Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HRT For Menopause Will No Longer Carry A 'Black Box' Warning
NBC News: Hormone Replacement Therapy Will No Longer Carry A Warning Label, FDA Says
Hormone therapies for menopause will no longer carry a black box warning about serious risks such as breast cancer, heart attack and stroke, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. In the announcement and an accompanying editorial in the medical journal JAMA, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and other agency officials said the warnings are based on outdated science and have discouraged women from taking hormone therapy. (Bendix and Edwards, 11/10)
Mother Jones: The Many Problems With The FDA’s Big Menopause Announcement
FDA commissioner Marty Makary listed “divorce” alongside well-documented symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes. For Adrian Sandra Dobs, a professor of Medicine and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, this claim was “pretty ridiculous.” (Butler and McShane, 11/10)
NPR: Is Hormone Therapy For Menopause Right For You? 6 Things To Know
The science around hormone therapy to treat menopause has changed a lot since the FDA issued warning labels 20 years ago. Now the labels are being removed, here are 6 things to consider. (Aubrey, 11/11)
On autism and pregnancy —
CIDRAP: Tylenol Use In Pregnancy Not Tied To Autism, ADHD, Review Shows
An umbrella review of nine systematic reviews published today in BMJ shows no link between maternal acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy and autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The study, led by University of Liverpool researchers, involved a review of research published within the past 10 years, up to September 30, 2025, to evaluate the quality and validity of the evidence and the strength of any association between the use of acetaminophen (sold as paracetamol in many countries) during pregnancy and the risks of autism and ADHD. (Van Beusekom, 11/10)
On abortion —
Politico: Prominent Anti-Abortion Group Announces $80 Million Midterm Investment
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and its affiliated super PAC plan to pour $80 million into electing anti-abortion candidates in 2026 in at least four battleground states, according to plans shared first with POLITICO. It’s an attempt by the anti-abortion movement to reassert its influence even after a string of post-Roe defeats at the ballot box. It also suggests a desire to elevate social conservatives’ cachet, which has waned within President Donald Trump’s new MAGA-infused, populist GOP. The promised investments comes as Republicans train their focus on the 2026 map, particularly after Democrats’ strong showings last week in New Jersey, California and New York City. (Messerly, 11/12)
