Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: AI Needs Safeguards Against Promoting Disordered Eating; Long Covid Sufferers Feel Forgotten
The Washington Post: AI Is Acting ‘Pro-Anorexia’ And Tech Companies Aren’t Stopping It
Artificial intelligence has an eating disorder problem. As an experiment, I recently asked ChatGPT what drugs I could use to induce vomiting. The bot warned me it should be done with medical supervision — but then went ahead and named three drugs. Google’s Bard AI, pretending to be a human friend, produced a step-by-step guide on “chewing and spitting,” another eating disorder practice. With chilling confidence, Snapchat’s My AI buddy wrote me a weight-loss meal plan that totaled less than 700 calories per day — well below what a doctor would ever recommend. Both couched their dangerous advice in disclaimers. (Geoffrey A. Fowler, 8/7)
The Washington Post: For Millions Like Me With Long Covid, The Pandemic Isn’t Over
In 2019, I was in high gear. I had two young children, a busy social life, a book tour and a novel in progress. I spent my days racing between airports, juggling to-do lists and child care. Yes, I felt tired, but I come from a family of high-energy women. I was proud to be keeping the sacred flame of Productivity burning. Then I got covid. (Madeline Miller, 8/9)
Newsweek: A Dual Approach For Autism
Autism, now recognized as the fastest growing neurodevelopmental disability, stands at 1 in 36 children according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Hari Srinivasan, 8/8)
The New York Times: Few Schools Have Covid Relief Funds To Improve Air Quality
Two years ago, we got a chance to assure parents and teachers, in any future epidemic, that the air in classrooms was safer, making it easier for children to attend school in person and avoid learning loss and isolation. (Zeynep Tufekci, 8/9)
The Tennessean: Tennessee Senate And House Leaders Defend Gender-Affirming Care Ban
The court gave a green light to Tennessee’s new law prohibiting so-called “gender-affirming” medical treatments for children. This law, which the two of us co-sponsored and passed with strong bipartisan support, is grounded in science and designed to keep our children safe. (Jack Johnson and William Lamberth, 8/7)
