Veterans Groups Praise Trump’s VA Pick As Safe, Stabilizing Choice In Wake Of Years Of Scandal
If confirmed, Robert Wilkie will have to tread carefully between the administration and veterans advocates who are on opposing sides when it comes to privatization. But for now, he's winning praise from Republicans and Democrats alike.
The Hill:
Trump VA Pick Boosts Hopes For Reform
President Trump's selection of Robert Wilkie to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is being praised by veterans groups as a safe, stabilizing move in the aftermath of the failed nomination of former White House physician Ronny Jackson. Wilkie, who is serving as acting VA secretary, is a Washington insider with years of administrative experience who has previously worked on Capitol Hill as well as in the Pentagon for two presidents. (Weixel, 5/28)
In other national health care news —
The Hill:
Abortion Wars Flare For Midterm Election Campaign
President Trump and anti-abortion activists this week touted recent actions restricting abortion as helping to galvanize Republican voters for the midterm elections. But Democrats see it the other way around, arguing Trump’s actions to defund Planned Parenthood and roll back ObamaCare’s contraception mandate are going to hurt, not help, Republican candidates on the ballot in November. (Hellmann, 5/26)
The New York Times:
Origins Of An Epidemic: Purdue Pharma Knew Its Opioids Were Widely Abused
Purdue Pharma, the company that planted the seeds of the opioid epidemic through its aggressive marketing of OxyContin, has long claimed it was unaware of the powerful opioid painkiller’s growing abuse until years after it went on the market. But a copy of a confidential Justice Department report shows that federal prosecutors investigating the company found that Purdue Pharma knew about “significant” abuse of OxyContin in the first years after the drug’s introduction in 1996 and concealed that information. (Meier, 5/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Do Doctors And Nurses Skip Hand Washing? Cue The Video
Hospitals have spent considerable resources trying to reduce the number of preventable mistakes that doctors and nurses make, such as skipping hand washing. But it’s hard to ensure that caregivers take every preventive step every time. Perhaps they need to be watched all the time. (Ward, 5/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Doctors Face Scrutiny About Defining Death
What is the definition of death—and who gets to make the call? For decades, physicians have had the authority to declare a person brain-dead—defined in the U.S. as the irreversible cessation of all brain function, including the brainstem—even if heart and lung activity can be maintained with machines. The medical profession determined the acceptable tests and procedures used to make the diagnosis. (Marcus, 5/28)
Bloomberg:
Your Outdated U.S. Sunscreen Exposes You To Needless Cancer Risk
Dermatologist Steve Wang treats skin-cancer patients all day at a Sloan Kettering hospital in New Jersey, so he knows better than most that U.S. sunscreens aren’t up to the job. The oily stuff Americans are slathering on before heading to the beach this summer probably won’t give them as much protection as the products sold in other countries. Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada: All have sunscreens that do a better job shielding against cancer-causing skin damage, and feel better on the skin, too. (Kaskey, 5/25)
The Wall Street Journal:
The Operating Room Of The Future
The operating room is getting smarter, more effective—and a lot less risky for patients. Hospitals are investing in new devices, designs and digital technologies that promise a new era of innovation for surgery. The moves are part of a growing shift away from traditional open procedures that involve big incisions, lots of blood loss and long hospitalizations. They point toward a future where more patients can choose minimally invasive outpatient surgeries, with faster recoveries, fewer complications, and less pain and scarring. (Landro, 5/28)