Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Investigation Accuses Umbilical Cord Blood Banks Of Misleading Clients
The New York Times: Promised Cures, Tainted Cells: How Cord Blood Banks Mislead Parents
Millions of pregnant women get the pitch through their OB-GYN: Put a bit of your newborn’s umbilical cord on ice, as a biological insurance policy. If your child one day faces cancer, diabetes or even autism, the precious stem cells in the cord blood could become a tailor-made cure. Many families are happy to pay for the assurance of a healthy future. ... But the leading banks have consistently misled customers and doctors about the technology’s promise, an investigation by The New York Times found. (Kliff and Ghorayshi, 7/15)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Fine, White Hairs On Your Nose? Could Indicate Cancer, Doctor Warns
A recent social media video highlights an unusual but potentially critical cancer indicator that often goes unnoticed — the sudden growth of fine, white hair on typically hairless areas of the body. Dr. Scott Walter, a board-certified dermatologist, recently highlighted this issue in a TikTok post. This condition is known as acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa and affects fewer than 1,000 people in the United States, according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. (Newmark, 7/15)
The New York Times: How Sleep Affects Your Risk Of Dementia
Getting too little sleep later in life is associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. But paradoxically, so is getting too much sleep. While scientists are confident that a connection between sleep and dementia exists, the nature of that connection is complicated. It could be that poor sleep triggers changes in the brain that cause dementia. Or people’s sleep might be disrupted because of an underlying health issue that also affects brain health. And changes in sleep patterns can be an early sign of dementia itself. (Smith, 7/15)
Newsweek: Massage Treatment Debunked By Scientists
While getting a massage might feel great, scientists have found that there isn't strong evidence that they actually help with pain. Analyzing the results of more than 100 studies, researchers discovered that only a few of the studies found that massages help reduce pain, according to a new paper in the journal JAMA Network Open. (Thomson, 7/15)
AP: Celebrities Are Getting $2,000 MRI Scans To Learn About Their Health. Should You?
What if there was a way to peer into your body and spot early signs of cancer and other life-threatening ailments before they became serious? ... These whole-body MRI scans aren’t cheap. Startup companies like Prenuvo charge between $1,000 to $2,500 for various scanning options, none of which are currently covered by insurance. Proponents say consumer-driven medical scans are the next logical step in preventive medicine. (Perrone, 7/15)
