Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Personal Care Products Contain Unregulated Chemicals; Dental Care Should Be Considered Health Care
The Hill: Do You Know What’s In Your Makeup? Me Neither!
Today, it is estimated that there are more than 10,000 chemicals used to make beauty and personal care products. On average, men and women use six to 12 personal care products a day, exposing themselves to hundreds of unique chemicals daily. A 2019 study found that teen girls use an average of 14 products a day. Their widespread use makes it especially unsettling that the FDA does not conduct pre-market safety reviews of personal care products before they go to market. (Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., 6/13)
Stat: Medicaid Dental Benefits In Most States Are Nowhere Near Enough
In the middle of the night, you’re jolted awake by a throbbing pain in your mouth that is radiating down your neck and behind your eyes. Earlier in the week, it was just a small toothache, but now over-the-counter remedies can’t even begin to address the excruciating pain. Knowing you will not be able to get any sleep tonight, let alone concentrate on work tomorrow, you head to the emergency room, where they suspect you have an infection inside of your tooth or an abscess. That could be deadly, but the ER doctor is not equipped to provide dental treatment. All they can do is prescribe medication for your pain and infection, which can’t address the root of the problem. (Myechia Minter-Jordan, 6/14)
The Tennessean: If That Spot Is Skin Cancer, Delay Is Not Your Ally
Dr. Robert M. Gathings, a fellowship-trained specialist in Mohs micrographic and facial reconstructive surgery, had certainly concentrated my attention. What I’d expected was only a minor procedure to remove a squamous cell skin cancer from the bridge of my nose. Words like “tumor” and “radiation” were new and somewhat chilling. (George Korda, 6/14)
