Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: There's More Proof Bird Flu Is Adapting To Infect Humans; New Laws Enforce Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric
The drumbeat that bird flu is coming closer to humans is growing ever louder. Health officials must step up their game in tracking and preparing for this virus before it spreads further. (Leana S. Wen, 10/8)
In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, US politicians aren鈥檛 just badmouthing vaccines 鈥 they鈥檙e pushing through laws that undermine them. If the trend continues, we risk losing the layer of protection we enjoy from preventable diseases like the measles. (Lisa Jarvis, 10/7)
In a climate where so much time and energy is spent trying to tackle human disease, Monday鈥檚 Nobel Prize in the category of physiology or medicine is a welcome reminder of the value of pursuing research that scratches a scientific itch. Sometimes, that work might lead to a new understanding of human biology. (Lisa Jarvis, 10/8)
October is breast cancer awareness month worldwide, a time for reflection on its past, present and future. It's the most common cancer in the United States; about 310,720 women will be diagnosed with it in 2024 and about 42,250 will die of the disease. As an observer and practitioner of cancer medicine for nearly 60 years, I remember the days of male chauvinism and dogma in its diagnosis and treatment. (Fazlur Rahman, 10/8)
鈥淲hen will I see the doctor?鈥 Most female doctors have been asked this question many times. It feels like a slight 鈥 a failure to recognize the struggle it took to get to where they are, a fight that is far from over once a woman has her medical degree. (David Weill, 10/4)