Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Advice Hotline For Troops Swamped After LA Protests; RFK Jr.'s Firings Support His Personal Ideology
The Quaker House in Fayetteville once counseled members of the military who had moral qualms about going to Vietnam. Now it’s advising soldiers who have moral qualms about going to Los Angeles. The Quaker House is one of several groups that operates the GI Rights Hotline (877-447-4487). The hotline has become extra hot since President Trump sent the National Guard and then the Marines into Los Angeles in response to protests over federal immigration raids. (Ned Barnett, 6/11)
Until now, Americans have counted on independent experts to make recommendations after public, fact-based deliberations. Based on what we have all now witnessed, we can no longer rely on our government to do that. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actions since his confirmation underscore the urgent need for those who care about protecting lives from vaccine-preventable diseases to come together now to create an alternative process to maintain vaccine access and ensure that vaccine recommendations are evidence-based and not driven by one individual's personal ideology. The Vaccine Integrity Project is fully committed to advancing this effort. (Vaccine Integrity Project Staff and Advisers, 6/10)
Abortion is banned in Missouri — for now. That’s not because people don’t need care, or because voters didn’t speak clearly on Amendment 3 last November. Just weeks ago, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the preliminary injunctions blocking old anti-abortion laws must be considered again under a different legal standard, a technical ruling with a very real impact. The state’s abortion bans — yes, multiple! — are reinstated while litigation continues. (Emily Wales, 6/11)
As an adoptee who was placed in foster care at 18 months old, I’ve never known my full racial heritage, family tree, or medical history. People have often suggested I try 23andMe or a similar company to get more information on my genetics. But I’ve always felt uneasy about it. (Leslie Vooris, 6/12)
Your chance of developing dementia at some point is uncomfortably high. Forty-two percent of Americans older than 55 will develop the condition during their lifetime, a recent Nature Medicine study estimates. It’s also on the rise: More than 500,000 had it in 2020; by 2060, that’s expected to double. (Leana S. Wen, 6/10)
