Viewpoints: Media Coverage Of Monkeypox Is Racist; Baby Formula Shouldn’t Be Treated As A Drug
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health issues.
NPR:
Why This Nigerian Doctor Is Angry At Media Coverage Of Monkeypox
The world is in the midst of a monkeypox outbreak. The World Health Organization has recorded more than 500 cases in 30 countries this year – including the United Kingdom, the United States and a number of European nations. And how do Western media outlets illustrate the story? The BBC, the Independent, CNBC and ABC News are among those that have used a stock photo of a Black person with monkeypox blisters. (Ifeanyi Nsofor, 6/2)
The Washington Post:
To Solve The Baby Formula Crisis, Regulate It As Food, Not Pharmaceuticals
The Biden administration is getting hammered for the baby formula shortage — and deservedly so. A whistleblower notified the Food and Drug Administration in October of unsanitary conditions at a baby formula factory, but the FDA did not shutter the plant until February, and the president took no steps to address the crisis — such as easing import rules — until May. That is inexcusable. (Marc A. Thiessen, 6/2)
Stat:
The World's Future Depends On Investing In Women, Children, And Nutrition
The global health financing landscape has drastically changed since the end of 2019. The emergence of Covid-19 dramatically increased the need and urgency for investment in global health and additional funds have been needed to respond to the pandemic and its direct and indirect consequences. Overall, countries around the world are not on track to meet the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality. While the global maternal mortality rate fell 38% from 2000 to 2017 — a significant achievement — this is still less than half the annual rate needed to achieve the goal of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. (Vineeta Gupta and Philippa Whitford, 6/3)
Miami Herald:
ACA Tax Credits Giving More Floridians Healthcare Coverage
As a state representative of a community that relies heavily on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, there are few issues as important as ensuring that my constituents’ healthcare is affordable and accessible. When I meet with families, one thing I hear repeatedly is concern over the cost of healthcare. Many Floridians share this sentiment. They know that unexpected healthcare costs can affect their bottom line. (Nicholas X. Duran, 6/2)
The CT Mirror:
Unsafe Staffing Ratios Put Patients At Risk
Have you ever worked with a heavy, unsafe patient load due to understaffing on the unit and having double the recommended number of patients under your care? I am sure you felt defeated after your twelve-hour shift. Nurse ratios are constantly changing depending on the number of staff members. When a nurse has too many patients to care for it compromises patient care. Hospitals strive for patient-centered care, but it is not obtained with unsafe ratios. A high ratio of patients to nurses actively jeopardizes the quality of patient care in hospitals. It also endangers the health of nurses who are being overworked and have high levels of stress. (Stephanie Fernandes, 6/2)
Scientific American:
Pediatric Gun Deaths Are A Massive Problem In The U.S.
We are researchers and pediatric emergency medicine physicians who study firearm injuries. After many hard, politically fraught years of investigating this subject, we believe that it is our collective responsibility to address, head on, the interlinked issues of gun availability, gun safety, gun regulations and gun violence prevention research—and, dare we say it, the politicization of guns taking priority over public health. With thousands of children killed each year in the U.S. by firearms, we must, as a country, ultimately reckon with the essential question of what is most important: Is it the narrow focus on individuals’ rights or the broader vision of societal responsibility? (Eric W. Fleegler and Lois K. Lee, 6/2)
Stat:
In Depp V. Heard, Forensic Psychiatry Took The Stand. We Weren't Impressed
Like millions of people around the world, we’ve found ourselves drawn to the Depp v. Heard trial. As forensic psychiatrists, we’ve had a professional interest as well as a pop culture interest, since members of our profession were in the spotlight in court. In this unfortunate and complex clash between divorced actors, Johnny Depp sued Amber Heard for $50 million for defamation due to her 2018 Washington Post essay that implied Depp had perpetrated partner violence. Heard counter-sued Depp for $100 million for defamation, stemming from statements made by his attorney in 2020 that the abuse was a hoax. On Wednesday, the jury found that Depp had been defamed by the op-ed, and also that Heard had been defamed by Depp’s lawyer, and awarded large damages to each. This live-streamed case has blurred lines between entertainment and the courtroom. It has also drawn attention to forensic psychiatry. (Susan Hatters Friedman, Renee Sorrentino and Karen B. Rosenbaum, 6/3)
