Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Fungus May Cause The Next Pandemic; There Is An Interesting New Alternative To Conservatorship
The New York Times: ‘The Last Of Us’ Is Right. Our Warming Planet Is A Petri Dish
Last October, the World Health Organization created a list of “fungal priority pathogens” for the first time. “Fungal pathogens are a major threat to public health,” the group wrote. This was an important symbolic gesture, but it does not give doctors what they need: better tools to fight these infections. (Neil Vora, 4/2)
The New York Times: Britney Spears Called Out Her Guardianship. Supported Decision-Making Offers A Different Approach
Conservative Texans and liberal Californians disagree on much in politics. But legislators in both states agree on a new approach to giving people with cognitive impairments a greater chance for self-determination. It’s called supported decision-making, and it is shaping up to be the most consequential change in the care of older people and others with limitations in mental functioning since the rise of advance care directives in the 1990s. (Emily Largent, Andrew Peterson and Jason Karlawish, 4/3)
The Washington Post: Teen Mental Health Crisis Requires More Access To Care In Schools
Responding to clamoring from parents, and dreadful stories of youth suicide and hospitalizations, leaders in both parties convey an increasing sense of urgency to address epidemic levels of teenage anxiety, depression, loneliness and lashing out. (4/1)
Bloomberg: Virtual Reality From India Will Train Future Doctors
Using Meta Platforms Inc.’s Quest 2 headset, I was conducting the first nursing procedure of my life in a highly authentic virtual-reality setting, complete with gloves, cotton swabs, disposal bins and, yes, a patient waiting for me to draw blood to check its glucose level. The VR training program, which helped even a novice like me get it right the first time, has been designed by young techno-entrepreneurs from Chennai, in India’s south. (Andy Mukherjee, 3/2)
Modern Healthcare: Abortion Restrictions Raise Clinician Training Concerns
Less than a year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it’s already clear how severe abortion restrictions or bans in about two dozen states are influencing how medical professionals consider their futures. (Dr. Andrew Yacht, 4/3)
Scientific American: New Research Points To Causes For Brain Disorders With No Obvious Injury
“Stop faking!” Imagine hearing those words moments after your doctor diagnosed you with, say, a stroke or a brain tumor. That sounds absurd but for many people diagnosed with a condition called functional neurological disorder (FND), this is exactly what happens. (Z Paige L'Erario, 3/31)
The Washington Post: Texas Federal Judge Reed O'Connor Takes Another Shot At Obamacare
It is common sense — buttressed by numerous studies — that people are more likely to seek preventive care when they don’t have to pay out of pocket for it. This incentive, as Congress found in enacting the Affordable Care Act, isn’t just good for individuals — it’s good for society, helping to head off illness and lower overall health-care costs. (Ruth Marcus, 3/31)
Dallas Morning News: Red States Are Waking Up To Medicaid Expansion. Why Won’t Texas?
Conservative states that once opposed Medicaid expansion are reversing course to expand health coverage to more low-income residents. Last week, North Carolina became the 40th state to expand Medicaid coverage, leaving Texas among just 10 states that have not done so. (4/2)
