Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Longer Looks: Glaxo In China; Premium Hikes; More Election Anxiety
The New York Times: As China Battles Corruption, Glaxo Lands In The Cross Hairs
Peter Humphrey was in the bathroom of his Shanghai apartment when the police kicked the door off its hinges and knocked him to the ground. Nearly two dozen officers stormed his home. They confiscated files, laptops and hard drives related to his work as a corporate investigator. Mr. Humphrey and his wife, Yu Yingzeng, were taken to Building 803, a notoriously bleak criminal investigation center normally reserved for human smugglers, drug traffickers and political activists. Sleep-deprived and hungry, he was transferred later that day to a detention house, placed in a cage and strapped to an iron chair. Outside, three officers sat on a podium and demanded answers. (David Barboza, 11/1)
The Economist: Crunch Time
Fans of the Affordable Care Act, Barack Obama’s health-care law, should spend November biting their nails. The first reason is the presidential election: Republicans want to repeal the law. The second is that the three-month window when Americans can buy insurance, if they are not already covered through their employer, opens on November 1st. Many will shop on government-run marketplaces, or “exchanges”. On October 24th the health department confirmed that buyers will pay a lot more this year. How they react will determine the future of the law—and not just because it may swing their votes. (10/29)
The Atlantic: When National Turmoil Becomes Personal Anxiety
It was the hives that made Caroline Moss think something was wrong. The New York-based creative director had been getting itchy bumps on her arms and chest since late September, and allergy tests came back negative. She made small talk with her doctor at a follow-up appointment: “I was like, ‘This election, huh?’ And then he asked me if the election was stressing me out. The doctor told me my body may be manifesting my anxiety in this way.” Moss had broken out in hives just after the first two U.S. presidential debates, which she watched and discussed extensively with her friends and on Twitter. (Laura Turner, 11/1)
Undark: Worse Than the Disease
After living in Oklahoma for 40 years, Nita and Doug Thatcher retired in 2009 to the Rust Belt city of Lorain, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb that hugs Lake Erie. When Nita needed to find a new primary care doctor, a friend recommended someone from the Cleveland Clinic. Nita knew the institution’s reputation for cutting-edge research and superior medical services. But as a longtime patient grappling with chronic fatigue syndrome, a debilitating disorder that scientists still don’t fully understand, she was wary when she learned that the clinic was promoting a common but potentially dangerous treatment for the illness: a steady increase in activity known as graded exercise therapy. (David Tuller, 10/27)
The New York Times: ‘Going Flat’ After Breast Cancer
Before Debbie Bowers had surgery for breast cancer, her doctor promised that insurance would pay for reconstruction, and said she could “even go up a cup size.” But Ms. Bowers did not want a silicone implant or bigger breasts. (Roni Caryn Rabin, 10/31)
Stat: Nutritionists Built Close Ties With The Food Industry. Now They’re Seeking Some Distance
Take a trip with Sugar Cane and Sugar Beet, cheery cartoon characters in a coloring book. Sugar Cane, tall and lean, is a proud fellow. “Hello,” he says, “We make food with lots of vitamins and minerals taste good!” Sugar Beet, his short, stubby companion, reminds kids to watch their portion sizes but still likes indulgences. “Eat this,” he suggests, standing besides a small bowl of ice cream. (Sheila Kaplan, 10/31)
