Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Ala.'s Psychiatric Care Of Inmates Cruel And Unusual, Judge Rules; Suit Filed Against La. Abortion Regulation
The Associated Press: Judge: Alabama Inmates' Mental Care 'Horrendously' Lacking
Alabama's psychiatric care of state inmates is so "horrendously inadequate" that it violates the U.S. Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment, a federal judge ruled Tuesday as he ordered the state to overhaul conditions. (6/27)
The Associated Press: State: Lawyers Sure Abortion Licensing Laws Constitutional
After court victories against abortion laws in Texas and Louisiana, a reproductive rights group filed a federal challenge on Tuesday of a Louisiana licensing law it blames for more than a thousand burdensome anti-abortion regulations. (6/27)
The Star Tribune: St. Louis Park Poised To Become 2nd City In State To Raise Tobacco Sales Age To 21
St. Louis Park is poised to become the second city in Minnesota to raise the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21, following the footsteps of neighboring suburb Edina. The City Council on Monday passed a first reading of an ordinance raising the sales age. If the second reading is approved July 17, the new restrictions would go into effect on Oct. 1. (Otarola, 6/27)
St. Louis Public Radio: Cancer-Coaching Grandmothers In St. Louis Are Saving Lives, One By One
The program is run by The Breakfast Club, a local nonprofit that supports African-American women diagnosed with breast cancer. The “buddies” receive a small stipend to be a mentor, friend and guide to women undergoing nine months of treatment and follow-up care. (Bouscaren, 6/28)
Houston Chronicle: Memorial Hermann Lays Off 350 More Employees
The Memorial Hermann Health System, Houston's largest employer, is laying off another 350 employees, bringing its total to more than 460 this year. Memorial Hermann announced the layoffs Tuesday, the same day it notified most of the affected employees. The reduction, which represents less than 2 percent of Memorial Hermann's 25,000 employees workforce, affected people at all levels. (Ackerman, 6/27)
San Jose Mercury News: Main Ingredient In Roundup Draws Scrutiny From California Lawmakers
Glyphosate, the main pesticide in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer that is used throughout Santa Cruz County, is receiving increased attention from state lawmakers concerned about its cancer-causing properties. In March, California became the first state to add glyphosate to the list of chemicals known to cause cancer. (Men, 6/27)
KCUR: Osteopathic Medicine, Born In Missouri, Now Seeks To Fill Rural Health Care Gaps
Osteopathic medical schools, whose numbers have doubled in the last 10 years, are in the middle of a huge push into smaller communities...These days, the care provided by D.O.s and M.D.s is typically so similar that most patients wouldn’t know the difference. But that hasn’t always been the case.At the root of osteopathic medicine is osteopathic manipulative treatment, a hands-on technique that looks like a cross between chiropractic manipulation and massage. There’s evidence this can help treat some kinds of pain. (Smith, 6/28)
San Francisco Chronicle: Old-School Shelters Need To Upgrade Services
Unlike old-school shelters, the Navigation Center offers 24-hour access, has storage for belongings, partners are allowed to sleep together, and pets may be brought inside. The big difference? The Navigation Center has case managers offering intensive help on a range of services, including treating addictions, obtaining identification cards and finding housing. (Knight, 6/27)
New Orleans Times-Picayune: Flight Lands At Armstrong Airport After Woman Gives Birth On Board Plane
Thousands of feet above the Gulf of Mexico, Cristina Penton realized her baby boy was coming sooner rather than later.Penton said she began feeling contractions less than 20 minutes after she took off aboard Spirit Airlines Flight 971 from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. on Saturday night. Within the hour, the flight had landed at Louis Armstrong International Airport, with Penton holding her newborn son in her arms. Once she knew something was wrong, Penton alerted flight attendants who found a pediatrician and a nurse on board and prepared to give an all-natural birth in the front row of the plane. Pilots re-routed the plane to New Orleans, but Penton's water broke in flight. Ten minutes later, Christoph Carsten Lezcano was born aboard the aircraft, 19 1/2 inches long and weighing seven pounds. (Rand, 6/27)
San Francisco Chronicle: Women Gain Force In Speaking Up On Sex Abuse, Discrimination
They had the numbers: six women who would describe in disturbing detail exactly how they were harassed, assaulted or made to feel uneasy by the unwanted advances of San Francisco venture capitalist Justin Caldbeck. Three of those women decided to identify themselves publicly — a risky move for victims of sexual violence or harassment, who are often dismissed, threatened or discredited in efforts to poke holes in their stories. (Lang, 6/27)
St. Louis Public Radio: Marijuana Isn’t A Medical Treatment Or Moneymaker For Missouri, But That Could Change After 2018
In Missouri, there are at least 22 ballot proposals aimed at persuading voters in 2018 to join that growing club of pro-pot states, an effort similar to a successful ballot drive last year in Arkansas. But all of this comes as U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is calling for a crackdown on the growing number of states that appear to be ignoring the federal ban on pot. (Mannies, 6/27)
