Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Why Wearable Devices Can't Measure BP; Mammograms Aren't Done Early Enough
Bloomberg: This Key Health Metric Still Evades Gadget Makers
Advances in software, hardware, semiconductors and medical research have put a virtual laboratory on the wrists of millions of consumers around the world, improving health and saving lives. Yet one of the oldest and most fundamental metrics — blood pressure — has proven too tricky to capture with digital technology. (Tim Culpan, 5/18)
The Washington Post: Mammograms At Age 40? Yes, Please.
Last week, the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force proposed a revision to their breast cancer screening guidelines to lower the age of starting mammograms from 50 to 40. This is an important change that, if adopted, would increase early breast-cancer detection. (Leana S. Wen, 5/19)
Newsweek: N.C. State Senator: Our Abortion Law Is Even Worse Than It Appears
I've experienced five pregnancies: three ended in miscarriage. Each time, because of Roe v. Wade, I trusted I would get the medical care I needed. But now that Republicans used their veto-proof majority in the North Carolina General Assembly to enact severe abortion restrictions, many women and girls here will be forced to remain pregnant against their will and/or face near insurmountable hurdles in order to get reproductive health care. (Natasha Marcus, 5/18)
The New York Times: Why Are Teens In Crisis? Here’s What The Evidence Says.
We’re in the midst of a serious teen mental health crisis. The number of teenagers and young adults with clinical depression more than doubled between 2011 and 2021. The suicide rate for teenagers nearly doubled from 2007 to 2019, and tripled for 10- to 14-year- olds in particular. (Ezra Klein, 5/19)
