Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Anti-Abortion Bills Could Ban IVF; Who Is Responsible For Social Media's Damaging Effects On Teens?
Following last year’s Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision, lawmakers across the country have proposed reproductive restrictions in the name of preserving life – restrictions that may lead to bans on IVF. (Kristin Dillensnyder, 5/14)
Lawmakers and others are waking up to the need to rein in social media companies as more evidence accumulates about the platforms’ harmful effects on children. Cellphones and other devices that keep children connected to the internet all day long are ubiquitous, even at school. It’s impossible for parents or teachers to monitor children’s access to social media platforms around the clock. (5/15)
Growing up in poverty or experiencing any adversity, such as abuse or neglect, during early childhood can put a person at risk for poor health, including mental disorders, later in life. Although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, some studies have shown that adverse early childhood experience leaves persisting (and possibly irreversible) traces in brain structure. (Cordula Holig, Ramesh Kekunnaya and Brigitte Roder, 5/12)
On Aug. 10, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law one of the largest healthcare and benefits expansions in American history: the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or the PACT Act. (Dr. Jeffrey Nadel, Dr. Steven Lieberman and Dr. Shereef Elnahal, 5/15)
Long COVID is a neurological disease that happens after people are no longer infected with SARS-CoV-2. Its prevalence appears to be between 15 percent and 30 percent, according to numerous studies. About 46 percent of people who have it report some type of memory disruption. (Emily Mendenhall and Kenton Kaplan, 5/12)
Ghana has taken a remarkable step in the fight against malaria by becoming the first country in the world to approve the R21/Matrix-M vaccine. It’s poised to be highly effective in young children from 5 months to 36 months, the age group with the highest risk. The approval highlights the continued urgency required to combat this disease, which remains a significant threat to human health and a considerable social and economic burden. (Julius Nyerere Odhiambo, Aaron Tavel and Carrie Dolan, 5/15)
