Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Has Obesity Rate Finally Plateaued?; Doctors Can Regain Trust By Saying 'I Don't Know'
The Washington Post: The Obesity Rate Might Have Stopped Growing. Here's What Could Be Working.
Americans’ waistlines have grown relentlessly for decades: a costly, debilitating and deadly trend that prompted observers to wonder if and when they would finally stop expanding. Well, the federal government released data Sept. 24 showing that the obesity epidemic, one of the most dire public health crises, might have stopped worsening. (10/8)
Bloomberg: How Scientists And Public Health Officials Can Build Trust
When Covid hit the US and many public health experts were trying to act strong and confident, epidemiologist Michael Osterholm took a different approach. Asked about the novel coronavirus, he often replied honestly, “I don’t know.” (F.D. Flam, 10/9)
Stat: The Coming Revolution In Mental Health Care Funding
The conversation about the mental health crisis is loud, but at a standstill. Stuck on repeat around the challenges of accessing existing treatments, the situation can appear increasingly hopeless. (Miranda Wolpert, 10/7)
Stat: Traditional Randomized Trials Don't Work For Ultra-Rare Diseases Like Barth Syndrome
Another ultra-rare therapy will soon be subject to the gaze of an FDA advisory committee, with the fate of more than 200 boys diagnosed with Barth syndrome worldwide in the balance. On Thursday, the FDA cardiovascular and renal drugs advisory committee will be reviewing a new drug application for elamipretide hydrochloride injection, submitted by Stealth BioTherapeutics Inc., for the treatment of Barth syndrome. (Emil D. Kakkis, 10/9)
