Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Prominent Psychiatry Group Relaxes Stance On Speaking About Mental Health Of Public Figures
Stat: Psychiatry Group Tells Members They Can Discuss Trump's Mental Health
A leading psychiatry group has told its members they should not feel bound by a longstanding rule against commenting publicly on the mental state of public figures — even the president. The statement, an email this month from the executive committee of the American Psychoanalytic Association to its 3,500 members, represents the first significant crack in the profession’s decades-old united front aimed at preventing experts from discussing the psychiatric aspects of politicians’ behavior. (Begley, 7/25)
The Washington Post: Monthly Shot Could Be The ‘Next Revolution’ In HIV Therapy, Replacing Daily Pills
HIV/AIDS is no longer the death sentence it once was, but maintaining the strict regimen required to keep the virus at bay — one or more pills daily — still poses a major challenge to many people who are infected. Adherence is low among some populations, given the effort that is required to obtain, keep and store the medications. That may soon change. On Monday, scientists reported an important advance in the development of a long-acting antiretroviral shot. According to an international study involving 309 patients, an injection that combines two drugs, cabotegravir and rilpivirine, appears to be as safe and effective at suppressing HIV as the daily oral regimen. (Cha, 7/24)
The Washington Post: New Zika Testing Recommendation Issued For Pregnant Women
Federal health officials are changing their testing recommendations for pregnant women who may be exposed to the Zika virus through travel or sex or because of where they live. In updated guidance released Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer recommending routine testing for pregnant women without any Zika symptoms but who may have been put at risk because they have traveled to a region where Zika is circulating. (Sun, 7/24)
The New York Times: It’s High Time For Ticks, Which Are Spreading Diseases Farther
This town is under siege from tiny invaders. A doctor at Southampton Hospital recently pulled a tick off a woman’s eyeball. After a 10-minute walk outside, a mother reported finding a tick affixed to her 7-year-old daughter’s buttocks. (Pattani, 7/24)
The Washington Post: A New Way To Fulfill The Single Biggest Need Of Poor Patients: Teeth
Larry Bays has seen his share of hard times, but on this day he was blessed. The 71-year-old goat farmer from Gate City, Va., had come to the annual free medical clinic held over the weekend here in coal country so his wife, Joyce, could have her asthma and arthritis checked. When her doctor realized she had no teeth, he sent the couple over to a trailer operated by the Mission of Mercy dental team. (Schneider, 7/24)
ProPublica: Has The Moment For Environmental Justice Been Lost?
Given how President Donald Trump has taken aim at the Environmental Protection Agency with regulatory rollbacks and deep proposed budget cuts, it may come as no surprise that the Office of Environmental Justice is on the chopping block. This tiny corner of the EPA was established 24 years ago to advocate for minorities and the poor, populations most likely to face the consequences of pollution and least able to advocate for themselves. (Buford, 7/24)
Iowa Public Radio: Sleep Disturbances In Young Adults Increase Suicidal Ideation
New studies shows that sleep disturbances in young adults can worsen suicidal ideation, and it can even be harmful to your health to fight with your spouse when you haven't been sleeping well. (Moon and Kieffer, 7/24)
Columbus Dispatch: Private Geriatric-Care Managers Assist Elderly, Their Families
By 2050, the number of seniors is expected to more than double, to nearly 89 million, according to census estimates. And as people live longer with more chronic diseases, there will be a growing need for more people in senior-caring professions, experts say. (Pyle, 7/25)
