Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Stem Cells Could Usher In A New Era For Treating Cavities; 20 Years Post-Dolly And No Human Clones
The Washington Post: Could Your Cavity-Filled Tooth Repair Itself With Stem Cells In The Future?
Walking into a dentist’s office could be less of a frightening thing in the future if scientists Kyle Vining, of Harvard, and Adam Celiz, of the British University of Nottingham, have anything to do with it. ... Vining and Celiz have just won a prize at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s emerging technology competition for creating a synthetic biomaterial that stimulates stem cells native to your teeth to repair them. That’s right — the substance appears to somehow make that area regenerate pulp tissue and the critical bony material of your tooth known as dentin. (Cha, 7/5)
Stat: It's Been 20 Years Since Dolly. Where's My Clone?
Dolly, the first animal to be cloned from an adult of its species, was born 20 years ago today at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. When her creators announced what they had done, it triggered warnings of rich people cloning themselves for spare parts, of tyrants cloning soldiers for armies, of bereaved parents cloning their dead child to produce a replacement — and promises that the technique would bring medical breakthroughs. Which raises some questions: Why are there no human clones? Because of scientific, ethical, and commercial reasons. (Begley, 7/5)
PBS Newshour: Silly Rabbit! Junk Food Ads Contribute To Childhood Obesity, Study Says
Ronald McDonald, the Trix Rabbit and Sour Patch Kids are more than just benign cartoon characters. These child-centric marketing icons have contributed to the childhood obesity epidemic, according to a new study. ... The study found that kids consumed 30 more calories when exposed to just four minutes of junk food advertising relative to control groups. (Strum, 7/5)
PBS Newshour: Are Young Kids Losing The Brain-Boosting Benefits Of Playtime?
As kindergarten and pre-k have become more academically rigorous, some worry that the very youngest students may be missing out on crucial development through abundant playtime. But other educators believe setting high expectations for achievement helps kids, especially low-income students, excel. Special correspondent Cat Wise reports. (Wise, 7/5)
Wyoming Public Radio: When I Was Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder, People Thought I Was Cursed
When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2008, at the age of 24, all I wanted to know was whether I would be all right. It was the first time I had ever heard about the condition, and many people around me simply believed that I had been cursed. Even though my parents sought medical help, the psychiatrist who diagnosed me did not give any information about the illness, the side effects of the medication prescribed for me, or the manic and depressive bouts that I could expect. (Wafula, 7/5)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: More People Can Ask For Help In Dying, But Very Few Do
A new study led by University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel finds that only a tiny fraction of the dying want help speeding up the process. However, Emanuel is concerned about the reasons people are choosing to die - horrible pain is sixth on the list - and says doctors remain less supportive of assisted suicide than the general public. (Burling, 7/6)
