Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
US Doctors Helping Ukrainians Seeking Telehealth Advice
Fox News: US Doctors Provide Free Telehealth For Ukrainian Soldiers, Civilians, Refugees
U.S. doctors are providing free telehealth services for Ukrainian soldiers, civilians, and refugees amid Russia's invasion through an app connected to the Starlink internet that Tesla set up in the embattled eastern European country. According to a news release provided exclusively to Fox News Digital, VSee developed Aimee, a telehealth app that "brings together more than 2,000 U.S.-based physicians to provide free on-demand doctor visits covering all medical specialties, including Emergency Room and trauma." VSee is a video telehealth platform with a 14-year history supporting health efforts in North America, the Middle East, Africa, conflict zones, the International Space Station, and refugee camps. (O'Neill, 3/11)
And more on Russia's invasion of Ukraine —
Reuters: Exclusive: WHO Says It Advised Ukraine To Destroy Pathogens In Health Labs To Prevent Disease Spread
The World Health Organization advised Ukraine to destroy high-threat pathogens housed in the country's public health laboratories to prevent "any potential spills" that would spread disease among the population, the agency told Reuters on Thursday. Biosecurity experts say Russia's movement of troops into Ukraine and bombardment of its cities have raised the risk of an escape of disease-causing pathogens, should any of those facilities be damaged. (Rigby and Landay, 3/10)
Bloomberg: Ukraine Covid Pill Development Project Disrupted By Russian Invasion
The night before Russia invaded Ukraine, chemist Tetiana Matviyuk worked late into the night at her Kyiv office. By 10:30 p.m., she had wrapped up after a Zoom meeting with a global team of scientists working on a new, experimental Covid-19 treatment. The day before, she had shipped crucial compounds to colleagues in the U.K. Her team was closing in on the project’s finish line and their moment of Champagne celebration. But instead of euphoria, Matviyuk was filled with dread. She called her husband on her drive home. (Kresge, 3/10)
Bloomberg: U.S. Criticizes China And Russia For Pushing Preposterous Lab Theory
Washington criticized China and Russia for promoting a conspiracy theory that the U.S. military runs biolabs in Ukraine, escalating a dispute over attempts at misleading the public over the war in Europe.“ We took note of Russia’s false claims about alleged U.S. biological weapons labs and chemical weapons development in Ukraine,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Thursday. “We’ve also seen Chinese officials echo these conspiracy theories.” (3/10)
