Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Seniors Are Struggling To Get The New RSV Vaccines; A Kennedy Is Pushing For Mental Health Reform
The Washington Post: RSV Vaccines Shouldn’t Be This Hard For Older Americans To Get
At long last, there are two effective vaccines that can protect older people against the respiratory syncytial virus. Yet administrative barriers are making it difficult for millions of vulnerable seniors to access them. (Leana S. Wen, 10/10)
The Washington Post: We Broke JFK’s Dream For Mental Health Care. His Nephew Is Fixing It.
In the decades since the Community Mental Health Act was enacted, Kennedy’s vision has been distorted beyond recognition. Institutions were emptied with no plan for patients and little money for community care. Mental health coverage wasn’t prioritized in the 1965 creation of Medicaid and Medicare. (Kate Woodsome, 10/9)
The New York Times: 'No Better Than Placebo'
An advisory committee for the Food and Drug Administration recently concluded that a popular oral decongestant sold over the counter was no better than placebo. The agency now faces the question of whether to pull medications that use the ingredient — called phenylephrine — off store shelves. (Ted J. Kaptchuk, 10/10)
USA Today: Period Products, Tampon Tax Bans Should Be Apolitical. Put Needs First
To the surprise of many, Utah became the first state in the nation last year to unanimously support making free period products available in all K-12 school bathrooms, followed a year later by providing free period products in all state buildings. (Emily Bell McCormick, 10/10)
The New York Times: I Ran While Pregnant. The Internet Had Thoughts.
When you’re pregnant, there’s plenty to worry about. Your baby, for example. Your own health. And then there’s everyone else — the cadre of ordinary strangers who transform themselves into an ambient squad of the pregnancy police whenever they spot a woman who looks as if she’s about to have a baby. (Lindsay Crouse, Adam Westbrook and Amanda Su, 10/10)
The CT Mirror: AI Can Help With Mental Health Care — If We Use It Right
We are in a technological revolution: the development of generative Artificial Intelligence. The recent evolution of chatbots through programs such as ChatGPT and Google Bard offer problem-solving tools with numerous potential applications. One of the most promising uses of AI lies in the field of mental health medicine. However, due to the unknown effects of AI implementation and the vulnerable status of mental health patients, there are serious concerns about chatbot therapy. (John Saunders, 10/9)
Stat: AI Can Decode, Harness The Power Of The Human Immune System
If the Covid-19 pandemic has shown us one thing, it is how little we really know about how the human immune system works. Despite the remarkable success in development of vaccines to prevent severe disease from SARS-CoV-2, it remains unclear how SARS-CoV-2, a newly emerging virus, causes such a broad spectrum of disease, ranging from asymptomatic and mild cases to severe disease and death. (Wayne C. Koff, Eric E. Schmidt and Peter C. Doherty, 10/6)
