Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: RFK Jr.'s Proposed Vaccine Testing Change Will Be Deadly; Fear Of ICE Is Harming Kids' Mental Health
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his hearing before Congress last week doubled down on his plans to revamp the vaccine approval process. The health and human services secretary claimed that no vaccines other than the coronavirus shots had been tested against a placebo, which he vowed to 鈥渞emedy.鈥 (Leana S. Wen, 5/20)
The other day, I was walking through a school and overheard a student say to a classmate, 鈥淪hut up, before I have to call ICE on you.鈥澛燳ou hear murmurs about what鈥檚 going on in schools across our nation. But I heard this negative comment in a school in Connecticut. It shows just how much these types of antics and negative behavior have become the norm in our society under the current administration.聽These types of comments make people feel unwelcome and unsafe. (Kevin L. Booker Jr., 5/19)
One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. Yet regulators in the United States have not approved sunscreens that can more effectively prevent the disease. Such safetyism makes little sense. Americans receive more diagnoses for skin cancer than for all other forms of cancer combined. (Sally C. Pipes, 5/20)
News of former聽President Biden鈥檚 aggressive and incurable prostate cancer聽has surprised the public (and presumably him). Based on the public record of Biden鈥檚 medical care and standard medical recommendations, as recently as a year ago there was no reason to perform screening tests for the disease, despite his age, 81 at the time.聽The diagnosis underscores the fact that cancers can聽sometimes聽pop up suddenly, even among recipients of the most sophisticated care doctors can offer. (Lawrence K. Altman, 5/19)
For decades, mainstream nutrition guidelines have recommended that Americans replace animal fats like butter or lard with polyunsaturated fats, especially seed oils such as soybean, corn, and sunflower oils. These oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids and now make up a significant portion of the fat consumed in the standard American diet. But recently, the conversation has shifted. (Jane Zhao, 5/20)