But Millions Still In Need
Hunger and food insecurity across the United States have dropped measurably over the past six months, but the need remains far above pre-pandemic levels. And specialists in hunger issues warn that the situation for millions of families remains extremely fragile. An Associated Press review of bulk distribution numbers from hundreds of food banks across the country revealed a clear downward trend in the amount of food handed out across the country, starting in the spring as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout took hold and closed sectors of the economy began to reopen. (Khalil, 10/12)
PBS NewsHour: Why Millions Of Americans Feel They Must Choose Between Caring For Loved Ones And Work
Bias against caregivers working outside the home has existed for decades, and it is in particular “one of the most powerful drivers of discrimination against women in the work force,” said Liz Morris, the deputy director of the Center for Worklife Law at University of California-Hastings. Data shows that employers may write off female caregivers as being less committed to their jobs. As a result, Morris said, they are “less likely to be hired, less likely to be promoted, and they’re paid less.”. As a result, Morris said, female caregivers are “less likely to be hired, less likely to be promoted, and they’re paid less.” (Santhanam, 10/12)
KHN: Reluctant Localities Are Being Dragged Into Court To Fix Sidewalks For People With Disabilities
From her Baltimore dining room, Susan Goodlaxson can see her neighbor gardening across the street. But while other neighbors stop to chat, Goodlaxson just watches from the window. She uses a wheelchair, and there isn’t a single curb ramp on her block. If the 66-year-old wanted to join, she’d have to jump her wheelchair down the 7½-inch curb and risk a fall. Ditto if she wanted to wheel over to the library, a trip that would require riding in the street to avoid rampless curbs and broken sidewalks. “I don’t feel like it’s asking too much to be able to move your wheelchair around the city,” she said. (O'Hagan, 10/13)
