Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawsuit Raises Energy Drink Safety Questions After Death Of 21-Year-Old
The New York Times: Are Energy Drinks Safe? A New Lawsuit Raises Questions.
A lawsuit over the death of a 21-year-old with a heart condition who died last year after drinking a highly caffeinated lemonade at Panera Bread has renewed longstanding questions about the safety of energy drinks. The woman’s parents, who filed the lawsuit last week, said that she was likely unaware of how much caffeine was in the lemonade, which they claim was not labeled an energy drink. A large size of the drink contains nearly the same amount of caffeine as five 8-ounce cans of Red Bull. (Blum and Callahan, 11/1)
USA Today: Study: Race Is A Factor In Depression Of Minority College Students
A new study shows that race may play a role in depression among college students who are minorities at both predominantly white institutions and historically Black universities. The research was conducted by a team at the University of Georgia and the findings were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of American College Health. ... The team also found that moderately severe and severe depression was more prevalent among the minority race at both universities. (Martin, 11/1)
American Homefront Project: To Create More Resilient Warriors, Air Force Training Is Emphasizing Wellness, Stress Management
When Air Force trainees step off the bus for basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, they undergo a rigorous introduction to military life, where they learn about principles like discipline, physical fitness and teamwork. It’s a stressful transition by design. Trainees lose access to their cell phones and social networks, receive uniforms and basic supplies, and move into dorms with little privacy. But the Air Force also wants to make sure they have the tools to cope. (Frame, 11/1)
Iowa Public Radio: Nitrate Levels Are Often Higher In The Rural Midwest. How Does This Affect Health?
In the middle of January of 2011, 16-year-old Jacob Peters developed a bad cough. Doctors initially diagnosed him with an upper respiratory infection. But when Jacob didn’t improve, his father, Gary Peters, said they started feeling around his son’s neck. "Then they ordered a chest X-ray and found a three-inch tumor right below his collarbone that was compressing his trachea," he said. (Krebs, 11/1)
CIDRAP: River Plastics Found To Carry Pathogenic Bacteria, Resistance Genes
In a study published today in Microbiome, a team led by researchers from the University of Warwick found that new and degraded plastics submerged for a week in a river harbored opportunistic "microbial hitchhikers" like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as a distinct set of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The study authors say the findings highlight concerns that the "riverine plastisphere" could serve as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. Dall, 11/1)
CNN: Stress Rash: What To Do When Stress Gives You Hives
Too much stress isn’t good for you — on top of feeling relentless burnout, it can lead to sleep problems, a poor immune system, higher blood pressure and lower cognitive function. And occasionally, chronic or acute stress can affect your skin, too. (Nicioli, 11/1)
NerdWallet: Getting A Second Opinion Can Help Ward Off Misdiagnosis
The harsh reality is that misdiagnosis happens a lot — and sometimes with the gravest consequences. Each year, approximately 371,000 people in the U.S. die because of diagnostic error, according to a July 2023 study in the medical journal BMJ Quality & Safety. A medical second opinion can increase the chances that you get the correct treatment from the start, saving money, distress and maybe your life. “Second opinions are probably the single fastest way to address diagnostic errors today,” says Dr. David Newman-Toker. (Rossheim, 11/1)
In obituaries —
The New York Times: Ady Barkan, Health Care Activist, Dies at 39
Ady Barkan, a well-known activist who campaigned for Medicare for all while struggling with the terminal neurodegenerative disease A.L.S., has died. He was 39.His death was announced on Wednesday by Be a Hero, a political organization he co-founded in 2018. Mr. Barkan died of complications of A.L.S. at about 6 p.m. local time at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, Calif., the group said. (Ives, 11/2)
