A waste of mental health money, health data privacy, drug fear-mongering, and more

May 14, 2023 Check out STAT+

Sponsored By

By Torie Bosch Editor, First Opinion

This week on First Opinion, several essays looked at ways good intentions can fall short — or even cause harm. Sherrie Page Guyer looks at a $400 million anti-suicide net that illustrates our failed approach to mental health care. Eric D. Perakslis, Katie D. McMillan, and Jessilyn Dunn examine a rulemaking to protect health data for people seeking abortions. Stacey McKenna explains why fear-mongering doesn't keep people from using drugs. And much more. Have an opinion for or on First Opinion? Email me: first.opinion@statnews.com.

JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images The tragedy of the Golden Gate Bridge's $400 million anti-suicide net The $400 million net proves we're approaching mental health care in this country from the wrong end of the problem. By Sherrie Page Guyer Proposed rules to protect health data in an era of abortion bans fall short In current form, the rules fail to help the people who need them most: those who live in states with abortion travel bans. By Eric D. Perakslis and Katie D. McMillan and Jessilyn Dunn Fear-based messaging doesn't stop drug use. But it does make things worse Fearmongering about xylazine is likely to undermine trust at a time when trust is essential. There's a better approach. By Stacey McKenna Adobe STAT+ | Three misconceptions about the accelerated drug approval pathway Major misconceptions about the accelerated approval pathway are harming the proper regulation of rare disease treatments. By Emil D. Kakkis and Camille Bedrosian Listen: The coercion built into medical privacy consent forms In this episode of the "First Opinion Podcast," Alex Rosenblat talks about her hunt to track down a consent form she knew she never signed. By Torie Bosch STAT+ | The IRA's nonsensical distinction between small- and large-molecule drugs Science doesn't arbitrarily distinguish between small- and large-molecule drugs. Policymakers shouldn't either. By Daniel M. Skovronsky Adobe Health care coaches are the next big thing. They're also completely unregulated In 2021 there were an estimated 128,000 health coaches in the United States, but there are no education or training requirements in the field. By Katie Suleta STAT+ | The amoxicillin shortage continues to force pediatricians and families to scramble While the tripledemic has thankfully waned, the amoxicillin shortage has not. Congress, the FDA, and drug manufacturers must act. By Nishant Pandya

More around STAT

Check out more exclusive coverage with a STAT+ subscription Read premium in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis with all of our STAT+ articles.

---

Enjoying First Opinion? Tell us about your experience Continue reading the latest health & science news with the STAT app Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play

STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA ©2023, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails

Update Newsletter Preferences     •    Contact Us     •    Advertise with Us     •    View in Browser