Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Public Health Is Broken — Here’s How to Fix It; Self-Testing For Cervical Cancer Empowers Women
Ida and COVID unveiled the city’s vulnerabilities and the urgent need for a more resilient public health system. New Yorkers carried those lessons. When they elected Zohran Mamdani on an affordability platform, they weren’t just demanding lower costs—they were seeking relief from the health consequences of living in a city stretched to its limits. (Thoai D Ngo, 12/17)
As 2025 comes to a close, I have been reflecting on medical advances that offer reason for hope. One area that stands out is cervical cancer screening, which is about to become more accessible and effective. (Leana S. Wen, 12/18)
If they had not voted for it, it would not have passed. Yes, Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) is generally right that the party needs to be a “big tent” and allow some ideological diversity. But there are some lines that should not be crossed, and this is one of them. (Alex Bollinger, 12/18)
The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that flu hospitalizations are climbing across all age groups in the US. Several states, including Colorado, New York, New Jersey and Louisiana, are being hit particularly hard. (Lisa Jarvis, 12/19)
In 1984, during my intern year, I admitted the first of what would become thousands of young men dying from a disease we were only beginning to understand. Our wards and ICUs overflowed with patients suffering from infections that should not have been possible — many we could not even name, let alone treat. We careened forward while looking only in the rearview mirror, each death teaching us what we should have known the week before. (Robert B. Shpiner, 12/19)