Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: On Conversion, High Court Seems Too Interested In Political Clout; States Must Protect Access To Vaccines
The Colorado Sun: Do Not Count On Consistency From The Supreme Court In Conversion Therapy Case
Another attack on LGBTQ+ communities in Colorado made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court last week. The outcome will tell us whether SCOTUS cares at all about consistency. The answer could unmoor the legal community. (Mario Nicolais, 10/12)
The CT Mirror: Vaccines Must Remain Available Based On Science, Not Politics
Vaccines have prevented diseases that once caused paralysis, deafness, pneumonia, meningitis, liver failure, certain cancers and death. They are among the most significant medical breakthroughs in the history of public health and protect both individuals and entire communities from epidemics, hospitalizations, and death. (Gary F. Spinner, 10/14)
Stat: The Apple Watch Blood Pressure Feature Lives In A Gray Area
As a physician in the age of wearables, glancing at a patient’s wrist has become a natural, unspoken part of the physical exam. In most cases, finding an Apple Watch doesn’t mean much. But on occasion, it can offer a glimpse into a patient’s life — a heart rate trend, a sleep pattern, or a measure of activity. (Vishal Khetpal, 10/13)
Stat: Better Diagnostics Can Change Everything For People With Dementia
As a dementia specialist, I think of my work as that of a writer. To diagnose a patient, I write the story of their problems, embellished with an exam, tests of cognition, and brain scans that show that organ’s structure and function. If this story nicely matches the textbook description of a disease that causes dementia, it’s a diagnostic story, what doctors call “a classic case.” (Jason Karlawish, 10/14)
Stat: How To Bring More Autoimmune Patients Into Clinical Trials
My teenage years were ravaged by severe autoimmune disease. In that era, the burdens of treatment for Crohn’s disease rivaled the misery of the affliction. My illness brought searing stomach pain, fatigue, and fistulas. The steroids my physician prescribed caused breakouts of cystic acne all over my body as well as exhausting bouts of hyperactivity, manic mood swings, and a serious case of moon face. (Paul J. Hastings, 10/13)
