Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: HPV Vaccine Is In Danger From RFK Jr.; Price Negotiations Needed For Weight Loss Drugs
Bloomberg: The HPV Vaccine Saves Lives. RFK Jr. Shouldn't Mess With That
New research has again demonstrated the enormous value of the HPV vaccine, which protects against the virus responsible for more than 90% of cervical cancer cases. (Lisa Jarvis, 12/4)
Bloomberg: Trump Can Make Weight-Loss Drugs More Affordable
President Joe Biden wants Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs, a proposal that would expand access to the costly but life-changing medications for millions of people who struggle with obesity. It’s a good idea that Donald Trump should pursue when he’s in office. (12/4)
The New York Times: The Supreme Court’s Trans Health Care Case Is About Normal Things That Make A Big Difference
On Wednesday I will present oral argument before the Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti, a challenge to Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender adolescents. (Chase Strangio, 12/3)
Bloomberg: Health-Care Spending Is Sinking The Federal Budget
The $1.8 trillion federal budget deficit in the fiscal year that ended in September was the third biggest ever in dollar terms, trailing only the pandemic deficits of the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. As a share of gross domestic product, a better gauge for historical comparisons, it was, at 6.4%, the biggest ever outside of a large war or global crisis. (Justin Fox, 12/4)
Health Affairs: The FDA Should Reduce Nicotine In Cigarettes—And Use A Better Test To Ensure It Happens
Eons before Europeans arrived in North America, Native Americans cultivated the tobacco leaf for ceremonial activities and medicinal purposes for use during prayers and rituals. They presented the tobacco leaf as a gift to early explorers including Christopher Columbus, who carried it back to Europe. Over the centuries, the tobacco industry mastered blending additives, cigarette design, and nicotine delivery to craft one of the most highly addictive products sold worldwide, which kills half of users when consumed as directed. But what if we could return modern cigarettes to the original nicotine levels used by the Native Americans, which were non-addicting? (John Maa and Michelle Zhang, 12/2)
