Viewpoints: Decline In Life Expectancy An ‘Indictment’ Of U.S. Health System; The Toll Alzheimer’s Takes

Stat: Drop In Life Expectancy An 'Indictment Of The American Health Care System'
We are the wealthiest nation on earth, but far from the healthiest, and things are getting worse, not better. The CDC report is yet another call to action for fundamental health system change that should include, among other things, reforming our pharmaceutical markets and making good health insurance available to all Americans. These need to be urgent priorities in 2018 for a government that should care as much about the health of Americans as their wealth. (David Blumenthal, 1/4)

The Des Moines Register: I've Always Been A 'Doer,' But Alzheimer's Is Taking A Toll
So what do I mean by this made-up word “doerness?” I mean one who is a doer, one who gets things done on or before they need to be done. I have been the doer in the family, but my Alzheimer’s is slowly but surely eroding my “doerness” ability. Examples: my ability to arrive ahead of time has eroded because I’m not the driver and many times we arrive on time or a little late. That drives me crazy because I always arrived early. (Dick Goodson, 1/3)

The New England Journal Of Medicine: Chasing Seasonal Influenza — The Need For A Universal Influenza Vaccine
As clinicians in the United States prepare for the start of another influenza season, experts have been watching the Southern Hemisphere winter for hints of what might be in store for us in the North. Reports from Australia have caused mounting concern, with record-high numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza notifications and outbreaks and higher-than-average numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. ... it is of note that the vaccine for this upcoming season has the same composition as that used in the Southern Hemisphere. As we prepare for a potentially severe influenza season, we must consider whether our current vaccines can be improved and whether longer-term, transformative vaccine approaches are needed to minimize influenza-related morbidity and mortality. (Catharine I. Paules, Sheena G. Sullivan, Kanta Subbarao and Anthony S. Fauci, 1/4)

The New England Journal Of Medicine: The Public And The Opioid-Abuse Epidemic
Over the past year, the U.S. opioid-abuse epidemic has gained enormous visibility. President Donald Trump has identified it as a “public health emergency,” and a national commission and a commission of state governors have issued recommendations for action. This concern stems from the fact that in 2016 more than 11 million Americans misused prescription opioids, and opioid-related deaths have more than quadrupled since 1999. To determine what the public believes should be done to address the epidemic, we examined data from seven national polls conducted in 2016 and 2017. Many of the findings may surprise people who have been following this issue in professional journals and the media. (Robert J. Blendon and John M. Benson, 1/3)

Stat: When A Child Needs Trauma Care, Parents' Presence Is An Asset
I once subscribed to the school of thought that having parents in the trauma bay with their children is an unwanted distraction for physicians. Many hospitals still practice that way, establishing designated areas near, but apart from, the trauma unit where parents can wait — out of sight and out of mind — while their child receives care. ... Parents generally have a calming, comforting effect on their children. When a child is scared about a procedure, parents are able to relay vital information to their children in a clear, comforting way, allowing our medical team to focus on what we do best — caring for children in the most critical times. (Donald Plumley, 1/4)

Bloomberg: Is It Legal To Delay Lead-Paint Regulations?
In its first year, the Trump administration has had only modest success in eliminating existing regulations. But it has dramatically slowed the issuance of new regulations, including in the areas of safety, health and the environment. For 2018, and the remainder of Donald Trump’s presidency, that raises an urgent question: Will courts ever intervene and require agencies to act? (Cass R. Sunstein, 1/4)

The New England Journal Of Medicine: Toward Competency-Based Medical Education
Competency-based medical education (CBME) reconceives medical training by recognizing that not all students or trainees master all necessary skills at the same pace. Rather than insisting that a medical school or residency class proceed through medical education en masse, CBME focuses on all trainees demonstrating the competencies required for caring for a population by means of time-variable transitions from training to practice. (Deborah E. Powell and Carol Carraccio, 1/4)

Bloomberg: Food Science Is Caught Between The Head And The Heart
A few weeks ago, a scientific claim linking canola oil to Alzheimer’s disease risk raised an intriguing question: When it comes to healthy eating, do we have to choose between the head and the heart? In other words, is it possible that foods promoted as good for cardiovascular health, such as canola oil, are bad for the brain? There’s surprisingly little information out there on what to eat for brain health. The vast majority of nutrition research is aimed at the heart. Why wouldn’t scientists want to focus on maintaining the seat of consciousness, memory, creativity, love, learning and joy, as opposed to a glorified pump? (Faye Flam, 1/4)