Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Toxic Fumes From Gas Drilling Sites Spur Worry In Texas
AP: In Shadow Of Texas Gas Drilling Sites, Health Fears Escalate
For the families of the children and for others nearby, it’s a prospect fraught with fear and anxiety. Living too close to drilling sites has been linked to a range of health risks, especially to children, from asthma to neurological and developmental disorders. And while some states are requiring energy companies to drill farther from day cares, schools and homes, Texas has taken the opposite tack: It has made it exceedingly difficult for localities to fight back. The affected areas go beyond day care centers and schools close to drilling sites. They include communities near related infrastructure — compressor stations, for example, which push gas through pipelines and emit toxic fumes, and export facilities, where gas is cooled before being shipped overseas. (Bussewitz and Irvine, 11/30)
In news on flu —
CIDRAP: Oklahoma Reports Novel Flu Case As US Influenza Levels Continue Slow Rise
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported a novel H1 flu infection, the second novel influenza A case of the new flu season. In its latest FluView, delayed a few days because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the CDC also said flu activity is still low but continues to rise. The novel H1 case involved an adult who was hospitalized for another illness but has since been discharged. He or she had direct swine contact at home and at an agricultural event before getting sick. No human-to-human transmission was reported, and tests are under way to determine the neuraminidase. (11/29)
Meanwhile —
The Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘Restorative’ Treatments For Erectile Dysfunction Aren’t Proven To Work. Men Pay Thousands Anyway.
“The doctors who are offering therapy are not charlatans,” one expert said. “They’re not selling you snake oil, but, as a medical consumer, you have to be a little bit savvy.” (11/29)
Stat: McDonald's Accused Of Dragging Its Feet On Goal Of Reducing Antibiotic Use In Beef Supplies
Dozens of advocacy groups are accusing McDonald’s (MCD) of failing to follow through on creating targets for reducing the use of medically important antibiotics in its global beef supply chains, a development they argue will accelerate the spread of superbugs. In a letter to the fast-food giant, the groups pointed to a 2018 pledge by McDonald’s to restrict antibiotic use and set reduction targets across 85% of its supply chain by the end of 2020. The company also committed to phasing out routine use of medically important antibiotics for preventing disease, a practice that contributes to antibiotic resistance in food-producing livestock. (Silverman, 11/29)
The Hill: Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tests Positive For COVID-19
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will miss his team’s upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints after testing positive for COVID-19, The Associated Press reported. McCarthy, who’s in his second season as Dallas’s head signal-caller, informed his players about his diagnosis during a virtual team meeting on Monday. McCarthy tested positive for the virus during a precautionary checkup at the team’s hotel a day after the team’s Thanksgiving contest against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to the AP. (Oshin, 11/29)
KHN: ‘I Can Go Anywhere’: How Service Dogs Help Veterans With PTSD
It was supper time in the Whittier, California, home of Air Force veteran Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez, and eagerly awaiting a bowl of kibble and canned dog food was Lisa, a 3-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. Her nails clicking on the kitchen floor as she danced about, Lisa looked more like an exuberant puppy than the highly trained service animal that helps Clark-Gutierrez manage the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. “Having her now, it’s like I can go anywhere,” Clark-Gutierrez said. “And, yes, if somebody did come at me, I’d have warning — I could run.” (Stephanie O'Neill, 11/30)
