Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Lack Of Political Courage, Unwillingness To Compromise Hurting America's Drug-Pricing System
The Wall Street Journal: America Needs Leadership On Prescription Prices
Many issues that were top of mind only a few months ago have been sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic, its economic fallout, and social unrest related to police brutality and racial inequality. As a co-author of bipartisan legislation to reduce prescription drug prices, I can tell you that receding media attention is doing the American people a disservice. Congress must not let events serve as an excuse for doing nothing about drug prices. This is the time to address the crisis of health-care affordability. (Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, 6/29)
Stat: Covid-19 Vaccine Trials Must Include Black And Latinx Participants
The development of a Covid-19 vaccine is progressing at an incredible pace, breaking down barriers to the invention, manufacture, and testing of potential vaccine candidates. The Department of Health and Human Services says it aims to have “substantial quantities of a safe and effective vaccine available for Americans by January 2021.” To achieve this goal, each of the five leading Covid-19 vaccine candidates will need to be tested in approximately 30,000 people — a total of 150,000 research participants in the next six months. This will be a massive and unprecedented undertaking. (Kathryn Stephenson and Bisola Ojikutu, 6/26)
Stat: Anti-Vaxxers Bullying Slows Public Health Efforts Against Covid-19
False claims. Racist and violent memes. Threats. Physical attacks. Public health advocates across the country face these and more from anti-vaccine extremists when they try to enact policies to halt outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as measles and whooping cough. These extremists have now turned their focus on efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus — which has killed more than 125,000 Americans — and are using the same playbook of harassment and intimidation tactics against public health leaders charged with protecting our states and localities from Covid-19. (California State Sen. Richard Pan, 6/26)
