Health Care — Surgeon General goes after tech giants

Presented by Guardant Health — He's urging Congress to require tobacco-style warning labels for social media

View Online Health Care Health Care   PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  Surgeon General calls for tobacco-style warning labels for social media Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling on Congress to put warning labels on social media platforms, the same as it does with cigarettes and alcohol, to advise parents about the risk to kids' mental health.  © AP "The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor," Murthy wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times on Monday.    He said a label would "regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe." Warning labels are one of the most powerful tools Murthy has available, but they require congressional action.   Murthy called for legislation from Congress that would "shield young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content."   He also said social media companies should share their data with the public and allow independent safety audits.    The nation's top public health official cited several studies, including a 2019 American Medical Association study published in JAMA that found teens who spend three hours a day on social media double their risk of depression.   Murthy has regularly warned about the harms social media can have on young people, but his op-ed and call for action represents an escalation.   It's unclear if Murthy has broad support among lawmakers. Congress has regularly chastised social media companies but done little to actually hold them accountable.   Murthy has received a statement of support from two senators, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), the authors of the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require platforms to take a range of steps to protect minors on social media.   Read more at TheHill.com. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: FDA took 15 months to act on infant formula whistleblower complaint, audit says The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was dangerously slow to respond to multiple complaints about conditions at an Abbott Nutrition facility that contributed to a nationwide infant formula shortage in 2022, according to a government watchdog report.  FDA did not have adequate — and in some cases completely lacked — policies and procedures to identify risks to infant formula and then respond to those risks effectively, the …  Full Story Schumer tees up action on bill to establish national right to abortion Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday took action to set up a vote on the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, which would reestablish a national right to an abortion before the third trimester of pregnancy by enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade. The floor action sets up the third vote this month on protecting women's access to reproductive health care, following votes on the Right to Contraception Act …  Full Story Fauci says Trump dropped f-bombs during 2020 COVID call Former chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci revealed in a forthcoming book that former President Trump dropped expletives during a 2020 phone call with him during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci recounted in a new autobiography that Trump dropped numerous expletives in the call just three months into the pandemic, according to reports from The New York Times and The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast reported that …  Full Story The Hill event Keeping Pharmacy Shelves Filled: Solutions to Address Drug Shortages | June 25 in Washington, D.C. | In person & streaming   Join The Hill for a special discussion on the pharmaceutical supply chain as we discuss the collective goal of preventing drug shortages and, when they are unavoidable, mitigating their impact on patients.   Speakers include: Dr. Mark McClellan, director, Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy Dr. Marta Wosińska, senior fellow, Center on Health Policy, The Brookings Institution Michael Kleinrock, lead research director, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. Click here to RSVP In Other News  Branch out with a different read: 139 people in Russia seek medical help with botulism symptoms. Ready-to-eat salads may be to blame MOSCOW (AP) — At least 139 people in Russia have sought medical assistance with symptoms of botulism over the past few days, authorities said Monday, an outbreak that could be linked to ready-to-eat salads. Foodborne botulism is a rare illness caused by a toxin produced by a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Eating foods contaminated … Full Story On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: The Senate Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing Tuesday on the origins of COVID-19. Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: Virginia's state budget will fund OB-GYN medical residencies amid obstetrics closures (Virginia Mercury)  Montana creates emergency 'drive-thru' blood pickup service for rural ambulances (KFF Health News)  Texas Supreme Court rejects case that could have imperiled IVF access (Texas Tribune)  A MESSAGE FROM GUARDANT HEALTH & THE UNDERSIGNED Don't Let Perfect Be The Enemy of Good in Colorectal Cancer Screening Today 75% of Americans who die from colorectal cancer are behind on screening. We have to change that. Read how we're poised to usher in a new era of colorectal cancer screening.   What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Half of U.S. military bases in the country are in 'health care deserts' (NPR)  Vaping is just as good as Chantix at helping people quit cigarettes, new study finds (Stat)  Biden campaign plans robust push centered on reproductive rights ahead of Dobbs decision anniversary (NBC) What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Bankruptcy judge weighs stripping Giuliani's control of his finances  Rudy Giuliani's creditors attempted to persuade a bankruptcy judge to appoint a trustee to take control of the former New York City mayor's finances … Read more Schumer takes heat for grilling photo in Father's Day post Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer might be feeling the burn from critics: He’s getting roasted for a Father’s Day grilling snapshot.  … Read more What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: America is full of the living dead — and Mississippi is ground zero. Draconian abortion laws are driving OB-GYNs from red states    You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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