Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Will Examine If Psychedelic Can Help In Quitting Smoking
NBC News: NIH-Funded Psychedelic Trial Will Study Whether Hallucinogen Can Help Smokers Quit
The study, a randomized controlled trial expected to start later this year, will investigate whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in “magic mushrooms,” can help people quit smoking tobacco. Hopkins researchers will lead the trial, which will be done in collaboration with researchers at NYU Langone Health and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. (Syal, 10/26)
More on drug use and addiction —
Stat: When It Comes To Addiction, Word Choices Are Part Of The Problem
Who gets better medical care in the United States: “addicts,” or “people with substance use disorders”? The terms, of course, mean functionally the same thing. But in the field of addiction medicine, the question presents something of a crisis. (Facher, 10/26)
New Haven Independent: CT School's New Policy For Stoned Students: Send Them To Hospital
Should showing up stoned to school mean you should be sent by ambulance to the hospital? In New Haven, a Dixwell Avenue charter school said yes. (McFadden, 10/25)
USA Today: Lawsuit: Companies Liable To Nashville Children Born Opioid Addicted
Six Nashville children born addicted to opioids, now between 2 and 8 years old, are suing top opioid manufacturers like Endo and Johnson & Johnson as well as the pharmacies CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. (Timms, 10/25)
In other health and wellness news —
AP: Sleep Apnea Device Recall Drags On, Stoking Frustration
A massive recall of millions of sleep apnea machines has stoked anger and frustration among patients, and U.S. officials are weighing unprecedented legal action to speed a replacement effort that is set to drag into next year. ... Philips initially estimated it could repair or replace the units within a year. But with the recall expanding to more than 5 million devices worldwide, the Dutch company now says the effort will stretch into 2023. That’s left many patients to choose between using a potentially harmful device or trying risky remedies. (Perrone, 10/25)
NPR: Study: Most Teens Who Start Puberty Suppression Continue Gender-Affirming Care
A large majority of transgender adolescents who received puberty suppression treatment went on to continue gender-affirming treatment, a new study from the Netherlands has found. (Wamsley, 10/26)
USA Today: Climate Change Is Worsening Health And Disparities: What Can Be Done?
Researchers across the globe collaborate to study climate and health in an annual report, the Lancet medical journals’ “countdown” on health and climate change. In this year’s U.S. portion of the report, released Tuesday, scientists break down research on the health impacts of a warming climate and outline policy recommendations, focusing on health equity. (Hassanein, 10/25)
