Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: White House Improved Rules For Research On Dangerous Pathogens; New Parents Need Help
On May 6, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy announced new guidelines for research on dangerous pathogens and toxins, including microorganisms that can cause highly transmissible, high-mortality diseases, including H5N1 avian influenza, anthrax, and Ebola virus. The regulations become effective in May 2025. (Joseph Polidoro, 6/3)
In April the White House announced $105 million in funding for community resources to improve maternal and infant health across the country. The money, while not nearly enough to meet the overwhelming need for maternal mental health resources, is a glimmer of hope. Last month, a federal task force to improve maternal mental health published a report that found 鈥渢he unmet need for treatment of maternal mental health conditions and [substance use disorders] has reached a crisis point.鈥 (Tanzina Vega, 6/3)
Mental health is Texas鈥 foremost public health challenge today and a leading contributor to disability and death, especially among adolescent Texans. Compounded by historic underservice, Texas has faced an uphill battle when it comes to providing sufficient mental health resources to its growing population, but state leaders 鈥 including the University of Texas System 鈥 are committed to turning the tide. (David Lakey and John Zerwas, 6/3)
My memory problems began in 2022, but didn鈥檛 become pronounced or even apparent to me until 2023 while seeing patients. I finished medical training in 1997, and I鈥檝e taken care of hundreds of patients with dementia over the following years. But when your doctor begins repeating questions he鈥檚 already asked, it doesn鈥檛 make a patient feel very confident. (Brent W. Beasley, 6/2)
In 2020, lawmakers in California and Massachusetts banned menthol, a chemical that causes a cooling sensation, as an additive in cigarettes. The idea was, in part, to curb youth smoking; menthol makes cigarettes more palatable by creating a 鈥渃ooling鈥 sensation. Regulators had deemed the chemical unsafe for its role in promoting nicotine addiction. (Julie B. Zimmerman, et al, 6/3)
