Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Tackle The Supply System To Beat The Fentanyl Crisis; Increased Diversity In Health Care Saves Lives
The New York Times: An Overdue Strategy For Cracking Down On The Fentanyl Trade
More than 80,000 Americans each year are dying from fentanyl as the opioid epidemic has morphed into a grimmer, more sinister threat. What began as a crisis fueled by the reckless prescribing of painkillers has now become a deadly illicit trade in counterfeit OxyContin or Vicodin pills containing fentanyl at wildly inconsistent dosages. Depending on the amount of fentanyl used, even a single pill can be lethal. (Scott Gottlieb, 8/7)
Bloomberg: To Save More Black Lives, We Need More Black Doctors
The prospect of taking on crushing debt can deter many talented students from pursuing careers in medicine, particularly students from low-income backgrounds. That has major consequences for Black Americans’ health, because — as the data shows — when Black patients are treated by Black doctors, in many cases they get more frequent care, more preventative care and have better health outcomes. (Michael R. Bloomberg, 8/6)
The Washington Post: How Life-Threatening Are Heat Waves Going To Be With Global Warming?
As climate change continues to dial up the thermostat, a future of more extreme weather looms. Already in 2020, a study detected multiple instances in which the temperature was “nearing or beyond prolonged human physiological tolerance.” (8/7)
Stat: What A Fall On The Ice Taught Me About Equity In Pain Care
As I hurried to an important meeting about my Ph.D. dissertation one day in 2015, I slipped and fell on Iowa’s formidable winter ice. I quickly jumped up to prevent anyone from seeing me on the ground and got into my car. The immediate, excruciating pain told me that something really bad had happened. (Staja "Star" Booker, 8/7)
USA Today: Walz's Record Shows How Harris, Democrats Plan To Beat Trump
The choice of Gov. Tim Walz is perfect for Gen Z progressives who want to see the Democratic Party move into the 21st century and champion things like abortion rights, universal health care, commonsense gun laws and other policies that will lead to a better quality of life for the majority of Americans. (Sara Pequeño, 8/6)
