Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Women Are Less Likely Than Men To Receive Pain Meds In The ER
The Washington Post: Women Wait Longer Than Men For Pain Relief In ERs, Study Finds
Women seeking treatment for pain can wait 30 minutes longer in emergency departments than men, according to a recent study published in PNAS. The study was conducted by researchers in the United States and Israel and assessed emergency department datasets from both countries. According to the study, which analyzed nearly 22,000 emergency department discharge notes of patients with a pain complaint, there are major disparities between the treatment of male and female patients. (Docter-Loeb, 10/21)
Axios: Big Gender Gap Seen In Health Center Visits
Women visit community health centers at almost double the rate of men, according to data the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiled from 2022. The report adds to the evidence that women are likelier to be proactive about their health — and their family's health — than men. (Goldman, 10/22)
In other health and wellness news —
The Washington Post: Few Trans Youths Report Regretting Gender-Affirming Care, Study Finds
Transgender and nonbinary youths who received gender-affirming medical care, such as puberty blockers and hormones, were largely satisfied with the treatments they received, according to a study published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. The data analyzed survey responses from more than 200 people who are part of the TransYouth Project, one of the largest and longest community-based studies on the experiences of transgender youths. The majority of respondents expressed satisfaction with the gender-affirming care they received, with only 4 percent — nine respondents — expressing some form of regret. (Ortega, 10/21)
Stat: Dietary Guidelines On Ultra-Processed Foods Require More Data: Panel
If you were hoping to see where ultra-processed foods might fit in the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans, hold that thought. Scientific experts tasked with advising federal officials drafting the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans said the data were far too limited to draw conclusions. Meeting Monday, the first of two days of presentations, they discussed research findings to inform a report to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. The results will be published in December. (Cooney, 10/21)
The Wall Street Journal: J&J’s Ketamine-Derived Drug Is Taking Off
Every three weeks, Dr. Moksha Patel settles into a comfortable recliner at a Colorado hospital clinic, sprays a mind-altering medicine up his nose and loses control of his senses for a little while. It is a legal medical treatment. The 34-year-old doctor from Denver is taking Spravato, a medicine derived from club-drug ketamine that is approved for treating his depression. (Loftus, 10/21)
The New York Times: What Is ‘Pink Cocaine’?
A powder called “pink cocaine,” made up of a revolving group of drugs, has become a dangerous and increasingly popular part of the club scene in U.S. cities, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration and epidemiologists who study recreational drug use. Most samples of the concoction contain at least one stimulant drug and one depressant, experts said. (Schmall, 10/21)
Newsweek: Green Onions Church Brothers Recall By FDA Over Salmonella
Green onions are being recalled after a product sample was found to be contaminated with salmonella, bacteria that can cause serious or fatal infection among some people. Church Brothers are voluntarily recalling 1,271 cases of green onions sold under the brands Church Brothers, Imperial Fresh and Trader Joe's over fears they may be contaminated with salmonella. The bacteria were discovered in a product sample by the Canadia Food Inspection Agency, and then reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who announced the recall on Friday, October 18. (10/21)
KFF Health News: Mothering Over Meds: Docs Say Common Treatment For Opioid-Exposed Babies Isn't Necessary
On learning last year she was pregnant with her second child, Cailyn Morreale was overcome with fear and trepidation. ... In that moment, her joy about being pregnant was eclipsed by fear she would have to stop taking buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid withdrawal that had helped counter her addiction. Morreale’s fear was compounded by the rigidity of the most common approach to treating babies born after being exposed in the womb to opioids or some medications used to treat opioid addiction. (Sisk, 10/22)
