Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: New Blood Test May Forecast Women's Dementia Risk 25 Years Early
Fox News: Blood Test May Predict Women’s Dementia Risk Up To 25 Years Early, Study Finds
A new blood test could determine a woman’s dementia risk as early as 25 years before symptoms emerge. That’s according to new research from the University of California San Diego, which found that a specific biomarker protein associated with early pathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease was "strongly linked" to future dementia risk. (Rudy, 3/10)
MedPage Today: High-Dose Psychedelic Beats Nicotine Patches For Smoking Cessation
A single high-strength dose of psilocybin was more effective than nicotine patches for helping smokers quit, a pilot randomized trial showed. (Monaco, 3/10)
CIDRAP: Public Health Alerts: Tobacco Use Among US Adults, 2023-2024
A Public Health Alerts report today notes that cigarette smoking in US adults dropped from 10.8% in 2023 to 9.9% in 2024, while the use of other tobacco products, such as cigars and e-cigarettes, stayed flat, and 18.8% of US adults—or about 48 million—used at least one tobacco product in 2024. Public Health Alerts, a new collaboration between NEJM Evidence and CIDRAP, fills a gap in reliable data, offering expert-reviewed reports that translate frontline observations into actionable public health evidence. An NEJM Evidence editorial explains the initiative further. (Wappes, 3/10)
The 19th: How Your Favorite Influencer’s Food Content Could Be Fueling Eating Disorders
In 2013, when Kate Regan was a senior in high school, she became fixated on health and nutrition. She found content from online creators who made “what I eat in a day” videos inspiring. What she didn’t realize at the time was that this curiosity was masking a developing eating disorder. (Lyons, 3/10)
NBC News: Oysters And Clams In 9 States Could Be Contaminated With Norovirus, FDA Warns
The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Monday about oysters and clams that could be contaminated with norovirus and were sent to nine states, including California, Florida and New York. The shellfish caution covers "certain raw oysters" harvested by Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. and Manila clams harvested by Lummi Indian Business Council from Feb. 13 to March 3, the FDA said in a statement. (Li, 3/10)
