Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Spring Cleaning Rolls Around, Experts Warn Of Deadly Virus That Could Be Lurking
As the weather warms and people turn to spring-cleaning and outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, they need to beware of a rare but deadly virus that is spread through mouse droppings and kills up to 40 percent of people who become infected, public health officials said. (Sun, 4/12)
Back in 1980, when the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of lead acetate in hair dyes, little was known about the way skin absorbs toxic chemicals. The skin — and the scalp in particular — were considered tough barriers to break, and many public health officials believed that even if small amounts of lead got through, or were inhaled, it couldn’t really hurt anyone. But in science, 37 years is an eon. So a coalition of environmental groups, academics, and consumer advocates is pushing FDA to take lead acetate off the market. It is now permitted as a color additive. (Kaplan, 4/12)
Premature babies with health problems often end up in neonatal intensive care units and separated from their mothers. This once standard practice can be emotionally taxing on mothers and, doctors say, it may not be the best care option for babies. The babies often stay in the hospital long after their mothers are discharged, which means parents have to travel back and forth to see their children. Intensive care units for babies are often in tight quarters with little privacy, making it hard for bonding between mom and child. (McDaniels, 4/13)
According to the most recent National Survey of Family Growth conducted by the Center for Disease Control, one in eight couples have trouble getting pregnant and suffer some form of infertility. About 6.9 million or 11.9 percent of all women receive some form of infertility treatment in their lifetime. Infertility is defined by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after 12 months of trying to conceive. (Reinert, 4/12)
Media violence researchers at Iowa State University published a study this month that finds media violence affects aggressive behaviors across a variety of cultures. More than 2,100 participants from Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Romania and the U.S. named three of their most frequently-watched or played TV shows, movies or video games, and then rated how often they used each title. (Boden, 4/12)
