Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Worry About The War On Mifepristone In Louisiana; America's IV Shortage Is Worse Than You Think
The Washington Post: Louisiana’s New Law On Abortion Pills Is A Warning Call
A new law in Louisiana, passed under the guise of patient safety, has reclassified abortion pills as “dangerous controlled substances.” The law won’t reduce abortions, but it will make serious pregnancy complications more perilous. It is being heralded by supporters as a model for other states. (Greer Donley and Kimi Chernoby, 10/24)
Bloomberg: IV Shortage Has America’s Hospital Network On Life Support
It’s kinda wild that there’s a critical IV shortage in the US right now and there’s nary a peep about it. On the one hand, if you’re a perfectly healthy person who doesn’t work in the medical field, there’s no reason you’d know that nurses are rationing saline bags and telling their 60/40 blood pressure patients to drink Pedialyte instead. On the other hand, IVs are basic equipment for a hospital! (Jessica Karl, 10/24)
Bloomberg: US Hospitals Are Hanging By A Thread
As Steward Health Care Systems LLC’s network of hospitals was struggling, it stopped paying some of its vendors. One of those vendors was a supplier of bereavement boxes, the tiny cases used to transport the remains of newborns who don’t survive. The vendor eventually stopped supplying the cases, which meant that grieving parents had to receive their children’s remains in cardboard shipping boxes. (Sarah Green Carmichael, 10/24)
The Washington Post: The Fentanyl Epidemic Might Be Easing. Here's How To Keep Up The Progress
Drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids — primarily fentanyl — are starting to decline in the United States, offering hope that countermeasures are working. But it is too soon to pinpoint why. The response, then, is to keep doing everything. (10/23)
Stat: Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates Means Investing In Mental Health
You don’t have to be a public health professional to know that the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country. It’s chilling, sobering, and unacceptable. The situation is particularly dire for Black women, who are four times more likely to die than white women. Conditions are worse in Southern states. In particular, Louisiana ranks 47 out of 48 states for maternal mortality. (Nupur Jain, Nancy Hinojos and Shawn Izadi, 10/25)
