Viewpoints: Current Malaria Drug Unaffordable In US; Pandemic Appears To Have Worsened Eyesight
Editorial pages weigh in on these various public health issues.
Stat:
The U.S. Urgently Needs An Affordable Treatment For Severe Malaria
When Eli Lilly announced in 2017 that it would stop producing quinidine, it was the only medication approved for severe malaria treatment in the U.S. As quinidine supplies dwindled, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made available artesunate, a better drug that is the international gold standard for treating severe malaria, free of charge via request. But that process posed problems. (Anne E.P. Frosch, Aileen Ahiskali and Chandy C. John, 6/11)
Bloomberg:
Do I Need Glasses? Pandemic Myopia Shows Screen Time Is Bad For Eyes
I have been four-eyed since I was 19. My prescription for nearsightedness was so mild, however, that I could manage without glasses if I wanted to. Over the years, my myopia needle moved only slightly, generally hovering around -1.0. A slight reading prescription was added in middle age, introducing me to the joys of varifocal lenses and a new chance to shop for frames. (Therese Raphael, 6/11)
The Baltimore Sun:
Mental Health Stigma Persists; Lessons From The Treatment Of Naomi Osaka
More so than any other illness, injury or disease, mental health disorders are subject to intense stigma, scrutiny and even discrimination. While individuals contend with the intense effects of their illness, they also have to fight battles over whether to “disclose” what they are dealing with and the repercussions that can accompany that. This is why we and so many others commend Naomi Osaka, the No. 2 ranked woman in the French Open for speaking out about her years-long experiences with recurrent depression and social anxiety. She may not have won the Roland-Garros, but she’s taken her place as a champion of mental health advocacy, and we can’t have enough winners in our corner. (Ken Thakker, 6/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Medical Student Precepting Is Crucial For A Robust Primary-Care Workforce
The American Board of Family Medicine recently released the results of its 2020 National Family Medicine Graduate Survey. This is an annual survey of family physicians three years out of residency. The 2020 data included responses to a new question: "Do you currently work in a practice or for an organization where you completed a clerkship or another part of your training during medical school?" Nearly 1 in 5, 19%, responded yes. This data suggests that the undergraduate medical experience influences the selection of future practice settings of family physicians. (Dr. H. Andrew Selinger and Mary Theobald, 6/10)
USA Today:
Alzheimer's Drug Aduhelm May Have Prolonged Reagan's Pain
In the early stages of my father’s Alzheimer’s, his eyes were usually veiled with fear. His face would tense up when he struggled to remember something or identify an object he was looking at. Sometimes he would say, “I have this thing …” It was heartbreaking.In 2011, I started my support group program, Beyond Alzheimer’s, and I have now heard hundreds of stories that are both unique and achingly similar. One of the few constants of Alzheimer’s is that the early stages are the hardest. You watch as your loved ones struggle with an inescapable reality – they are being pirated away piece by piece, and there is nothing they can do to stop it. The one mercy in the latter stages is that fear leaves their eyes. They settle into the distance they now inhabit. (Patti Davis, 6/10)
New England Journal of Medicine:
HIPAA And The Leak Of “Deidentified” EHR Data
It is ironic that although patients (and their physicians) still have difficulty obtaining complete medical record information in a timely fashion, the HIPAA Privacy Rule permits massive troves of patients’ digital health data to traverse the medical–industrial complex unmonitored and unregulated. Privacy is essential for reducing the potential for abuse of power, supporting self-determination and individual preferences, and allowing people to preserve their reputations and avoid stigma. Although the HIPAA Privacy Rule governs uses of identifiable data, it doesn’t apply to data that are considered deidentified. (Dr. Kenneth D. Mandl and and Eric D. Perakslis, 6/10)
New England Journal of Medicine:
HIPAA at 25 — A Work in Progress
HIPAA regulations critically aim to balance privacy protection with promotion of information access and technologies to improve health care quality and efficiency. Frankly, regulatory momentum, along with popular culture, has been pulling toward greater data sharing and less privacy. Yet privacy is a kind of power; without it, health care consumers are at the mercy of those who would control, exploit, and manipulate our data. Big business and algorithms have greatly diminished our ability to exercise meaningful control over our data privacy. (Anita L. Allen, 6/10)
