Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
How A Small Office In Charge Of Refugees Has Become A Battleground Over Abortion
The New York Times: Under Trump, An Office Meant To Help Refugees Enters The Abortion Wars
Scott Lloyd’s unadorned job title betrays little hint of the power he has over the pregnant teenagers in his custody. As director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, he oversees the assistance program for the tens of thousands of refugees who still seek shelter in the United States, even with the Trump administration’s crackdown. But as the government official who is also responsible for the care of young, undocumented immigrants who enter the United States without their parents, he spends much of his time trying to stop those who want an abortion. (Peters, 4/5)
The Washington Post: Amid New Talk Of Criminalizing Abortion, Research Shows The Dangers Of Making It Illegal For Women
The idea of criminalizing abortions is not new, but a push has emerged recently among some antiabortion advocates for enacting strict penalties against women who have the procedure, and not just doctors and clinics that provide abortions. Research over the past decade, however, casts significant doubt on whether criminalizing abortion would reduce abortion rates. And data from countries where abortion is outlawed suggests it could have serious consequences on women’s health and safety. (Wan, 4/5)
Politico: The Atlantic Splits With Conservative Writer Over Abortion Comments
The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg said Thursday the magazine was “parting ways” with newly hired conservative writer Kevin Williamson after fresh evidence emerged that he had endorsed hanging women who get abortions. Goldberg had initially defended hiring Williamson from National Review despite complaints about his previous writing, some of which critics said was racially insensitive or offensive to transgender people. Much of the criticism involved a 2014 tweet that suggested women who had abortions “should face capital punishment, namely hanging.” (Calderone, 4/5)
And in other women's health news —
The Philadelphia Inquirer: 'Abortion Pill Reversal' Controversy Heats Up With New Study
Even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other medical groups have called the treatment unproved and unethical, five states — Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Arkansas, and South Dakota — have passed legislation requiring clinics to tell women about “abortion pill reversal.” This week, Delgado and colleagues published a study using data collected through the hotline, which refers women to local doctors who prescribe a wide variety of progesterone regimens because no one knows which works best. (McCullough, 4/6)
The Hill: Two HHS Officials Leave Family Planning Office Amid Changes
Two employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are no longer with the agency following a tumultuous rollout of a federal family planning program. Cathy Deeds and Mary Vigil, who were both senior advisers at the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), are no longer employed by HHS, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday. (Hellmann, 4/5)
