Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New York Gets New Monkeypox Vaccine Provider After Botched Launch
Politico: New Contractor To Manage NYC’s Monkeypox Vaccination
The city has tapped a new contractor to administer New York’s monkeypox vaccines, after the last provider botched appointment scheduling. Medical services company Affiliated Physicians will take over from walk-in clinic chain MedRite when the city resumes taking appointments on Tuesday — and handle things moving forward, according to reps from City Hall and the health department. (Rosenberg, 7/12)
San Francisco Chronicle: Highly Vulnerable To Monkeypox, San Francisco Is ‘Literally Begging’ Feds For Vaccine
San Francisco’s LGBTQ community, led by a city supervisor, is calling on the federal government to greatly step up distribution of vaccines against monkeypox, a highly infectious virus now spreading mostly through male-to-male sex. (Asimov, 7/12)
In other public health news —
Stat: Apgar Scores Are Less Predictive Of Infant Mortality For Black Babies
A standard screening test given to newborns minutes after birth is a less accurate predictor of infant mortality for Black babies than other children, a new study shows, but the authors said the Apgar test should still be used. (Muthukumar, 7/12)
NBC News: Brain-Eating Amoeba That Infected Swimmer In Iowa Is Increasingly Found In Northern States
The brain-eating amoeba that sickened a Missouri resident who'd recently visited Iowa has been found in Northern states more often in recent years as air and water temperatures rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Fieldstadt, 7/12)
NBC News: Honey-Based Sexual Supplements May Contain Cialis And Viagra Ingredients, FDA Warns
The Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to four companies selling honey-based supplements that claim to provide sexual enhancement. The products, with names like "Royal Honey for Him" and "X Rated Honey for Men," may contain hidden pharmaceuticals, the FDA said: the active ingredients in Cialis and Viagra. (Lewis, 7/12)
The Washington Post: Sleep Joins The List Of Eight Key Factors For Heart Health
Routinely getting a good night’s sleep has been added to the American Heart Association’s list of key components of cardiovascular health, lengthening the list to eight factors the association believes can lead to a longer, higher-quality life without heart disease. (Searing, 7/12)
KHN: Patients With Epilepsy Navigate Murky Unregulated CBD Industry
In 2013, Tonya Taylor was suicidal because her epileptic seizures persisted despite taking a long list of medications. Then a fellow patient at a Denver neurologist’s office mentioned something that gave Taylor hope: a CBD oil called Charlotte’s Web. The person told her the oil helped people with uncontrolled epilepsy. However, the doctor would discuss it only “off the record” because CBD was illegal under federal law, and he worried about his hospital losing funding, Taylor said. (Berger, 7/13)
The Washington Post: Buttigieg Announces A Bill Of Rights For Passengers With Disabilities
The Department of Transportation on Friday announced its first bill of rights for travelers with disabilities. The document does not establish any policy. It is a summary meant to help travelers “understand and assert their rights” under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and ensure the airlines and airports uphold them. The law, passed in 1986 under President Ronald Reagan, made it illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers because of their disabilities. It applies to all flights to, from and within the United States. (Benveniste, 7/12)
