Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Harvard Public Health: If Dry January Feels, Well, Dry, Try "Damp" January Instead
A ”drier” or “damp” January might be the right approach for many people, says Aaron E. Carroll, a pediatrician, researcher, and chief health officer at Indiana University. Carroll has written extensively about the medical literature on alcohol’s health effects, especially where alcohol’s risks might be overstated by officials and news headlines. Moderation may be trite, but it’s still key. (Mehta, 1/5)
The Washington Post: The Best (And Strangest) Tech We Found At CES 2023
CES is like a kaleidoscope of the new and strange. Among some of the health products unveiled: a toilet sensor that analyzes your urine; a wearable that adds scent to virtual experiences for gamers, retailers and health-care providers; an anxiety pillow that breathes; and more.
Barron's: Health And Wellness Gets Scientific At Swiss Medical Practices And Spas
The Kusnacht Practice started as an über-exclusive, ultra-expensive alcohol and drug rehabilitation program for those requiring the utmost privacy while undergoing treatment. The practice operates about a dozen lavishly appointed villas and apartments staffed by a hospitality team, including a personal chef, plus a live-in counselor who provides support and companionship throughout the stay, which typically ranges from four to eight weeks. The chef and counselor can even return home with the client to establish healthy practices in their normal lives, and a continuous care team works to ensure they stay on track. “We are not an institutionalized kind of place, you don’t feel like you are in treatment at all,” Greghi says. ... While addiction treatment remains a specialty, 80% of clients today are not addicts, as the practice has evolved to treat myriad physical and mental health issues with a full-time staff of dedicated medical and psychiatric experts who work closely as a team to optimize results. (Kahle, 1/5)
The Washington Post: Antibody Drugs Could Target Infectious Diseases — If Costs Come Down
At a malaria research conference five years ago in Senegal, scientist Timothy Wells presented an overview of medicines on the horizon, ending with a few slides focused on an outlandish idea. Wells proposed that monoclonal antibody drugs — a class of high-price medicines that has transformed the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases — had a role in preventing malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that kills more than a half-million people each year, mostly children in Africa. Scientifically, it was plausible. Practically speaking, it seemed ludicrous. (Johnson, 1/3)
MarketWatch: ‘I Can No Longer Be An Executive At A High Level’: Workers With Disabilities, Including Long COVID, Are Finding Their Place As Companies Become More Flexible
Many people with disabilities face serious difficulties finding work. The unemployment rate for people with a disability was 6% in November — down from 10.8% in 2021, but still higher than the rate of 3.3% for those who do not have a disability, according to government data. (Han, 1/5)
