Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Democrats Must Repeal Comstock Act Before It's Too Late; Bulk Testing Of Milk Could Rein In Bird Flu
Los Angeles Times: How Democrats Could Use The Lame Duck To Save Medication Abortions
Before Democrats lose the White House and the Senate, they should push through legislation to repeal the Comstock Act, which could be used to prevent legal medically induced abortions everywhere in the United States. Given the success of ballot initiatives that protect the right to abortion in even conservative states in last week’s election, the politics could be right to repeal that 1873 law. (Erwin Chemerinsky and Miles Mogulescu, 12/4)
The Boston Globe: To Stop Avian Flu, Boost Testing Of Milk
Avian flu is storming through California, with more than 250 new cases detected among dairy herds in the past 30 days, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Since the flu was first detected in cattle in March, the USDA has confirmed more than 700 cases in 15 states. New England cattle have been spared so far, but there’s little reason to think that will last indefinitely. (12/6)
Stat: A Better Way To Track Health Care-Related Outbreaks
The recently ended Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, which has caused 57 infections and nine deaths, is just one of the many foodborne illness incidents that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detects each year using its PulseNet system. Many people might not realize the extensive effort behind PulseNet, which systematically collects data on foodborne illnesses from patients across the U.S., performs genomic fingerprinting, and traces outbreaks back to their sources. This network of surveillance has been alerting the public to foodborne outbreaks and recalls for years. (Alexander Sundermann, 12/6)
Stat: Who Is To Blame For The Broken Health Care System?
The murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson horrified me. I did not know him. I thought first about his wife and young sons and the shock and grief they — and his colleagues — must feel. I then realized that they must now live in fear for their lives. I was also not at all surprised by those who saw this differently. I have written about greed in health care. (Elliott S. Fisher, 12/5)
The New York Times: The Supreme Court Just Gave Us A Bitter Taste Of What’s Coming
At issue in United States v. Skrmetti is a Tennessee law that bans treatments such as the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors. The Biden administration is arguing, among other things, that trans people constitute a “quasi-suspect class” — in layperson’s terms, a group of people who have been subjected to systematic discrimination. (M. Gessen, 12/6)
Bloomberg: No, Sanitizing Cow Burps Won’t Sour Your Milk Or Contaminate Your Cheese
Those worried about Bovaer in their milk might also consider the medicines and supplements that have been regularly given to farmed livestock for decades, including antibiotics, vaccines and de-wormers. If they’re still concerned about the chemicals in their food, perhaps they should cut out the dairy and meat completely. That’d be even better for the planet. (Lara Williams, 12/6)
