Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Doctor Speaks Out About The Harms Of Cutting SNAP; Real-Life SNAP Users Are Not Who You Envision
Katie Couric Media: The Human Cost Of SNAP Benefit Cuts: A Doctor’s Perspective
What was once an abstract policy discussion has become painfully real in my exam room. ... Members of the Trump administration have hammered home their goals to “Make America Healthy Again.” But here’s the issue: There’s a massive difference between wellness and public health, and we’re about to see that gap widen in a way that should concern all of us. (Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD, MS, 11/2)
Business Insider: I Never Thought My Family Would Need SNAP Benefits. Then, My Husband Was Laid Off Just After I Had Our Third Kid.
I never thought we'd need SNAP benefits — until we did. Accepting help broke down my pride and taught me that this safety net exists for a reason. And while it was hard for me to admit that we needed that help, especially at the beginning, I'm also grateful for the temporary relief that SNAP benefits provided to my family. (Kris Ann Valdez, 11/3)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The Courts Have Ordered SNAP Relief. Now Let’s Deliver Support.
Two federal courts have ordered to the Trump administration to provide emergency funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that’s been endangered by the federal government shutdown. But those payments provides only temporary relief — and even that may not fully fund the program or prevent delays for recipients. (Michael P. McMillan, 11/3)
Stat: Parkinson's Cases Double, Access To Levodopa Lags Behind
In the late 1960s, scientists discovered a miracle drug for Parkinson’s disease — a simple, inexpensive dopamine-replacement pill called levodopa. It transformed the lives of millions of people. People who could barely rise from a chair could stand, walk, and work again. (Michael S. Okun and Ray Dorsey, 11/4)
Stat: How A Neuroscientist Rewired His Brain To Recover From Addiction
When philosophers imagined the ship of Theseus, they asked: Can a vessel that has all its planks replaced one by one over time as it sails uncharted waters still be considered the same ship Neuroscience offers a fascinating answer to this conundrum: yes — and not quite. (Steve Ramirez, 11/4)
