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The FDA recently made two important decisions — one bad, one good — that will affect people with cognitive decline. The approval of Aduhelm (aducanumab), an expensive and controversial treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, has been roundly and deservedly criticized, and the manufacturer’s close relationship with the FDA questioned. The approval of the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids, on the other hand, should be applauded by anyone who cares about dementia and cognitive decline. (Adriane Fugh-Berman and David Stanke, 11/15)

Health networks are now joining the front lines to help end the cycle of violence, offering an array of support starting at the bedside in emergency rooms. The goal is to help victims choose a healthier path. As the CEO of New Jersey's largest health network and the board chair of the Brady Campaign, we support this effort to address this public health crisis at the root. (Robert C. Garrett and Kevin A. Quinn, 11/12)

How inefficient is local government in Massachusetts? Every municipality in the Commonwealth, no matter how small, has its very own public health board, charged with responsibilities varying from testing well water to responding to hoarding incidents — oh, and also managing global pandemics. COVID-19 exposed just how uneven those local authorities are. Boston and Cambridge operate whole city departments staffed with experts capable of handling a wide variety of tasks, from operating homeless shelters to responding to outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases to organizing vaccination drives in a worldwide pandemic. (11/13)

Health data should be like a mountain stream, flowing in a single direction with a clear purpose: improving health and medical outcomes. Instead, it’s a complex puzzle that only data scientists and physicians can meaningfully put together and use. When most people think of personal health data, they think about their medical records. These reside — usually unconnected — in the offices of primary care physicians and specialists, in imaging companies, hospitals, and elsewhere. These records contain information such as vital signs, prescriptions and allergies, illnesses and injuries, physicians’ notes, and more. (Juhan Sonin, Annie Lakey Becker and Kim Nipp, 11/15)

Last week, during a White House press briefing on COVID-19, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky urged Americans to get jabs for their kids. “We know that vaccination helps to decrease community transmission,” she said, “and protect those who are most vulnerable. ”Her message was succinct, accurate, and easy to understand. But it was at odds with new guidance from the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges. In a document called Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts, the AMA and AAMC urge physicians and other health-care workers to replace many “commonly used” words, such as vulnerable, with “equity-focused” alternatives, such as oppressed. (Conor Friedersdorf, 11/13)

A venerable community clinic is opening a new health care oasis in a Minneapolis neighborhood designated as a federal "medically underserved area." That's a milestone worth celebrating, especially given that construction on the spacious new building and the fundraising for it has continued apace during a pandemic. Family Tree Clinic has long been a medical mainstay in St. Paul, serving those who may have difficulty paying for medical care or face other barriers accessing it. It is relocating this month to a new home in Minneapolis. Its modern two-story facility at 1919 Nicollet Ave. will open on Nov. 22. (11/14)

I am taking a break from writing about the health of our democracy to write about the state of our public health—specifically the issue of the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly. One of the key provisions of the original Biden Build Back Better proposal was that Medicare would finally be authorized to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies for the price of prescription drugs. It was knocked out of the Biden compromise framework the president outlined to Congress a couple of weeks ago. It appears now that that provision is back in though based on a further compromise worked out among Democratic factions on Capitol Hill. Yet, what will be in or out of the final bill is still unknown as it sits in the House, where a vote may occur before Thanksgiving with a less certain path in the Senate. (Tom Rogers, 11/15)