Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Interspecies Organ Transplants Could Fix Long Wait Times; Are We Damaging Teens?
Bloomberg: Pig Kidney Advancements Could Shorten The Organ Transplant Wait-List
Xenotransplantation, the futuristic sounding field of animal-to-human organ transplants, is suddenly a lot closer to reality. The first two gene-edited pig kidneys have been transplanted into humans—and, so far, seem to be working beautifully. (Lisa Jarvis, 4/29)
The Boston Globe: Is Focusing Too Much On Mental Health Making Our Kids More Neurotic?
According to a KFF study, 1 in 5 teens surveyed reported feeling anxious or depressed in 2021 and 2022. Why this is remains an issue of considerable debate. Some politicians and scholars have argued this is due to social media and smartphones, but evidence for this belief remains weak. Perhaps other issues are at play. (Chris Ferguson, 4/29)
USA Today: Oklahoma Gave Me My STEM Education. Women's Health Should Be Focus Too
One major factor in my decision to move away from Oklahoma was the way the state seemed to downplay women, especially the health issues we face. It seemed especially clear in the state’s efforts to deny access to comprehensive, evidence-based education about sexual health and reproduction. (Lauren Jones, 4/27)
Stat: The Medical Loss Ratio Has Become A Barrier To Preventive Care
Health care regulations in the United States were not designed to keep Americans healthy. The best example of this is what’s known as the medical loss ratio (MLR). (Martha A. Roherty, 4/30)
Stat: Include Pregnant People And Their Children In Research
Imagine having to make this decision: Your health care provider recommends that you take a specific medicine for an illness or condition but then tells you it hasn’t been tested in people like you. Do you take the medication, or refuse it? That’s the position the 3.5 million women who give birth each year in the U.S. are in when being counseled about taking medicines. (Alexander M. Capron and Anna Mastroianni, 4/30)
