Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: How Early Did Wuhan Doctors Know About Covid?; Leprosy In Florida Being Overblown
In the first weeks of 2020, a radiologist at Xinhua Hospital in Wuhan, China, saw looming signs of trouble. He was a native of Wuhan and had 29 years of radiology experience. His job was to take computed tomography (CT) scans, looking at patients鈥 lungs for signs of infection. (8/22)
In recent weeks, you may have seen alarming headlines about how leprosy might become 鈥渆ndemic鈥 in Florida. As a physician in Florida who specializes in treating leprosy, also known as Hansen鈥檚 disease, this case report was not 鈥渘ews鈥 to us in the field: We have known for some time about endemic cases of leprosy. However, given how rare the disease is in the state, there is no cause for alarm 鈥 despite the fearful headline. (Andrea Maderal, 8/23)
In 2021, women represented nearly 20% of new HIV infections. More than 50% of women who contracted the virus were Black. President Biden鈥檚 2024 budget proposed $237 million for a federal PrEP program 鈥 that鈥檚 pre-exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill intended to keep HIV-negative people from becoming HIV-positive. (LZ Granderson, 8/23)
The high cost of healthcare in Connecticut is a problem that cannot be ignored. Connecticut鈥檚 healthcare costs are among the highest in the country and with those costs rising at a rate faster than personal income, access to affordable care is becoming increasingly limited for many residents. (Deidre S. Gifford, MD, MPH, 8/23)