Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: There's More Proof Bird Flu Is Adapting To Infect Humans; New Laws Enforce Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric
The Washington Post: Why A Bird Flu Case In Missouri Is Worrying Experts
The drumbeat that bird flu is coming closer to humans is growing ever louder. Health officials must step up their game in tracking and preparing for this virus before it spreads further. (Leana S. Wen, 10/8)
Bloomberg: Anti-Vaccine Laws Will Hurt US Children And Let Measles Return
In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, US politicians aren’t just badmouthing vaccines — they’re pushing through laws that undermine them. If the trend continues, we risk losing the layer of protection we enjoy from preventable diseases like the measles. (Lisa Jarvis, 10/7)
Bloomberg: Nobel Prize For Medicine Recognizes MicroRNA -- And Curiosity
In a climate where so much time and energy is spent trying to tackle human disease, Monday’s Nobel Prize in the category of physiology or medicine is a welcome reminder of the value of pursuing research that scratches a scientific itch. Sometimes, that work might lead to a new understanding of human biology. (Lisa Jarvis, 10/8)
Newsweek: From Chauvinism And Death To Ever-Increasing Hope On Breast Cancer
October is breast cancer awareness month worldwide, a time for reflection on its past, present and future. It's the most common cancer in the United States; about 310,720 women will be diagnosed with it in 2024 and about 42,250 will die of the disease. As an observer and practitioner of cancer medicine for nearly 60 years, I remember the days of male chauvinism and dogma in its diagnosis and treatment. (Fazlur Rahman, 10/8)
Los Angeles Times: Women Doctors Are More Effective. We Need More Of Them
“When will I see the doctor?” Most female doctors have been asked this question many times. It feels like a slight — a failure to recognize the struggle it took to get to where they are, a fight that is far from over once a woman has her medical degree. (David Weill, 10/4)
