Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Trump's CMS Deserves Praise, ACA's Key Architect Says; Many Predictions About Pot Use Were Wrong
Stat: How The Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services Became The Shining Light Of Trump’s Second Term
During the first Trump administration, the Food and Drug Administration was widely viewed as a standout agency, enhancing and expediting drug regulation, regulating tobacco and vaping, and addressing food safety. In the first year of Trump’s second term, the FDA, along with many other health agencies, has turned into a politicized and demoralized agency. Conversely, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services — which oversees $1.7 trillion in outlays for health care services, 24% of the federal budget — has become the shining star. (Ezekiel J. Emanuel and Merjan L. Ozisik, 2/9)
The New York Times: We Legalized Marijuana. Now We Must Regulate It.
Given the growing harms from marijuana use, American lawmakers should do more to regulate it. (2/9)
Katie Couric Media: When 'Expert' Becomes Influencer: Why CBS News’ New Health Contributors Raise Red Flags
When CBS News designates these influencers with deep commercial entanglements as “expert contributors” and widens their platform, it further perpetuates this cycle of pseudoscientific health consumerism being passed off as sound evidence-based health advice. (Dr. Adrian Chavez, 2/6)
Stat: If You Have Alzheimer’s Disease, Who Will Take Part In Your Care?
For those without “kith or kin,” we may need to create a new profession skilled in serving as the “trusted other” (perhaps this is the same profession I’ve argued for to foster access to the technologies that support a person living with cognitive impairment). Law and medicine must work out important details, such as how to record the care partner in the electronic medical record, the conditions for contacting them, when they ought to attend a visit, and whether they should have private time with the clinician. (Jason Karlawish, 2/6)
The New York Times: The Evolutionary Brilliance Of The Baby Giggle
A kid’s first joke reveals a complex mind. (Gina Mireault, 2/4)
