Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Longer Looks: Pregnancy As A Black Woman; Zuckerberg SF General; And Juul As A Long Con
Time: Pregnant Black Women Are Treated As If They're Incompetent
I have never felt more incompetent than when I was pregnant. I was four months or so pregnant, extremely uncomfortable, and at work when I started bleeding. When you are black woman, having a body is already complicated for workplace politics. Having a bleeding, distended body is especially egregious. I waited until I filed my copy, by deadline, before walking to the front of the building, where I called my husband to pick me up. (Tressie McMillan Cottom, 1/8)
Vox: Zuckerberg San Francisco General’s Aggressive Tactics Leave Patients With Big Bills - Vox
Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG), recently renamed for the Facebook founder after he donated $75 million, is the largest public hospital in San Francisco and the city’s only top-tier trauma center. But it doesn’t participate in the networks of any private health insurers — a surprise patients like [Nina] Dang learn after assuming their coverage includes a trip to a large public ER. (Sarah Kliff, 1/7)
The Ringer: Is Juul The Startup World’s Greatest Long Con?
It was 25 years ago that executives at Philip Morris and six other American cigarette companies testified before Congress that nicotine was not addictive. Even under oath, the tobacco giants continued their decadeslong practice of gaslighting the public about the negative effects of cigarettes, which were once actually marketed by doctors. (Victor Luckerson, 1/10)
The Atlantic: Scientists Have Been Studying Cancers In A Strange Way - The Atlantic
In 1959, an American physician named Harry Eagle mixed up one of the most pivotal cocktails in medical history—a red blend of sugar, salts, vitamins, and amino acids that allowed scientists to efficiently grow the cells of humans and other animals in laboratory beakers. (Ed Yong, 1/2)
Vox: We’re Making Real Progress Against Cancer. But You May Not Know It If You’re Poor.
In the past, cancer was seen as a death sentence. These days, it’s increasingly a survivable or chronic disease. But that’s especially true if you’re rich. (Julia Belluz, 1/8)
BuzzFeed News: How To Stop Juuling: 18 Stories From People Who Tried To Quit Using Juul
What do people who use the Juul — and have tried to quit — actually think?We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who used the Juul and quit, or tried quitting, to share their experiences and any advice for others. Here are some of their responses. (Caroline Kee, 1/9)
