Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: NICUs Pulling Probiotics May Impact Preemies; Even In Red States, Bodily Autonomy Attracts Votes
Stat: Removing Probiotics From The NICU Could Threaten Preemies' Health
Maybe probiotics would have saved my son’s life. I’ll never know because when I asked Micah’s care team to consider probiotics to counter the deluge of antibiotics, I was dismissed as senseless. My son Micah was born at 27 weeks gestation, weighing just over 2 pounds, with a head full of thick, wavy hair. By 6 weeks old, Micah weighed 5 pounds, was beginning to nurse, and was progressing toward discharge. Our lives changed forever one quiet Sunday afternoon when Micah’s health rapidly deteriorated, and he was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a disease I had never heard of and knew nothing about. (Jennifer Canvasser, 11/9)
The Atlantic: Why Abortion Rights Keep Winning In Red States
Abortion foes thought Roe v. Wade’s reversal would usher in a more pro-life America by finally clearing the legal obstacles to the eventual abolition of abortion. But that’s not how things are panning out, even in red states. Yesterday in Ohio—which Donald Trump won in 2020—voters approved a state constitutional amendment to make abortion a fundamental right, effectively restoring the reproductive freedom they once enjoyed under Roe. (Jon A. Sheilds, 11/8)
Los Angeles Times: Thanks To Ohio, People Who Value Reproductive Rights Have Another Victory
Ohio voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved Issue 1 at the ballot, making it the sixth state to either pass a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access or reject a measure that would have specified the state constitution does not protect abortion rights. (11/8)
Los Angeles Times: How Sitting All Day Is Sickening Us — And What We Can Do About It
From head to toe, our bodies are adapting to accommodate our devices. A majority of U.S. workers spend most of each weekday seated and looking at screens. We’ve thereby put ourselves in the midst of a slow-moving health crisis marked by alarming rates of early-onset diabetes and hypertension. Plus, by the end of most days — though it’s not the preferred medical terminology — we just feel like crap. (Manoush Zomorodi and Keith Diaz, 11/7)
USA Today: Back Pain, Surgery Finally Persuaded Me: Make Friends With Your Body
I have long had back pain, like millions of other Americans. My super supportive staff ensured a chair in the hotel bathroom and, more important, a stool behind the speaking podium when standing for long periods became a challenge. Like so many others, I pushed through the pain to do my work. (Wendy R. Sherman, 11/9)
Sacramento Bee: We Must Stop Blaming Mass Shootings On America's Mental Health Crisis. Here's Why
The book “The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic” argues that students who become school shooters are often the victims of extreme bullying, rejection from peers, isolation and self-loathing. It ends when their hate turns outward toward classmates, religious groups, immigrants or anyone else they can blame. The authors have a $50 billion solution: hiring 500,000 psychologists. (Gilbert Simon, 11/7)
Also —
The Boston Globe: Let Doctors Prescribe Methadone
Methadone is one of three medications approved to treat opioid use disorder, and for some patients it is the only effective option. Yet methadone is the only federally approved drug dispensed outside the traditional medical system. (11/9)
Newsweek: The Case For Ibogaine: Kentucky's Opportunity To Lead In The Fight Against Opioid Addiction
As the opioid epidemic continues to grip our nation, claiming lives, destroying families, and burdening communities, it is imperative that we explore every viable solution. Among these potential solutions is a powerful, natural, non-addictive substance known as ibogaine. (Rick Perry, Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell and Dakota Meyer, 11/8)
