Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Who Should We Trust Regarding Artificial Sweeteners?; Scalp Cooling Cap Prevents Chemo Hair Loss
The New York Times: The Science Of What We Eat Is Failing Us
The World Health Organization recently advised people to avoid using artificial sweeteners for weight loss or to reduce their risk of health issues like heart disease and diabetes. This was based on the agency’s review of available research on artificial sweeteners to date. (Anupam B. Jena and Christopher M. Worsham, 6/19)
CNN: Cancer Didn’t Mean I Had To Go Bald. But Why Isn’t Scalp Cooling More Accessible?
Society sends the message that caring about one’s hair is superficial, but once I learned there was a way to keep from going bald, I had an easier time accepting the recommendation for chemotherapy. Now that I’m on the other side of the treatment, I want to advocate for others to have this same opportunity — and for the health insurance industry to stop dismissing patients for whom retaining their hair is important. (Maggie Mulqueen, 6/19)
The Washington Post: How To Stop So Many American Women From Dying In Pregnancy And Childbirth
For Black women, pregnancy and childbirth bring the toll of racism in the United States into sharp focus. A large body of research shows that being Black in America wears on women’s bodies, leaving them uniquely vulnerable during pregnancy. (Alyssa Rosenberg, 6/20)
Chicago Tribune: Illinois And Immigrants Lacking Permanent Legal Status Make For A Health Care Conundrum
Should immigrants lacking permanent legal status arriving in Chicago in big numbers get free health care paid for by the state? (6/20)
The Baltimore Sun: Climate Change A Disaster For Human Health
The health impacts of climate change will be multifaceted and stress our healthcare system. This past week we have seen the impact of more frequent wildfires and increased air pollution. As our climate changes disease-carrying insects will become more abundant and spread more widely. (Nicholas Rizer, M.D., and Jace Bradshaw, M.D., 6/18)
Los Angeles Times: Rape Victims Often Have To Pay For Emergency Medical Care. That's Cruel And Wrong
Immediate medical care after a rape — usually delivered in emergency rooms — is essential to the health and recovery of victims of sexual violence. In many ERs, specially trained nurses perform forensic exams to collect evidence for use in a prosecution if the attacker is ever caught. (Samuel Dickman, 6/20)
Stat: Bringing Science To The Absence Of Evidence For Wellness Solutions
When pandemic lockdowns prevented access to traditional health care facilities, the demand for alternative and complementary health products skyrocketed. Do-it-yourself remedies went viral and biohacking, which is quantifying your biology in order to monitor and optimize your health, became more mainstream. Challenged public health communication fueled skepticism in science and medicine, compelling consumers to seek influencer-led health solutions to boost immunity, defy disease, and perhaps contest aging altogether. (Richard Joseph and Rachele Pojednic, 6/19)
Stat: Medical Records Are Filled With Copy-Paste Errors
I recently took care of a patient whose medical records included multiple notes about her past open-heart surgery. Only she had never undergone open-heart surgery. That would have been obvious if the authors had taken the time to notice that she had no scars on her chest or breastbone. She was being prepared for an invasive procedure based on this misinformation when the true facts of her condition were revealed and the procedure canceled — though by then the false information had virally propagated through the chart and into multiple notes, becoming “chart lore.” (Sandeep Jauhar, 6/20)
