Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Covid Proved That The CDC Needs Updating; Why It Is So Hard To Find Children's Medications
The Washington Post: How To Fix The CDC: First, Make It Smaller
Three years after the coronavirus started to spread in the United States, the nation’s institutions remain poorly equipped to respond to routine outbreaks, let alone combat a future pandemic. Many of the shortcomings stem from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Scott Gottlieb, 1/19)
The New York Times: Why Kids’ Medication Shortages Aren’t Going Away
Over Christmas, a friend was visiting family in England and posted a photo on Instagram of stocked pharmacy shelves, brimming with children’s pain relievers. Like many American parents — myself included — he’d been disturbed by the shortages of children’s pain relievers and certain formulations of antibiotics. (Jessica Grose, 1/18)
The New York Times: The New Cutting Edge Of Abortion- Rights Legislation
Prine is a New York physician and co-founder of the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline, which provides support to people using pills to end their pregnancies on their own. She started the hotline during the Trump administration in response to escalating state restrictions. (Michelle Goldberg, 1/20)
The CT Mirror: We Must Respect The Neurodivergent's Rights
A month ago I laid in my bed, ticking — a manifestation of Tourette’s. My arms jerked, and my legs kicked out. I punched myself and slapped myself, sweating and exhausted. Weeks of stress had worn me down. I had reached my limits — physically, emotionally, and mentally. I needed to go to the hospital. (Justin Farmer, 1/20)
Stat: Will Insulin Ever Be Affordable?
In an attempt to tackle the root causes of the inflated cost of insulin, the state of California filed a lawsuit last week accusing drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers of artificially and illegally jacking up the price of insulin. (Danielle Ofri, 1/20)
Bloomberg: Why Are Young People Dying In US And What Are The Causes?
What the mortality data show is that, first of all, something has been killing American young people in sharply rising numbers lately. The 2021 mortality rate for those 15 to 34 was the highest since since 1973, and for those 25 to 34, it was the highest since 1950. (Justin Fox, 1/19)
Chicago Tribune: For All The Good Fauci Did, He Should Have Retired Sooner
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who began his career at the National Institutes of Health during Lyndon Johnson’s administration, has stepped down as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. To put it in perspective, after more than five decades of distinguished and controversial government service, his legacy will be bittersweet — not quite the hero his supporters lionize or the villain his detractors portray. (Cory Franklin, 1/19)
Stat: The New Pandemic Treaty Is Good For The World And The U.S.
In December, delegates from more than 180 countries met in Switzerland to discuss the International Treaty for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response, which had initially been proposed in December 2021. Support for it gained traction as the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted concerns about global vaccine inequity, genomic data-sharing, and more. (Sergio Imparato and Sarosh Nagar, 1/20)
