Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GoFundMe Joins Social Media Peers In Cracking Down On Antivaccination Movement
GoFundMe has joined a growing list of social media companies cracking down on anti-vaccination propaganda to help stop the spread of misinformation. The increased effort from tech giants, such as Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube, comes amid a relentless anti-vaccine movement, talk about 鈥渃hickenpox parties鈥 and concerns over measles outbreaks across the country. It also comes as the American Medical Association, the nation鈥檚 most prominent doctors鈥 organization, has urged social media platforms to ensure users have access to accurate information on vaccines. (Bever, 3/22)
An unvaccinated student in Kentucky will get his day in court after suing because he can't participate in extracurricular activities during a chickenpox outbreak. The Courier Journal reports 18-year-old Jerome Kunkel's case will be heard in court April 1. Unvaccinated students have ordered by the state health department to stay away from the Our Lady of the Assumption Church school and its activities during the outbreak. (3/22)
The law in Oregon, Washington and generally across the nation sides with parents on medical issues. While there are some notable examples when hospitals and child protection agencies have stepped in, a child鈥檚 medical decisions are almost always in the hands of their parents. A high threshold exists for a state agency, prosecutor or hospital to claim that a parent is abusing or neglecting a child based on medical decisions. Parental medical judgments are rarely challenged. Multnomah County family court judges said they see very few cases -- sometimes only one in 20 years. (Harbarger, 3/24)
The measles outbreak in Oakland County has grown to eight confirmed cases, officials announced Friday.聽The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Oakland County Health Division are urging people to get vaccinated. The agencies also have聽released an expanded list of聽places where people may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease to include stores, medical facilities, and even the Oakland County Circuit courthouse.聽(Zaniewski, 3/22)
Hundreds of Minnesota schools and child care centers face an increased risk of measles outbreaks because not enough of their students have been vaccinated against the disease, according to a Star Tribune data analysis. When fewer than 90 percent of students enrolled in a school haven't received both doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, known as MMR, health officials consider the school to be at higher risk of an outbreak, compromising "herd immunity" and leaving individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons especially vulnerable. (Palazzolo and Webster, 3/23)