Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Katie Couric Media: Who Has the Final Say in a Surrogate Pregnancy? Inside the McKenna West Case
The birth of a baby boy with a life-threatening heart condition has sparked a complicated legal battle involving surrogacy, abortion and parental rights across three states. (Bonn, 8/18)
The Colorado Sun: As Rapidly Aging Colorado Confronts Social Isolation, DU Students Join Nationwide Effort To Bridge The Gap
Perfect Pair matches student volunteers with older adults. The results have paid dividends on both sides. Plus, there’s music. (Simpson, 8/16)
The New York Times: The Summer the Ticks Took Over
Do you know the revolting things a tick actually does after scurrying up your body? Once the bug has nestled in a warm, damp, often hidden spot where skin is thin and blood vessels are plentiful, two of its mouthparts saw through your skin to obtain an initial grip. Next, a third mouthpart, a barbed straw called the hypostome, bores into you and begins oozing spit. (Wallace, 8/20)
CIDRAP: Don't Scapegoat Rats: Analysis Of Mallorca's 1820 Epidemic Finds Rodents Didn't Bring Plague To The Island
Rats weren't to blame for bringing plague to a Spanish island in 1820, new research argues. Instead, the epidemic was likely fueled by pneumonic or septicemic plague. (Boden, 8/19)
The New York Times: Bryan Johnson Wants To Live Forever. But Why?
The longevity guru intensely monitors his diet and health. At a dinner party, he was asked about his quest for immortality. There was silence. (Hortocollis, 8/21)
