Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HRT For Menopause Will No Longer Carry A 'Black Box' Warning
Hormone therapies for menopause will no longer carry a black box warning about serious risks such as breast cancer, heart attack and stroke, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. In the announcement and an accompanying editorial in the medical journal JAMA, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and other agency officials said the warnings are based on outdated science and have discouraged women from taking hormone therapy. (Bendix and Edwards, 11/10)
FDA commissioner Marty Makary listed 鈥渄ivorce鈥 alongside well-documented symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes. For Adrian Sandra Dobs, a professor of Medicine and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine鈥檚 Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, this claim was 鈥減retty ridiculous.鈥 (Butler and McShane, 11/10)
The science around hormone therapy to treat menopause has changed a lot since the FDA issued warning labels 20 years ago. Now the labels are being removed, here are 6 things to consider. (Aubrey, 11/11)
On autism and pregnancy 鈥
An聽umbrella review of nine systematic reviews published today in BMJ shows no link between maternal聽acetaminophen聽(Tylenol) use during pregnancy and autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The study, led by University of Liverpool researchers, involved a review of research published within the past 10 years, up to September 30, 2025, to evaluate the quality and validity of the evidence and the strength of any association between the use of acetaminophen (sold as paracetamol in many countries) during pregnancy and the risks of autism and ADHD. (Van Beusekom, 11/10)
On abortion 鈥
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and its affiliated super PAC plan to pour $80 million into electing anti-abortion candidates in 2026 in at least four battleground states, according to plans shared first with POLITICO. It鈥檚 an attempt by the anti-abortion movement to reassert its influence even after a string of post-Roe defeats at the ballot box. It also suggests a desire to elevate social conservatives鈥 cachet, which has waned within President Donald Trump鈥檚 new MAGA-infused, populist GOP. The promised investments comes as Republicans train their focus on the 2026 map, particularly after Democrats鈥 strong showings last week in New Jersey, California and New York City. (Messerly, 11/12)
