Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Finds Limiting Antibiotic Use To Be An Effective Tool In Fighting Hospital Infections
The New York Times: Limiting Antibiotics Curbs Deadly Hospital Infections
Hospitals try to control Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that can cause deadly infections, by careful cleaning and meticulous washing of the hands. But limiting the use of antibiotics may be even more effective, a British study suggests. (Bakalar, 1/25)
CQ Magazine: Autism Bills Offer Chance For Bipartisan Agreement
Bills to help prevent wandering, a characteristic of some individuals with autism and adults with Alzheimer’s who impulsively leave their caregivers, gained support from members as diverse as GOP Rep. Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey and Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, but never reached the president’s desk. Both the House and Senate advanced versions of Kevin and Avonte’s law, named for 9-year-old Kevin Curtis Wills, who wandered from home and drowned in Iowa’s Raccoon River in 2008, and 14-year-old Avonte Oquendo, who left his school and drowned in New York City’s East River in 2013. (Ferguson, 1/30)
Boston Globe: A Massachusetts Medical Mystery
Dr. Jed A. Barash, a neurologist, was the first to notice something puzzling was going on. Four patients over the course of three years came to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center with mysterious cases of short-term memory loss. They were all relatively young, and none of them had disorders that can lead to memory loss. But all four shared this: They had used opioids. (Freyer, 1/27)
Stat: Chiropractor Accused Of Faking Medical Exams For Truckers
A licensed chiropractor, Anthony Lefteris got federally certified in 2014 to conduct the medical exams that truckers must pass to get their commercial driver’s license. Lefteris, who worked alone, proved prolific. He could complete nearly as many exams in an hour as a typical federally certified examiner did in a month. In less than three years, he issued more than 6,500 certificates of good health to truckers from 43 states. There was just one problem, prosecutors say: He didn’t actually do the full medical exam that is required by federal law. (Blau, 1/27)
NPR: Spreading The Word About HIV Prevention For African-American Women
African-American women are more likely to be infected with HIV than other women, and many don’t know it. So public health officials and advocates are trying to get the word out about PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis. It’s a daily medication that helps prevent HIV infection. “This is all about empowering women, especially black women, by giving them sexual health options and also embarking on a path of research,” says Linda Blout, president of Black Women’s Health Imperative, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. The organization is helping to launch the capital’s first citywide program to promote use of PrEP among women. (Soto, 1/27)
