Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Social Media Companies Sue California Over Child Addiction Prevention Law
Los Angeles Times: Meta And Social Media Companies Sue California Over New Restrictions
Technology companies Google, Meta and Tik Tok sued the state of California on Wednesday to block a new law that restricts companies from targeting children younger than 16 with “addictive” social media content that can keep them scrolling for hours. Assembly Bill 1709, introduced by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), bars social media sites from providing features such as autoplay and recommended content displays to teenagers and young children. (Smith, 11/5)
The Hill: Google Sued Over Claims Of Gemini's Suicide Talk With Teen
Parents are suing technology giant Google, alleging the AI Gemini chatbot offered on school Chromebooks helped a young teen prepare plans for a suicide attempt and her funeral. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in California Superior Court and claims a 13-year-old girl —dubbed “Emma” — chatted with Gemini over the course of several months, prompting a “severe psychological crisis.” The complaint alleges Google’s top executives knew Gemini was dangerous but released the chatbot anyway. (Nazzaro, 11/5)
In other health and wellness news —
Stat: Novartis Cites Previously Unknown Tumor Cases Possibly Tied To Gene Therapy
Novartis has acknowledged seven previously unknown instances in which tumors were found in children who were treated with its spinal muscular atrophy therapy, a surprising development that has raised concerns among families, physicians, and patient advocacy groups. (Silverman and Mast, 11/5)
MedPage Today: 'Forever Chemicals' Linked To Aggressive Breast Cancers
Two common "forever chemicals" were associated with a higher risk of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer, a prospective case-cohort study suggested. (Bassett, 11/5)
The New York Times: As Hormone Use Increases, Some Doctors Warn Slight Cancer Risk Is Being Overlooked
As more women turn to hormones to relieve menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, some physicians and scientists say not enough attention is being paid to the small increase in breast cancer risk associated with certain systemic therapies. (Rabin, 11/6)
WUSF: A New Test Could Speed Diagnosis Of A Tough-To-Treat Lung Disease, Called NTM
Florida is a hot spot for a pulmonary disease caused by non-tuberculous mycobacterium, or NTM for short. This chronic lung infection can cause symptoms similar to tuberculosis, including persistent cough, shortness of breath, fever, night sweats and weight loss. (Sheridan, 11/6)
Newsweek: Scientists Just Studied People Who Can’t Stop Thinking About Food
Do you often reach for a snack after a meal even though you feel full? Or find yourself craving food throughout the day despite not being hungry? You may be experiencing "food noise," a phenomenon that affects nearly one in five people in the U.S. but doesn't yet have a universally accepted scientific definition. A new study from Penn State, published in Obesity Science and Practice, has found that 18 percent of people in the United States report frequent or constant food noise, and some demographics are more affected than others. (Azzurra Volpe, 11/6)
NPR: Why Teens Aren't Getting Enough Daily Exercise
The World Health Organization recommends adolescents spend at least one hour a day exercising enough to basically break a sweat — a brisk walk or a more intense pick-up soccer game. Lot's of research suggests this level of activity is crucial for supporting growing bodies and minds. But new global data suggests only a small minority of kids and teens get that much. In fact, one in four report not hitting 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise any day of the week, according to a new study in The Lancet Global Health. Girls, as well as adolescents from middle- and lower-income countries reported even lower levels of exercise. (Lambert, 11/5)
