Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Unions Increased Covid Vaccination Numbers; Health Systems Must Keep Up With Changing Climate
Scientific American: Unions Bring A Surprising Side Effect--Higher Vaccination Rates
At the height of the pandemic, unions across the U.S. demanded better COVID safety and health protection. From hospitals to fast food stands, warehouses to libraries, workers fought for personal protective equipment, cleaner workplaces, hazard pay and, where possible, telecommuting. To win protections, they signed petitions, organized sickouts, filed grievances, collectively bargained and, in some cases, engaged in work stoppages. (Todd E. Vachon, 11/16)
Newsweek: As The Climate Crisis Escalates, Building Resilient Health Systems Is Imperative
As the world prepares for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), in Malawi, we are still fighting to recover from the devastating effects of that cyclone on our whole health system and health service delivery. (Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, 11/17)
The New York Times: Cannabis For Seniors: Why Older Adults Are Opting For Medical Marijuana
Seniors are one of the fastest-growing populations of cannabis users in the United States. While some older adults have used pot for decades, studies suggest that others are turning to the drug for the first time to help them sleep better, dampen pain or treat anxiety — especially when prescription drugs, which often come with unwanted side effects, don’t work as intended. (Christina Caron, 11/16)
The Washington Post: Four Virus Safety Considerations For Thanksgiving Gatherings
This Thanksgiving will be the fourth since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. While the coronavirus is little more than an afterthought for many Americans, plenty of people are still concerned about exposure to it and other respiratory viruses during holiday gatherings. (Leana S. Wen, 11/16)
Stat: Ransomware Attacks On Hospitals: Study Outlines Patient Impact
On a Thursday in early August, staff at Manchester Memorial Hospital in Connecticut realized they’d been hit by a ransomware attack. What happened next is the stuff of nightmares. Manchester Memorial had to ask ambulances to take emergency patients elsewhere. They cancelled elective surgeries and worked without access to essential imaging equipment like X-rays and CT scans. (Hannah Neprash, Claire McGlave and Sayeh Nikpay, 11/17)
Also —
Bloomberg: Drug Shortages: Are Generics Too Cheap For Their Own Good?
More than 90% of prescriptions in the US are filled with generic drugs. These cheaper alternatives to branded medications have expanded access to care for millions of Americans while saving the health system hundreds of billions of dollars a year. While the prices of branded drugs have skyrocketed in recent years, generics prices have been falling steadily. (11/16)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland, Learn From Colorado: Price Controls On Drugs Can Do More Harm Than Good
Patients with rare and deadly diseases worry that government-enforced price cuts will disrupt — or end entirely — their access to the best medicines. For example, at a hearing on Oct. 23, eight patients and parents of children with cystic fibrosis separately told the Colorado PDAB that they live in fear that they won’t be able to access Trikafta, one of the first five targeted pharmaceuticals, if the board orders its price reduced. (James K. Glassman, 11/16)
