Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Emails Reveal Rift Between Top Immunologists Over $8.4B California Ballot Measure
Stat: Top Immunology Association Divided Over $8.4-Billion California Ballot Measure To Fund The Field, Emails Show
Internal emails obtained by STAT show that the American Association of Immunologists, the field’s leading scientific society, is sharply divided over California’s Proposition 38, even though it would provide $8.4 billion in taxpayer dollars for the type of research its members do. (Wosen, 10/19)
San Francisco Chronicle: Rabies Reports Are Rising In California. Experts Can’t Explain Why
Rabies reports are up across the United States this year, including in one greater Bay Area county where human exposures to rabid animals have tripled, prompting a local advisory to stay away from sick or injured creatures. Scientists can’t yet explain the uptick in rabies, which could be due to climate change, more awareness among the public or some unknown factor. Nationally, the number of rabies inquiries after a potential exposure is up 17% this year over last, and use of post-exposure prophylaxis also has increased, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Allday, 10/17)
The Washington Post: West Virginia Officials Offered To Store Nuclear Waste. Then Residents Found Out.
The jagged limestone rocks of Old Standard Quarry have weathered many eras of history. The property was the site of a Civil War battle, then a quarry and is now a popular destination for bungee jumping, its dark green water fed by a natural spring. Recently, the state proposed yet another use for the land: as storage for radioactive nuclear waste from around the country. “I thought it was a joke,” said Pasha Majdi, president of the Jefferson County Commission. “It doesn’t make any sense.” (Halper, 10/19)
The Baltimore Sun: Annapolis Recovery House Issued 'Keep Out' Health Notice
The city of Annapolis has determined that Stella’s House, a recovery house on Marda Lane, is “unfit for human habitation” after the discovery of “suspected microbial growth.” According to documentation posted on the door of the residence, the home was condemned Thursday, with residents required to relocate within 48 hours. (Rothstein, 10/16)
The Boston Globe: Jury Rules In Favor Of David Sabatini In Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit
A Suffolk County jury on Friday awarded $6 million in damages to ousted star scientist and former MIT professor David Sabatini, whose career imploded after he was accused by a much younger colleague of inappropriate sexual conduct in his Cambridge research lab. (Swearing, Hecht and Alanez, 10/16)
