Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Will Dr. Califf Be Biden's FDA Nominee?; What is The Future Of Abortion Rights In America?
Stat: I've Worked With Robert Califf. He Is The Leader The FDA Needs
If the cascade of news reports are true, President Biden is finally about to name his choice to lead the Food and Drug Administraion: Dr. Robert Califf, a cardiologist and clinical trialist who spent most of his career at Duke University, led the FDA under President Obama from February 2016 to January 2017, and who is currently head of clinical policy and strategy at Verily, Google’s health subsidiary. Given the essential work the FDA does — it oversees industries that account for 20 cents of every dollar spent by Americans — it deserves an extraordinary leader. And I believe Califf to be exactly that. (Haider J. Warraich, 11/2)
The Baltimore Sun: Another 1973 Abortion Ruling — ‘Doe,’ Not ‘Roe’ — Is At The Heart Of Next Month’s Supreme Court Case
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a high-profile Texas case that blocks most abortions in the state, but a case out of Mississippi — Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which will be heard next month — could prove more consequential. The case challenges a limit to abortions after 15 weeks, a rational limitation on surgical abortions resembling the French and German 12-week limitation. (George W. Liebmann, 11/2)
USA Today: Abortion Rights: Supreme Court Decisions May Put Women's Lives At Risk
The Supreme Court listened to arguments on Monday about SB-8, the Texas bill that all but bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. That's before most women know they're pregnant. The Texas law is in direct conflict with Supreme Court rulings such as Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which established and reaffirmed that a woman's right to decide what happens to her body during a pregnancy stems from the constitutionally protected right to privacy. (Carli Pierson, 11/1)
Chicago Tribune: Thank You, Illinois, For Trusting Young People Seeking Abortion
Approximately 5% of teenagers in the United States become pregnant annually. Unfortunately, depending on where pregnant teenage patients live, their options may be limited. For the last eight years in Illinois, parents or guardians were required to be notified 48 hours before an abortion was provided to a minor. Fortunately, the Illinois legislature has repealed this illogical, paternalistic mandate and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said that he will sign it.As an obstetrician/gynecologist and doctor who provides abortions, I care for these young people. After reflecting on the complicated circumstances of their lives and carefully weighing the consequences of their actions, some decide to continue their pregnancies, and others decide to end them. It is my privilege and responsibility to take care of these patients either way. (Maryl Sackeim, 11/2)
Houston Chronicle: Roe Is As Good As Gone. It's Time For A New Strategy
For the first time in a generation, the Supreme Court appears likely to overturn Roe v. Wade. The end of Roe need not herald the end of an era of reproductive freedom. It may instead launch a new strategy that protects the fundamental human right to decide whether to have children and raise them in safety and dignity. (11/2)
Modern Healthcare: How Healthcare Leaders Can Help Rebuild Trust
People who are more trusting of their healthcare providers tend to have better health outcomes and better quality of life. They also tend to be more satisfied with their care. Yet in the U.S., trust in medical professionals has eroded over the last 50 years. Black Americans tend to be less trusting of both physicians and hospitals than white or Latino Americans, while lower-income people tend to be less trusting of providers than their higher-income peers. (David Schleifer and Dr. Mary Catherine Beach, 11/2)
