Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Should AI Companions Be Used For Dementia Care?; A Peace Prize Starts With Stopping Ebola
Stat: The Era Of Artificial Dementia Care Is Here
After Doug met Jane, he felt good. So too did Gabriella, his wife. Doug — a retired minister and writer — needed someone to talk to, and in conversation about his many accomplishments, Jane was indefatigable. For at least a few hours, Doug’s boredom vanished, and Gabriella no longer felt like an activities director on a cruise ship. (Jason Karlawish, 7/8)
The Hill: If Trump Wants A Nobel Peace Prize, He Should Do Whatever It Takes To Stop Ebola
Winning a Nobel Peace Prize could finally be within reach for President Trump. Quick action to arrest the spread of Ebola through Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with 1,561 confirmed cases and counting, might be exactly what he needs to persuade the Nobel Committee in his favor. (Benjamin L. Sievers, 7/7)
Stat: Physicians Have To Answer For Medical AI’s Decisions
A cardiologist reviews an echocardiogram flagged by an algorithm she did not choose, trained on data she has never seen, deployed by a health system that did not ask for her input. The algorithm recommends a diagnosis. She disagrees. She overrides it. The patient does well. (Afnan R. Tariq and Ami Bhatt, 7/8)
The New York Times: ‘You Do It Because They’re Your Parents’
Behind closed doors, millions of Americans are stepping into one of the hardest roles they’ll ever take on: caring for their aging parents. (Amada Su and Emily Holzknecht, 7/8)
Bloomberg: It’s Alarmingly Easy To Get Obesity Drugs Online
A secret shopper survey conducted by researchers at Yale University and published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association offers an alarming, if unsurprising, glimpse into the world of telehealth purveyors of GLP-1 medicines. It confirms what doctors have worried about for years: The popular obesity drugs are being cavalierly prescribed. It should be yet another wake-up call for regulators. (Lisa Jarvis, 7/6)
