Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Doctors Needed To Manage Effects Of Climate Change; International Doctors Need To Practice
Scientific American: Regulating Power Plants Is A Health Issue
The recent Supreme Court decision in the case known as West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency weakened the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants. At the heart of this ruling is the capacity of the U.S. federal government to regulate the release of substances that can be harmful to American people. (Matthew Meyer, 7/1)
Chicago Tribune: Internationally Trained Doctors Can Help Solve Doctor Shortage
When Adebola Olutoyin Hassan, a doctor and child health specialist, won the green card lottery, she was elated. Hassan, who was also an executive staffer with the United Nations, left her native Nigeria with her physician husband and two preteen sons. In 2019, the family settled in Illinois. (Jina Krause-Vilmer and Jeremy Robbins, 7/5)
Bloomberg: The Tampon Shortage Won’t Outlive America’s Period Taboo
Over the past couple of years, shortages of everyday goods have become a fact of life. First came toilet paper, then infant formula. But messed-up supply chains have now claimed another victim: tampons. (Stephen Mihm, 7/2)
The New York Times: My O.C.D. Diagnosis Was A Blessing, Until It Became Too Central To My Life
Five years ago, seemingly out of nowhere, my brain fell into an abyss of unrelenting intrusive thoughts — What if I harm myself? What if I harm others? What if I’m crazy? — each of which was accompanied by electric shocks of anxiety and full-on sensations of dread. It was, by far, the most terrifying, vexing and isolating period of my life. My first moment of relief came four weeks later, when I finally got in to see a psychiatrist. (Brad Stulberg, 7/3)
Stat: Pulse Oximeters Accuracy Shouldn't Depend On A User's Skin Color
Covid-19 made pulse oximeters an even more important tool for measuring the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream than they had been before. Widely used in hospitals and health systems, these small finger clips were also flying off the shelves in pharmacies and being ordered online. But pulse oximeters aren’t as accurate as many people — and doctors — believe. (A. Ian Wong, 7/5)
The Boston Globe: Gender-Affirming Health Care Is Simply Good Health Care
Gender-affirming care consists of listening to patients’ needs, providing options and clinical expertise. It removes judgment and barriers to accessing trained medical providers. While much of the dialogue has been focused on GnRH agonists (puberty blockers), hormones, or surgery, gender-affirming care is so much more. Gender-affirming care provides a framework of better health care for all, in a country whose overall health care system is badly in need of improvement. (Dallas Ducar, 7/4)
