Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: US Is Entering A Painful Period As Medical Researchers Grapple With Federal Funding Freeze
The Washington Post: 'People Are Shocked': A Hostile Health-Care Takeover Is Underway
Doctors take an oath to “do no harm.” That sadly doesn’t apply to the Trump administration officials who have thrown America’s medical research into chaos by freezing funds, halting grants and banning travel. (David Ignatius, 1/29)
Stat: I Was California’s ‘HMO Czar.’ Our Reforms Didn’t Go Far Enough
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, “nothing justifies violence but …” became the first four words in nearly every social media takedown of America’s private health insurance system. But the public’s anger with our balkanized and profit-centric health care system didn’t start with alleged shooter Luigi Mangione or when Medicare or Obamacare were under threat. It’s haunted me for decades. (Daniel Zingale, 1/30)
The Washington Post: Trump’s Covid-Era Tactics Helped Both Him And RFK Jr. Rise To Power
It was the case that, thanks in part to disparate vaccination rates, counties that voted more heavily for Donald Trump in 2020 were also counties with higher covid-19 death tolls relative to their populations. (Philip Bump, 1/29)
Chicago Tribune: Walgreens Is Creating Pharmacy Deserts In Chicago
Pharmacy deserts are a growing phenomenon, an analysis published last year in U.S. Pharmacist shows. A pharmacy desert is “described as a low-access community where the residents have to travel farther to get to the nearest pharmacy to fill their prescriptions.” (Laura Washington, 1/29)
The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore's Early School Start Times Imperil Students' Health
For decades, Maryland has been a trailblazing state, with Baltimore at its heart. We’ve taken pride in using science to inform policies; yet in the fight for healthy, scientifically sound school start times, Baltimore and other counties in Maryland are falling behind. The detrimental effects of early school start times are widespread and well-known. Up to 70% of adolescents are sleep deprived, the effects of which are tied to myriad damaging health effects from chronic health issues to impaired school performance. (Aysheh Abuarqub, 1/29)
