Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
On ADHD Counseling, States Hamstrung By Shortages, Undercut By Aggressive Drug Marketing
Stateline: Some States Lag Behind On ADHD Therapy
Federal health officials recommend that preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder receive psychological counseling before they are put on medication. But states striving to promote the use of behavioral therapy have been hamstrung by a shortage of mental health providers. (Ollove, 5/12)
The Tampa Bay Times: A New Implanted Device, The Watchman, Is Lowering The Risk Of Stroke
Atrial fibrillation, also known as A-fib, can cause blood clots to form in a tiny pouch in the heart. If a clot migrates out into the bloodstream, it could become lodged in a vessel and cut off blood flow to the brain. (Maher, 5/12)
St. Louis Public Radio: WashU Research Could Someday Eliminate Need For Insulin Shots
After a meal, your blood sugar tends to rise. When it does, there are cells in your pancreas called beta cells that react by releasing insulin, which controls blood sugar. People who have Type 1 diabetes have damaged beta cells and can't produce insulin. To manage the disease, they either have to inject insulin or wear a pump all day. (Chen, 5/12)
The Charlotte Observer: Mecklenburg Health Director: Consider Keeping Fast-Food Restaurants Away From High Schools
Mecklenburg’s health director has proposed a provocative way to improve the health of teenagers: Restricting fast-food restaurants from opening near high schools. Marcus Plescia’s idea, presented to Mecklenburg commissioners Tuesday, is part of an overall plan to improve the health of county residents. It would be coupled with an effort to bring more fresh food and grocery stores to low-income neighborhoods. (Harrison, 5/12)
KQED: San Francisco Soda Tax Proponents Scrambling — Signatures Submitted Day Late
Soda tax proponents in San Francisco said at a City Hall press conference this morning that they had gathered twice the number of signatures needed to place a penny-per-ounce soda tax on the November ballot. (Aliferis, 5/12)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Study: Subtle Blows To The Head May Harm Vision
College football players who received subconcussive blows to the head had measurable changes in vision even though they reported no symptoms, a new study found. The researchers, most of whom were from Temple University, concluded that vision might be a window into “subclinical brain damage and its recovery.” (Burling, 5/12)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Woman Surprised To Find Herself In Penn Study
A Philadelphia woman with unusually high "good" cholesterol levels was the impetus for a University of Pennsylvania research study published this year. But she did not realize that until after the research was described in a Philadelphia Inquirer article. (Avril, 5/12)
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel: South Florida Researchers Need Alzheimer's Patients To Test New Drug
Five clinical trial sites in South Florida are enrolling patients for a new study looking at a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The MINDSET study is testing a drug called RVT-101 that increases the release of more acetylcholine, a chemical critical for cognitive function. Researchers are testing the treatment for people with mild to moderate-stage Alzheimer's when coupled with donepezil, marketed as Aricept, the most common medication for the neurological disorder. (Lade, 5/12)
