Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Warmer, Humid Climate Helps Propel Rise In Tick Bites, Lyme, Experts Say
CNN: A Warmer, Humid World Where Ticks Thrive Is Increasing Spread Of Lyme And Other Diseases
This year, people are seeking emergency care for tick bites in the highest level since 2017, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and reported cases of Lyme disease have continued to rise through the years. Experts say the increases are driven by warmer temperatures due to climate change and the expanding presence of ticks in more areas in the US and Canada — including places where people are less familiar with the risks and how to prevent disease. (Koda, 8/5)
More health and wellness news —
Fox News: Obesity-Related Cancer Deaths Have More Than Tripled In US Over Past Two Decades
Obesity-related cancer deaths have soared in the U.S. over the last two decades, rising from 3.73 million to 13.52 million. That's according to a study by researchers at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health, which was presented last month at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. (Stabile, 8/5)
MedPage Today: Brain Training Relieves Low Back Pain Long-Term
Cognitive functional therapy (CFT) for chronic low back pain yielded benefits that far outlasted a 6-month program initially delivering it, researchers said. When patients participating in a randomized trial were followed up after 3 years, mean self-reported function and pain scores in those assigned to CFT (with or without biofeedback) still showed significantly greater improvement relative to a usual-care control group, according to Mark Hancock, PhD, of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues. (Gever, 8/5)
Newsweek: Chronic Pain Science Has Advanced. Why Are Treatments Stuck In The Past?
Dr. Adriaan Louw has heard the term "pain revolution" before. The physical therapist and scientist has been researching chronic pain for more than 30 years. Over the decades, he has witnessed the rise of opioid prescriptions—and seen them replaced by other prescription medications and invasive medical procedures. He has watched patients be dismissed as malingerers as doctors struggle to ease their debilitating symptoms. For a while, it seemed to Louw and his small group of colleagues that no one really understood chronic pain. Patients were still hurting. (Kayser, 8/6)
On mental health —
CNN: Childhood Verbal And Physical Abuse Leave Similar Impacts, Study Shows
Cruel words can leave a mark on a child –– and may have as much of an impact as physical abuse, new research has found. People who experienced physical abuse as a child were at a 50% increased risk of reporting low mental health in adulthood compared with those with no abuse, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Open. Those who experienced verbal abuse had a 60% increase in likelihood of low well-being. (Holcombe, 8/5)
AP: NFL Bans 'Smelling Salts' During Games To Prevent Concussion Risks
The NFL is banning the use of “smelling salts” during games, saying the products aren’t proven to be safe and also could mask signs of a concussion. The league sent a memo to teams on Tuesday explaining the decision to ban smelling salts and any other ammonia inhalant during pregame activities, games and halftime on the sideline or locker rooms. (Dubow, 8/5)
