Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Your Bottles Of Shampoo, Lotion? They May Contain Multiple Toxic Chemicals
The New York Times: Common Consumer Products Contain Toxic Chemicals, Study Shows
More than 100 types of common consumer products contain at least one, and often multiple, chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive and developmental problems, according to research published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. (Smith, 5/3)
Politico: Study: Air Toxic Exposure Risks Tied To Everyday Products
Shampoos, paint strippers and other common wares expose the public to thousands of tons of toxic air pollution annually, according to a first-of-its-kind study that provides a uniquely detailed look at the potential effects on indoor air quality in one state. (Reilly, 5/3)
In reproductive health news —
The New York Times: More U.S. Women Are Avoiding Unwanted Or Mistimed Pregnancies
Births and pregnancies in the United States have been on a long-term decline. A new data analysis provides one reason: It’s becoming less common for women to get pregnant when they don’t want to be. The analysis, released Thursday in the journal Demography by researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, estimates the number of pregnancies in the United States — there is no single official count — and examines women’s feelings about the timing of their pregnancies. (Cain Miller, 5/3)
The New York Times: PUMP Act: What To Know About The New Breast Pumping Law
Last week, expanded protections for nursing mothers, officially known as the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, or PUMP Act, went into full effect, giving more workers the right to break time and a private space to pump. Congress passed the new legislation in December with large bipartisan support, but it was rolled out in phases to give employers time to adjust to the new requirements. (Haridasani Gupta and Pearson, 5/3)
Also —
AP: Ban Social Media For Kids? Fed-Up Parents In Senate Say Yes
Sen. Katie Britt says she hears about it constantly when she is at home in Alabama — at school track meets, basketball tournaments and on her regular morning walks with friends. And when she was running for the Senate last year, Britt says, “parent after parent” came up to her wanting to discuss the way social media was harming their kids. Britt also navigates the issue in her own home, as the mother of a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old. (Clare Jalonick, 5/3)
The Atlantic: Can You Have A Fun Vacation On Ozempic?
At Christmas dinner, Jenny Burriss remembers eating exactly one bite of beef before feeling full. She had just upped her dose of semaglutide—the diabetes and obesity drug better known by the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—and her appetite had plummeted. She had also lost her taste for alcohol, a side effect of the drug. So before her vacation a couple of months later, she decided to skip a dose. She was going to Disney World, and she wanted to enjoy the food—at least a little. (Zhang, 5/3)
The Wall Street Journal: New York Passes First-In-Nation Ban On Gas Stoves In New Homes, Apartments
New York is set to become the first state in the U.S. to ban gas stoves in new homes and apartments. The Democratic-controlled state Legislature passed a bill late Tuesday that prohibits natural-gas and other fossil-fuel hookups in new residential buildings and some new commercial buildings. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to approve the measure, which was included in the state’s budget. (De Avila, 5/3)
CIDRAP: Global Avian Flu Outbreaks Ebb Slightly But Spread To New Areas
In the last 3 weeks of April, the pace of highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks declined slightly, but, with the first detection in Gambia, the virus continues to spread to new areas, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said in its latest global update. In US developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its most recent updates reported another outbreak in poultry, more H5N1 detections in wild birds, and more H5N1 identifications in mammals. (Schnirring, 5/3)
