Viewpoints: Limiting Chinese Researchers Takes Toll On U.S. Science; California’s Clean Air Fight Targets The Outlaws

Stat: Reported Proposal To Limit Chinese Researchers In U.S. Sparks Concern
One of the nation’s leading scientific organizations on Tuesday expressed alarm about a report that the White House is considering imposing further limits on research by Chinese citizens in the United States, saying that “scientific progress depends on openness, transparency, and the free flow of ideas. ”The statement from the American Association for the Advancement of Science followed a report in the New York Times that administration officials are discussing proposals that might limit the ability of Chinese researchers to travel to and do work in the U.S., citing “people familiar with the deliberations.” The proposal is said to be a response to fears that Chinese researchers at U.S. academic institutions may be using their positions to acquire intellectual property. (Ike Swetlitz, 5/1)

Los Angeles Times: Defending California's Right To Clean Air
World leaders may negotiate their climate change accords in foreign capitals, but the efforts to stem global warming may succeed or fail based on what happens in United States courtrooms, where the state of California is leading the charge to block the Trump administration's anti-environment, anti-science agenda. On Tuesday, Gov. Jerry Brown and state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra announced that they have filed the state's 10th, and potentially most consequential, lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Joined by 16 other states and the District of Columbia, California is trying to preserve a planned increase in vehicle fuel-economy standards, which were designed to make passenger cars more fuel efficient and less polluting. (5/2)

Stat: Fentanyl Contributes To More Opioid Deaths Than Prescription Opioids
Synthetic opioids, particularly illicit fentanyl, contributed to more overdose deaths in the United States in 2016 than prescription opioids, according to a new analysis. Synthetic opioids, a category distinct from heroin and prescription drugs like Vicodin or OxyContin, were listed as contributing to 19,413 deaths in 2016, 2,000 more than were connected to prescription opioids, according to an analysis published Tuesday in JAMA Psychiatry. The numbers represent the first time this decade that synthetic opioids were found to have contributed to more overdose deaths than prescription versions. The data also shows a dramatic shift from 2010 to 2016, during which the portion of all opioid-related deaths involving synthetic opioids rose from 14 to 46 percent. (Lev Facher, 5/1)

The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Brings Hospitals Into The Fight Against Opioid Addiction
An epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose has swept across the country, and Baltimore has been hit as hard as any place in America. In 2011, our city saw 167 overdose deaths. By 2016, that number had more than quadrupled, reaching nearly 700. Let us make no mistake: This is an emergency. Our response to this emergency has been aggressive. We issued a “standing order” that allows any city resident to get naloxone, the antidote that reverses an opioid overdose, without a prescription. More than 36,000 residents have been trained to use the medication, and these residents have saved more than 1,900 lives. Law enforcement and health officials teamed up to start a program that allows residents arrested for low-level drug offenses the opportunity to choose treatment and case management instead of prosecution. And in March, we announced the opening of our Stabilization Center, a first-of-its-kind 24/7 urgent care facility dedicated to issues of addiction and mental health. (Catherine E. Pugh and Leana S. Wen, 5/1)

The Washington Post: Almost Half Of Pregnancies In The U.S. Are Unplanned. There’s A Surprisingly Easy Way To Change That.
Currently, an astonishing 45 percent of the 6 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended. Every year, millions of women, married and unmarried, young and not so young, are getting an outcome — pregnancy — that they didn’t plan on or desire. The impact on women, their babies and society at large is enormous. Unplanned babies may receive delayed prenatal care, are more likely to be born prematurely and face greater likelihood of health challenges throughout life. Beyond the obvious stress of an unplanned major life event, women facing an unplanned pregnancy are less likely to complete college and also face decreased economic opportunities, which can in turn affect the health and economic opportunities of their children. The costs to society, in health-care dollars, economic supports and lost wages, are significant. But why are there so many unplanned pregnancies in the first place? (Karen Weese, 5/1)

WBUR: He, She, They: Pediatricians Should Asks Kids About Gender Identity
Given the overwhelming data about the increased risks children with gender atypical identities, it’s especially important for a pediatrician’s office to be a nonjudgmental, safe space. ...A simple screening question can be a way for doctors to demonstrate that they care and ensure that the doctor’s office is a place these youth can turn to for knowledge, advice and support. (Katherine McKenzie and Robin Dembroff, 5/2)

The Hill: Wisconsin Denies Coverage For Sex-Reassignment Surgery — It's Heartless And Inhumane
A young man sat in my office in Tucson, Arizona a few weeks ago to discuss his hysterectomy. He was 18 years old and had recently started testosterone to begin his gender transition. He had many questions about the procedure: Will you need to make a big incision? Should I remove my ovaries and when? (Yes, unless you might want to harvest eggs later) Will my insurance cover my hysterectomy? The answer to this one is “I just don’t know.” The hysterectomy might be deemed medically necessary and get covered. However, Arizona is one of 10 states that prohibits Medicaid coverage for sex-reassignment surgery. In Wisconsin this week two transgender residents filed a federal lawsuit against the state. They contended that contending their denials of service are discriminatory and violate the federal health care law. They also argue that there is no medical or scientific support for Wisconsin's contention that transition-related health care for transgender people with gender dysphoria is “medically unnecessary.” (Ilana Addis, 5/2)

Stat: Placing More Regulations On Air Medical Services Would Be Bad For Patients
Private insurers are now putting patients helped by air medical transport in the middle of payment issues. Not only are insurers limiting which air medical companies are in their provider networks, and therefore affecting whether the transport is covered, they are also limiting the amount they will pay for the cost of the emergency transportation and the treatment received on board. That means patients needing air transport are often left with unpaid bills in spite of paying monthly premiums for health care coverage. To make matters worse, Medicare and Medicaid payments for air transport are low — sometimes as low as half of what it costs — in part because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hasn’t evaluated what it pays for air medical transport in nearly 20 years. Seventy percent of patients’ bills for air medical transport are paid at the Medicare rate or less. In some cases, private insurers base their rates on a percentage of what Medicare pays. (Richard Sherlock, 5/1)