Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Mandating Parental Leave -- A Bad Idea; U.S. Cigarette Pack Warnings Fall Short Of Those In Other Countries
Bloomberg: Parental Leave Is Great. Just Don't Mandate It.
Workers who receive paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child experience significant benefits. They can bond with their child without having to worry about a steep reduction in household income. There’s evidence that parental leave can improve the health outcomes of children and mothers. At a time when both dual-earning and single-parent households are common, time off with pay fills a void that’s larger than in previous decades. (Michael Strain, 7/18)
RealClear Health: Warnings On US Cigarette Packs Not As Effective As Those In Other Countries
Cigarette smoke contains more than 9,000 chemicals, including more than 60 carcinogens. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there are 93 harmful and potentially harmful chemicals found in tobacco products. (Yoojin Cho, 7/18)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Greitens' Drug Monitoring Plan Falls Short Of The Model
It’s lucky that county-level prescription drug monitoring programs cover more than 60 percent of Missouri’s population. The statewide plan launched this week by Gov. Eric Greitens won’t accomplish much. But at least it’s a plan, meaning Missouri is no longer the only state without a PDMP. Greitens did something the Missouri Legislature, which hemmed and hawed for years, never did. But Greitens’ plan isn’t like those in any other state, falling short of the model by focusing on law enforcement and not the health of addicted Missourians. (7/18)
Los Angeles Times: USC’s Silence On Its Medical School Dean’s Double Life Is Deafening
Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, the former dean of the USC Keck School of Medicine, led quite a rollicking double life. According to a Times investigation, he was a highly respected doctor, administrator and prolific fundraiser for the university — but at the same time, according to explicit videos and interviews, he found time to party with a circle of criminals and drug users who said he used methamphetamine and other drugs with them. (7/19)
