Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Twice Since Spring, University of Texas Has Run Out Of Free Narcan
Houston Chronicle: UT's Narcan Program Can't Keep Up With Student Demand
The University of Texas at Austin has run out of its Narcan supply twice since spring, when it began providing the opioid overdose reversal medication free to students at some of its libraries. (Ketterer, 10/7)
NPR: Is 'Rainbow Fentanyl' A Threat To Your Kids This Halloween? Experts Say No
The DEA says they identified a deliberate new marketing scheme by Mexican cartels and street dealers who want the pills to "look like candy to children and young people." "It looks like candy," DEA Administrator Anne Milgram told NBC News. "In fact, some of the drug traffickers have nicknamed it Sweet Tarts, Skittles." (Mann, 10/11)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Fentanyl Deaths Down, But Stories Still Tragic
Two people lay unconscious on the floor of the dilapidated apartment. Only one could breathe, although just faintly. “What drugs; what drugs did they take,” a Metropolitan Police Department officer shouts on video caught on body cameras during the Aug. 27 incident. (Torres-Cortez, 10/8)
In mental health news —
AP: As Suicides Rise, US Military Seeks To Address Mental Health
After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. More warning signs appeared during several years of subsequent overseas postings. “It’s like I lost me somewhere,” said Williamson, a Navy lieutenant commander who experienced disorientation, depression, memory loss and chronic exhaustion. “I went to my captain and said, ‘Sir, I need help. Something’s wrong.’” As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. For most, simply acknowledging their difficulties can be intimidating. And what comes next can be frustrating and dispiriting. (Khalil, 10/10)
NPR: A Lawsuit Accuses Amazon Of Selling Suicide Kits To Teenagers
Amazon is facing a lawsuit accusing it of selling so-called suicide kits, brought by the families of two teenagers who bought a deadly chemical on the company's website and later used it to take their own lives. (Hernandez, 10/9)
The Washington Post: How To Know If It’s Depression Or Just ‘Normal’ Sadness
To start, depression is a syndrome that involves far more than sadness. Aside from a sad or flat mood, depression typically causes insomnia, loss of libido and appetite, social withdrawal, low energy, feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, feelings and actions. (Friedman, 10/10)
In other health and wellness news —
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Beware Of Deadly Wild Mushrooms: Portage County Man Survives Poisoning, Thanks To Experimental Drug At UH
A recent rash of nearly lethal poisonings have experts worried that mobile naturalist apps may be lulling otherwise cautious citizens into a false sense of security, and they’re warning Ohioans against eating any mushrooms found growing in the wild. (Kroen, 10/10)
USA Today: Farmworkers Face Health Risks During Wildfire Season. How Bad Is It?
Farmworkers are an understudied population, yet vulnerable to certain health risks and barriers during wildfires, which are being exacerbated by temperature-revving climate change that’s increasing their frequency, according to research from the University of Washington and others. (Hassanein, 10/10)
The New York Times: Fall Allergies Are Real. And They’re Getting Worse
Ragweed, a tall, willowy plant that grows in cities and rural areas alike, is the most common culprit behind fall allergies, said Dr. Michele Pham, an allergist and immunologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Just one pesky plant can release one billion grains of pollen, she said, which can irritate and inflame our sinuses. Ragweed starts to bloom in August and typically peaks in mid-September, but it can continue to grow into November. (Blum, 10/8)
KHN: If You’re Worried About The Environment, Consider Being Composted When You Die
Would you rather be buried or cremated when you die? If you feel the way I do, the answer is neither. I cringe at the thought of my body burning up at well over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit or being pumped full of toxic chemicals and spending the rest of eternity in a cramped box 6 feet underground. So here’s another question: How do you feel about having your body reduced to compost and used to plant a tree, grow flowers, or repair depleted soil in a forest? (Wolfson, 10/11)
In technology news —
NPR: AI App Could Diagnose Illnesses Based On Speech
Voices offer lots of information. Turns out, they can even help diagnose an illness — and researchers are working on an app for that. The National Institutes of Health is funding a massive research project to collect voice data and develop an AI that could diagnose people based on their speech. (Molina Acosta and Weiner, 10/10)
Stat: Which Diet And Health Habits Are Backed By Science? There's A Tool For That
A new tool from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, unveiled Monday in Nature Medicine, uses a 5-star rating system to show how much evidence exists to support some diet and lifestyle changes. (Cueto, 10/10)
