Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Investigation: Pharmacists Too Often Act As 'Glorified Vending Machines,' Threatening Patient Safety
ProPublica: The Breakthrough: Uncovering Danger At The Pharmacy Counter
Every time you pick up a prescription at the drugstore, you’re handed a set of instructions showing what the drug is for, how to use it, and its possible side effects. But millions of people across the country take more than one medication at a time, and some of those drugs can interact in dangerous, even deadly ways. (Ornstein and Weber, 1/27)
Stat: Mandatory Flu Vaccine Policies Are Called Into Question
It’s an edict that comes out every autumn in many hospitals: If health care workers don’t get a flu shot, they will face consequences. Some make vaccinations a condition of employment. Others require unvaccinated staff to wear surgical masks near patients for weeks during flu season. But a new study is calling into question the scientific evidence underpinning these increasingly common hospital policies — and could fuel challenges to the contentious orders. (Branswell, 1/27)
The Washington Post: When Drinkers Suffer Liver Disease, Should Getting A Transplant Be So Hard?
It began as a gentle way to unwind, a reward after a long day at work.Jackie Brafford, a registered nurse, would arrive home, kick off her shoes and pour herself a glass of chardonnay as she prepared dinner for herself and Steven, her husband of 40 years. After the pair ate at their home in Mineral, Va., Jackie would settle on the couch with a book, glancing at the evening news while idly scratching Crystal, the family’s chow, between the eyes. Often that first glass of wine would turn into a second, and then another. (Fleming, 1/29)
Kaiser Health News: Trying To Solve The Alzheimer’s Puzzle
Despite a 99 percent failure rate and another major setback last month, Alzheimer’s researchers are plowing ahead with hundreds of experiments — and a boost in federal money — to try to a crack a deadly disease that has flummoxed them for decades. A law passed by Congress in December and signed by President Obama sets aside $3 billion over 10 years to fund research of brain diseases and precision medicine, a shot in the arm for Alzheimer’s research. The law, called the 21st Century Cures Act, also includes prize money to encourage Alzheimer’s experiments. (Bailey, 1/30)
NPR: A Tiny Submarine Cruises Inside The Stomach To Deliver Drugs
A tiny self-propelled drug-delivery device might someday make taking antibiotics safer and more efficient. Think of it as a tiny submarine scooting around inside your stomach, fueled by the acid there. (Sofia, 1/29)
The Washington Post: Mold-Contaminated Mouth Rinse Found At NIH, Spokeswoman Says
Particles found in a sucrose solution prepared in the National Institutes of Health's pharmacy were determined to be “environmental mold,” a spokeswoman said Friday. The four-year-old sugar and water solution, used to evaluate patients' response to sweet tastes, were quarantined after a nurse discovered the particles in the mouth rinse Dec. 12, as it was readied for use in a study. The solution was not given to anyone and no one was harmed, according to NIH. (Bernstein, 1/27)
The Star Tribune: Push Continues For Fewer Antibiotics In Livestock Industry
New federal regulations mark the first serious attempt in at least 20 years to tackle what many have called the systematic overuse of antibiotics in healthy farm animals. Yet the rules that went into effect Jan. 1 — and have been in the works for several years — do not come without controversy. Livestock associations have said the new rules that pertain to veterinarians will increase paperwork and costs. Conversely, some consumer groups say the regulations don’t go far enough. (Meersman, 1/30)
The Washington Post: For Years Doctors Wrongly Diagnosed These Strange Episodes As Panic Attacks
Rachel Schneider was 13 years old when it happened the first time. She and a few other children had been singing prayers at her Hebrew school when suddenly Schneider felt that something inside her head had gone wrong and that she wasn’t there. Her father brought the terrified girl to an emergency room, where doctors dismissed the episode as a panic attack. They said that Schneider was fine. (Arcement, 1/29)
The Star Tribune: Botox Is Booming Among Millennials — Some As Young As 18
Like [Jordan] Bailey, more young women — some without a wrinkle in sight — are spending their savings to capture their youth. It’s a phenomenon usually associated with the Kardashian capital of California, but thanks to social media and the quest for the perfect selfie, the trend is widespread — even in Minnesota. (Blanchette, 1/28)
