Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hillary Clinton Returns To The Campaign Amidst Continued Speculation About Her Health
Hillary Clinton is returning to the campaign trail Thursday after scrapping her West Coast travel for Monday through Wednesday as she recovers from a case of pneumonia at home in Chappaqua, New York, said campaign spokesman Nick Merrill. (Debenedetti, 9/13)
Nearly two decades later, Clinton's desire to work through illness 鈥 and penchant for keeping her health secret 鈥 has helped cause the most damaging 48-hour period in her presidential campaign and given fresh ammunition to GOP rival Donald Trump. The incident has also stoked long-simmering conservative conspiracy theories about her health and questions about her commitment to openness (Lerer and Thomas, 9/13)
Donald Trump 鈥 who for weeks has accused opponent Hillary Clinton of having 鈥渇ailing鈥 health 鈥 told Fox News he has 鈥渘o view鈥 on the matter Tuesday night. 鈥淚 really have no view. I just hope she gets better and can get back out,鈥 the Republican nominee told Fox鈥檚 Sean Hannity on Tuesday. 鈥淚 just 鈥 I have no view. You know, I just don鈥檛 want to get involved with it.鈥 (Lima, 9/13)
Donald J. Trump on Wednesday scrapped his previously announced plan to go over results from his most recent physical examination in a taped appearance with the television celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz, aides to the Republican presidential nominee said. Instead, Mr. Trump, 70, will appear on the 鈥淒r. Oz Show,鈥 but the two men will have a general discussion about health and wellness, not one anchored to the fitness of one of the two major candidates for president. (Haberman, 9/14)
The Trump campaign now says it will likely release later this week information based on a physical exam Trump underwent last week. Trump will be talking with Oz about his physical activity, dietary habits, and broader health-related issues. The plan also calls for Trump to discuss political topics that are of interest to the "Dr. Oz Show" audience, like efforts to fight the Zika virus and Trump's new child care policies. Trump's daughter Ivanka, who joined him on the campaign trail Tuesday, will also join him for part of the "Dr. Oz Show" taping. (Stelter, 9/14)
Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway dismissed the notion that his records would be an expected topic of discussion. "No, he was going to talk about the fact that he had a physical. And that, what the results are, or what the doctor may have told him to date. I wasn鈥檛 present at his physical," Conway said on "America's Newsroom." "But I think on Dr. Oz, they鈥檙e actually going to talk about other concerns for America. They鈥檙e taking questions from the audience, as I understand. I would imagine that Dr. Oz will talk about what he talks about on his show every day: addiction or Zika or other health concerns for people. But he will, if he is asked a question about his health or his stamina, I鈥檓 sure he鈥檒l be happy to answer it. He鈥檚 always happy to answer." (Gass, 9/14)
While the public scrutiny of modern campaigns has made speculation about the health of presidential candidates more relentless, concerns about the fitness of candidates for office have long been a hallmark of American politics, with many hopefuls trying to conceal their maladies and opponents doing their best to exploit signs of weakness. From brushing off gunshot wounds to working through paralysis, presidents, and those seeking the office, have been no strangers to challenging ailments. Here are a few of history鈥檚 most prominent examples. (Rappeport, 9/13)
Donald Trump seems to have accepted the evidence that vaccines are safe, if his campaign鈥檚 response to a Scientific American survey on the presidential candidates鈥 scientific positions is any guide. Asked what he would do to reverse declining vaccination rates attributed to theories of harm from shots, Trump said, 鈥淲e should educate the public on the values of a comprehensive vaccination program. We have been successful with other public-service programs and this seems to be of enough importance that we should put resources against this task.鈥欌 (Allen, 9/13)
On the聽state聽ballot initiative front -
Five states are voting this fall on whether marijuana should be legal, like alcohol, for recreational use. That has sparked questions about what we know 鈥 and don't know 鈥 about marijuana's effect on the brain. Research is scarce. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug. That classification puts up barriers to conducting research on it, including a cumbersome DEA approval application and a requirement that scientists procure very specific marijuana plants. (Bebinber, 9/13)