Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: What's Behind The Shortage Of ADHD Meds?; How To Combat Soaring Health Care Costs
Bloomberg: Adderall, ADHD Drug Shortages Could Get Worse. Here's Why
Millions of children with ADHD are starting a new school year without regular access to their medications, known as prescription stimulants, which have been in shortage for almost a year. While there are reasonable concerns about the overuse of such drugs, the lack of supply poses a risk to those who legitimately need them — and misguided government regulations are making things worse. (9/14)
Newsweek: Bipartisan Reform Can Prevent Health Care Monopolization
Rising health care costs are a major concern for most Americans. A Pew poll from earlier this year found 64 percent of Americans consider health care affordability a "very big problem in our country today." That includes majorities of both parties—54 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Democrats. Our country may struggle with division and polarization, but it's clear that health care is an area where bipartisan reform is possible. (Richard A. Kube, 9/14)
USA Today: New COVID Vaccine Is Available. Why I'm Telling My Patients To Get It
“Déjà vu, not again,” was my first thought when, as a front-line physician, I recently admitted a patient struggling to breathe with COVID-19. (Dr. Thomas K. Lew, 9/15)
The New York Times: The Anti-Abortion Movement Won The Legal Battle, But It’s Losing The War
The abortion rate in America has steadily increased since 2016, despite the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion. As a lawyer who once worked in the anti-abortion movement, Opinion columnist David French says there’s a crisis of hope driving this increase in abortion in America. (David French and Vishakha Darbha, 9/15)
The Washington Post: 3 Lessons For People Struggling With Prolonged Recovery From Illness
This week, I wrote about the need to focus resources on treating and preventing long covid. I can relate to the frustration and desperation of people suffering from long-term conditions, as I’ve been managing my own months-long recovery from pneumonia. (Leana S. Wen, 9/14)
The Washington Post: The Senate Should Have To Confirm CDC Director Mandy Cohen
Covid-19 was not this nation’s first or worst pandemic. There probably will be worse. How much worse might depend on the caliber of public health leaders. There is room for improvement. (George F. Will, 9/13)
Stat: The Struggle To Figure Out Which Patients 'Deserve' Wegovy
There is just not enough Wegovy. The current manufacturing shortage will eventually end, and those who have health insurance that covers Wegovy, plus the even luckier ones who can afford to pay out of pocket, will once again get their medication. But even if Novo Nordisk were to manufacture an enormous surplus of Wegovy, millions more will never get it. (Jody Dushay, 9/15)
Stat: How The Messy Conversation About Dolly Changed Bioethics
Ian Wilmut, the British scientist behind the first-ever cloning of a mammal, died Sept. 10, leaving behind a twofold legacy. One part is groundbreaking science. Besides being groundbreaking science, Dolly was morally ground-shifting. Perhaps more than any other biotech advance, Dolly symbolized growing human power over nature. (Gregory E. Kaebnick, 9/15)
