Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Administration Joins Other Countries At U.N. In Efforts To Curb Abortions
The Washington Post: U.S. Joins 19 Nations, Including Saudi Arabia And Russia: ‘There Is No International Right To An Abortion’
The Trump administration declared there’s no “international right to abortion” at a United Nations meeting in New York this week, calling on other countries to join a coalition pushing the elimination of what it calls “ambiguous” terms and expressions, such as sexual and reproductive health, from U.N. documents. ... Earlier this year, HHS officials began meeting with representatives from other countries, urging them to join a new international coalition that would focus on the value of the family, and which would not condone harmful sexual risks for young people, or promote abortion as a means of family planning. Other countries, civil society and women’s rights groups have expressed alarm at the efforts, and accused the United States of aligning with countries like Saudi Arabia and Sudan with poor human rights records and, also, of putting unfair pressure on poor countries that depend on U.S. aid. (Eunjung Cha, 9/24)
California Healthline: 5 Takeaways From Court Arguments On Trump’s New Abortion Referral Rule
Monday’s oral arguments before a federal appeals court were intended to center on whether the Trump administration’s new Protect Life Rule should stay in effect while lower courts consider a legal challenge by nearly two dozen states, including California, as well as the American Medical Association, Planned Parenthood and other opponents. ... But rather than constrain discussion to the merits of reinstating a preliminary injunction on the rule while the broader case plays out, an 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco dove into the heart of the matter: Do the restrictions on abortion referrals for these low-income clinics constitute a lawful policy change by a conservative administration? Or, do they amount to an arbitrary disruption of medical care for millions of poor and uninsured teens and adults? (Varney, 9/25)
The Washington Post: Trump Administration Rule Could End Free School Lunches For About 500,000 Children
About a half-million students could lose access to free school meals under a Trump administration proposal to limit the number of people who qualify for food stamps, drawing protests from congressional Democrats who say it could harm needy schoolchildren. The change, proposed over the summer, would cut an estimated 3 million people from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. It is intended to eliminate eligibility for people who get food stamps because they have qualified for other forms of government aid, even though they may have savings or other assets. (Balingit, 9/24)
Stat: FTC Issues Warning On Ads Used To File Lawsuits Over Drug Side Effects
After years of complaints, the Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to lawyers to warn that some ads seeking clients to file lawsuits may misrepresent the risks associated with certain medicines, and possibly worry consumers that a product recall may be under way. In a statement, the agency indicated letters were sent to seven lawyers, as well as people who generate leads for potential lawsuits, saying such ads may be considered deceptive or unfair under federal law. Some of the ads may make deceptive or unsubstantiated claims about the risks of taking blood thinners and drugs for diabetes, acid reflux, and high blood pressure, among other illnesses, the FTC explained. (Silverman, 9/24)
NPR: Veterans Affairs Secretary Boots Members Of Congress From Offices In VA Hospitals
The secretary of veterans affairs has told several members of Congress that he's evicting them from offices they've been using in VA hospitals. The House members use the offices to meet with vets and discuss everything from their eligibility for benefits to the quality of the care they receive. The VA says it wants the spaces back for clinical uses, but one of the lawmakers, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., thinks it's personal. (Allen, 9/25)
The Hill: VA Under Pressure To Ease Medical Marijuana Rules
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is under pressure to ease restrictions on veterans’ access to medical marijuana to help treat pain and other ailments. Veterans advocacy groups want to know if marijuana can treat chronic pain, as well as help address widespread suicides among veteran communities. While 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, veterans are finding themselves fighting stigma and roadblocks from the federal government’s drug laws. (Weixel, 9/24)
