Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Americans Are Seeking Mental Health Care In A 'Therapy Boom'
The Wall Street Journal: More Americans Seek Mental-Health Care, UnitedHealth Says
Americans of all ages are seeking far more mental-health care for conditions including anxiety, depression and substance-use problems. (Wilde Mathews and Seal, 7/14)
Axios: America’s Therapy Boom
More Americans across age, gender and race are seeking mental health treatment than they were just two decades ago. The boom in demand reflects a growing mental health crisis and a national uptick in anxiety and depression — but also reflects healthier attitudes about therapy and more honest conversations about mental health. (Pandey, 7/15)
On other public health developments —
CIDRAP: CDC Ends Probe Of Salmonella Cases Tied To Papa Murphy's Cookie Dough
After 26 cases and 4 hospitalizations in six states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday declared its investigation over into a Salmonella outbreak tied to raw cookie dough sold at Papa Murphy's pizza outlets. The CDC noted an increase of 8 cases and 2 hospitalizations since it first reported the outbreak in May. (Wappes, 7/14)
The Hill: Aspirin Under Increased Scrutiny After Medical Study: Is It Safe For Everyone?
A study of 19,000 people has doctors taking a closer look at aspirin. The study, published last month in Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at a huge group of people 65 and older. Half were given 100 mg of aspirin daily, while the other half were given a placebo. (Boyd and Martichoux, 7/14)
NBC News: Colorism Is Driving Women Of Color To Use Harmful Skin Lightening Products, Says New Study
A lot of Americans want to lighten their skin. Skin lightening, also called whitening or bleaching, is a multibillion-dollar industry with products that can damage the skin and that, researchers say, promote a dangerous message about beauty and social value. But people who use these products — primarily marketed to women — seldom understand the health risks of using the over-the-counter chemicals, Northwestern University researchers found in a study recently published in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. (Adams, 7/14)
KFF Health News: In Older Adults, A Little Excess Weight Isn’t Such A Bad Thing
Millions of people enter later life carrying an extra 10 to 15 pounds, weight they’ve gained after having children, developing joint problems, becoming less active, or making meals the center of their social lives. Should they lose this modest extra weight to optimize their health? This question has come to the fore with a new category of diabetes and weight loss drugs giving people hope they can shed excess pounds. (Graham, 7/17)
The Washington Post: Tuberculosis In Prisons Goes Undetected Nearly Half The Time, Data Show
In the first global assessment of tuberculosis rates in prisons, researchers estimate that nearly half of the infections go unnoticed, making prisoners nearly 10 times more likely to develop the potentially fatal disease than the overall global population. “I think being in prison is a double punishment,” said Alberto García-Basteiro, an associate research professor at Barcelona Institute for Global Health who was not involved in the study. “One, being deprived of liberty, and second, being exposed to several diseases.” (Yarber, 7/14)
In developments relating to aspartame and energy drinks —
The New York Times: Despite Aspartame Warning, Beverage Companies Likely To Stick With It
About eight years ago, in response to customer concerns about possible health risks associated with the artificial sweetener aspartame, PepsiCo decided to remove the ingredient from its popular diet soda. Sales flopped. A year later, aspartame was back in Diet Pepsi. Today, the top three ingredients listed in the tiny print on the backs of cans and bottles of Diet Pepsi — and on its competitor Diet Coke — are water, caramel color and aspartame. (Creswell, 7/14)
Fox News: Aspartame Defended By Industry Experts After Cancer Risk Warning: 'Limited Evidence'
"Our results do not indicate that occasional consumption should pose a risk to most consumers," Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the WHO, stated during a press conference in Geneva. Dr. Mona S. Jhaveri, a biotech scientist and cancer researcher in Ridgefield, Connecticut, told Fox News Digital that the likelihood of getting cancer depends on the types and the number of carcinogens that one is exposed to, as well as genetic factors. (Rudy, 7/14)
CNN: Canada Recalls Six Energy Drinks, Including Prime Energy, For Caffeine And Labeling Violations, But Some Companies Say There’s A Catch
The government of Canada is recalling six brands of energy drinks, including Prime, over their caffeine content and labeling violations. Canada sets a legal limit on caffeine in energy drinks of 180 milligrams in a single-serving can. Prime Energy, the trendy energy drink made by YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, contains 200 milligrams per 12-ounce can – nearly six times as much as in a regular Coca-Cola – and thus violates that country’s limits for supplemented foods. (Goodman, 7/14)
Obituaries —
The Washington Post: Evelyn Witkin, Who Studied How Cells Repair DNA, Dies At 102
Evelyn Witkin, who paved the way for advances in cancer treatment and genetics by conducting groundbreaking studies on the DNA-damage response, the mechanism by which cells detect and respond to damage from chemicals, radiation and other threats, died July 8 at a rehabilitation center in Plainsboro Township, N.J. She was 102. The cause was complications from a fall, said her son, Joseph. (Smith, 7/14)
