Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
San Francisco Alleges 10 Big Companies Knew Harms Of Ultraprocessed Food
NBC News: San Francisco Sues 10 Companies That Make Ultraprocessed Food
The city of San Francisco on Tuesday sued 10 major food companies, alleging that they marketed and sold ultraprocessed foods that they knew were harmful to human health and had been designed to be addictive. The lawsuit argues that the foods have contributed to a public health crisis in San Francisco and across the nation, saddling cities and other governments with medical costs associated with the consequences of diets high in processed food. It’s a first-of-its-kind attempt to hold food conglomerates accountable for the proliferation of these foods and their established health risks. (Bush, 12/2)
In related news —
The Washington Post: How The U.S. Let ‘Everywhere Chemicals’ Threaten Your Health
These chemicals continue to contaminate Americans’ food, decades after scientists recognized their dangers. (Spring, 12/2)
On dementia —
The Hill: Troponin Levels In Blood May Predict Early Onset Dementia
A study published in the European Heart Journal could help predict the likelihood of dementia up to 25 years in advance. The research found a link between increased levels of cardiac troponin, a protein found in the heart that is released into the bloodstream when the organ is damaged, and more rapid cognitive decline in later years. (Djordjevic, 12/2)
CNN: Shingles Vaccine May Slow Progression Of Dementia, New Study Suggests
The shingles vaccine not only offers protection against the painful viral infection, a new study suggests that the two-dose shot also may slow the progression of dementia. (Howard, 12/2)
On cancer —
MedPage Today: Study Finds Significant Number Of Breast Cancers In Women Under 40
Women younger than 50 accounted for about a quarter of all breast cancers diagnosed at a large community imaging practice in New York, with a substantial number in women under age 40, a retrospective review found. Of the nearly 1,800 breast cancers diagnosed from 2014 to 2024 among women ages 18 to 49 years, 23% occurred in women under 40 years of age, a group currently not recommended for routine screening, reported Stamatia Destounis, MD, of Elizabeth Wende Breast Care in Rochester, New York. (Henderson, 12/2)
CIDRAP: HPV Vaccines Provide Strong Protection Against Cervical Cancer, 2 New Reviews Suggest
Two new Cochrane reviews by UK researchers provide strong, consistent evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination helps prevent cervical cancer, sharply reduces high-grade precancerous lesions, and is not linked to serious adverse events, especially when administered to young people who haven’t been exposed to the virus. The findings underscore the importance of early adolescent vaccination. (Bergeson, 12/2)
The Baltimore Sun: Hopkins Liver Cancer Vaccine Saves Lives From Rare Disease
An experimental vaccine saved lives in an early clinical trial for a rare form of liver cancer that primarily affects healthy, younger patients, researchers with Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report. (Hille, 12/2)
The Baltimore Sun: Foundation With Maryland Ties Focuses On Connections Between Aging And Cancer
Cancer risk and severity increase as people age. Still, the search for new potential therapies often overlooks considerations of age, says the CEO of the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. (Hille, 12/2)
The New York Times: Cancer-Detecting Blood Tests Are On The Rise. Do They Work?
The tests have not been approved by federal regulators, but that hasn’t stopped patients from wanting them — and doctors from worrying. (Agrawal, 12/2)
More health and wellness news —
CNN: ‘Scromiting,’ A Bizarre Condition Linked To Chronic Marijuana Use, Is On The Rise
It was a pain worse than childbirth, said a TikTok mom as she described bouts of uncontrollable vomiting after marijuana use. “I was crying and screaming and I was like ‘I can’t take this anymore!’ I hate my life,” she said. “I’m just begging God, like please make it stop!” (LaMotte, 12/2)
Axios: Norovirus Cases Surge As "Winter Vomiting Disease" Spikes: What To Know, Symptoms
A norovirus that causes extreme vomiting is on the rise again. Nicknamed the "winter vomiting disease," the highly contagious norovirus has arrived weeks ahead of expectations, per the CDC. (Scribner, 12/2)
KFF Health News: Listen: Nation’s Capital Cuts Traffic Deaths As Rates Rise Across US
Traffic deaths have climbed nationwide over the past decade. In some major cities, traffic deaths have surpassed homicides. But this year, Washington, D.C., has recorded a significant drop in these kinds of deaths. (Giles, 12/3)
