Viewpoints: The US Is Ready To Tackle A Bird Flu Pandemic; Black Maternal Health Care Sorely Lacking
Editorial writers examine H5N1, disparities in maternal health care, gene therapy, and psychiatry.
The Washington Post:
If Bird Flu Shows Signs Of Pandemic Spread, The U.S. Is Well Prepared
While only two people in the United States have contracted this H5N1 strain of the avian flu (one last year and one this month), wider spread could be catastrophic, given that, in past outbreaks, the disease has killed one of every two people who are infected. (Leana S. Wen, 4/23)
Bloomberg:
With H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak In Cows, CDC Stumbles Again
The bird flu outbreak at US dairy farms keeps finding alarming new ways to surprise scientists. Last week, the US Department of Agriculture confirmed that H5N1 is spreading not just from birds to herds, but among cows. Meanwhile, media reports suggest an unknown number of cows are asymptomatic. (Lisa Jarvis, 4/22)
Kansas City Star:
Republican War On Abortion Rights Hurts Black Kansas Women
When I was carrying my youngest son, I had to rush to the emergency room as I experienced critical, preterm bleeding. I was shocked when the doctor dismissed my concerns and told me that a “little spotting” was ”normal.” Luckily, both my son and I were completely healthy when I gave birth — but that wasn’t the case with my daughter, Ariel. (Jeanna Repass, 4/21)
Stat:
Easing Early Coverage Of Gene Therapy After Accelerated Approval
Gene editing and therapy to replace missing or defective genes is one of the most exciting recent medical developments, offering tremendous hope for people with rare diseases and genetic conditions. With so little known about the long-term risks of gene therapy, we contend that the safest and best value to both patients and society will emerge within a framework of early evidence-development strategies following early coverage decisions. (Lee A. Fleisher and Matthew A. Fleisher, 4/23)
Stat:
CIA's Mind-Control Projects Offer Lessons To A Psychiatrist In Training
My chief resident gave me a strange look when I arrived for another day of work at the Mayo Clinic one morning. “Something you’re not telling us?” she asked, gesturing to the two letters on my desk from the Central Intelligence Agency. The jokes — about how I was secretly working for America’s international spy service — wrote themselves. I laughed along. (Casimir Klim, 4/23)
