Viewpoints: American Stubbornness May Push Bird Flu Into The Next Pandemic
Editorial writers examine pandemic preparedness, opioid use, overdose rates, and MDMA.
Scientific American:
H5N1 Bird Flu Isn’t A Human Pandemic—Yet. American Contrariness Could Turn It Into One
Trust in public health and government are near an all-time low. At the same time, the federal government is unprepared for a new pandemic: It doesn’t have enough vaccines, and there is no plan for getting them out quickly. (Maggie Fox, 6/5)
Newsweek:
The World Must Coordinate Now To Prevent The Next Pandemic
Countries around the world, supported by the World Health Organization, are seeking to negotiate an agreement to help us beat pandemics—the ones we're currently facing and the ones we will inevitably face in the future. (Chelsea Clinton and Winnie Byanyima, 6/5)
Newsweek:
To Address The Opioid Crisis, Pharma Should Learn From The Auto Industry
he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released its yearly examination of deaths attributed to drug overdose. This year's results were a sobering reminder of the continuing impact that illicit drugs have had on our society, though an encouraging trend may have emerged. (Greg Sturmer, 6/5)
The New York Times:
Miami's Overdose Deaths Are Dropping. What's The Secret?
After Dr. Tookes’s program — known as IDEA Exchange, for the Infectious Disease Elimination Act that authorized it — was established in 2016, Miami’s overdose death rate began to decline and it has remained relatively stable compared with the rate in other Florida cities. While it is not yet possible to prove that the IDEA Exchange caused Miami’s overdose rate to fall, state officials suspected that it did. The health agency wanted to know what IDEA was doing right. (Maia Szalavitz, 6/5)
Bloomberg:
MDMA-Maker Failed Its FDA Hearing -- And Its PTSD Patients
What could have been a huge moment in psychedelics’ quest for medical legitimacy was instead a major misstep for the field. Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration’s expert advisors sent a strong message that Lykos Therapeutics Inc.’s MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder was not ready for prime time. (Lisa Jarvis, 6/5)
