Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Abortion Exemptions Are Clear As Mud; Endemic Covid Still Worse Than Annual Flu
The New York Times: Can Life-Of-The-Mother Abortion Exceptions Work?
In addition to granting new political hope to Democrats, the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has clarified the ground of public argument about abortion. As abortion-rights supporters have pressed their sudden political momentum, three pro-choice arguments have loomed particularly large: an argument about abortion in life-threatening circumstances; an argument about the unique physical costs of pregnancy in general; and an argument for the virtues of the Roe-era cultural status quo. (Ross Douthat, 9/14)
Los Angeles Times: You Might Need A COVID Booster Yearly. But This Virus Is Still Nothing Like The Flu
Should everyone eligible get the new Omicron-specific COVID booster? Yes, absolutely. But we should not get lulled into the illusion that the fight against COVID is over and now comparable to preventing the flu. (Peter Chin-Hong, 9/14)
The Washington Post: Is Being Transgender A Medical Condition?
Many years ago at a wedding reception, a transgender woman showed me a scan of the human brain. One section — the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, in fact — was highlighted. “You see?” she said. “It’s not my fault!” (Jennifer Finney Boylan, 9/13)
Dallas Morning News: Court Was Wrong To Oppose HIV Drug Mandate Because Of Employer’s Religion
Religious liberty and pluralism are democratic principles that sometimes clash and that our nation must balance. We think that a federal district court in Fort Worth got that balance wrong and imperiled health care access with its recent ruling in Braidwood Management vs. Becerra. In that case, the court found that a federal mandate to cover preventive HIV medication violates employers’ religious freedoms. (9/14)
Newsweek: We Have The Tools To Prevent Opioid Deaths And Improve Health Equity
The pandemic exposed deep inequities that persist in our health care system, and the opioid crisis is no different. The latest data from the CDC tell us the crisis is worsening and deepening disparities among Black, American Indian (AI), and Alaska Native (AN) communities, who are dying at a higher rate. (Mary Bono, 9/14)
Kansas City Star: Rural Missouri Hospitals Need More Nurses Like Me, But The Current System Is Broken
I’ve had a passion for nursing since the first time my daughter, who struggled with spinal muscular atrophy Type 2, was hospitalized. (Christy Warner, 9/13)
Stat: A Challenge Trial Can Streamline Testing Of Hepatitis C Vaccines
Trade-offs in medicine can be harsh, even when clearly necessary. Chemotherapy can save people from cancer, but the side effects can wreak havoc on their bodies for months or years. These trade-offs aren’t limited to the clinical world. They are also part of research. (Andrea L. Cox, 9/14)
