Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Kids' Online Safety Act Clears House Panel But Faces Rocky Road In Senate
Roll Call: Kids Online Safety Bills Move Forward From Senate, House Panel
Bills that would seek to provide greater online protections for kids moved forward on both sides of Capitol Hill on Thursday, though a House measure was pulled back from a committee vote in a bid for bipartisan support. The Senate passed a bipartisan bill by unanimous consent that would amend current law to enhance protections for minors regarding the collection and use of their data by online platforms and extend such protections to children and teens under the age of 17. (Mollenkamp, 3/6)
More health and wellness news —
CNN: Men’s Sexual Health Can Predict Heart Issues
When a man already has high blood pressure or uncontrolled diabetes, the likely causes of ED are easier to pinpoint. But when the man is younger or otherwise appears healthy, I also look beyond the bedroom and start thinking about blood vessels — and the heart. Those late-night supersize fries and other choices you make today may not cause a heart attack tomorrow, but they can contribute to blood vessel changes that show up earlier as ED. (Brahmbhatt, 3/4)
CBS News: Some Baby Formula Brands Contain Lead, Arsenic And Other Heavy Metals, Consumer Reports Says
Some popular baby formula brands contain heavy metals, including arsenic, lead and PFAS, or "forever" chemicals, according to a new report from Consumer Reports. The nonprofit consumer advocacy organization found that more than half of the 49 powdered, liquid, and alternative protein and hypoallergenic formulas it tested contained "potentially concerning levels" of harmful contaminants. (Cerullo, 3/4)
CIDRAP: Avian Flu Detected At 20 Commercial Poultry Operations
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed at least 20 H5N1 avian flu outbreaks on commercial poultry facilities this past week, including five detections on facilities in LaGrange County, Indiana. Also hit this week was a commercial broiler production facility in Carolina County, Maryland, with 95,600 birds affected. Commercial table egg layers had the largest outbreaks reported to APHIS. A facility in Hyde County, North Carolina, had 3.2 million birds affected, and a facility in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, had 1.2 million birds involved. (Soucheray, 3/5)
In global health news —
AP: Jamaica Ending Agreement With Cuba Over Medical Missions
Jamaica’s foreign ministry said Thursday it was ending a decades-long agreement with Cuba involving its medical missions. The unexpected move comes as the U.S. pushes for ending such missions, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it “forced labor” and a “form of human trafficking.” (3/6)
