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21st Century Cures Act: Yes or No? No: Act’s Promise of Quick Cures Is a Brew of Ultra-Hype Mixed With Snake Oil

Chicago Tribune, July 21, 2016. If you or a loved one has a deadly disease, whether it is cancer or a rare disease, you deserve treatments that work. If experimental drugs are your only hope, they should be free as part of a study that you can choose to participate in.

Congress Shouldn’t Pass the 21st Century Cures Act in a Summer Rush

Health Affairs, July 11, 2016. The full Senate may in the next few days consider companion legislation to the 21st Century Cures Act that passed the House last year. The legislation—currently 19 separate bills—makes substantial changes to the way the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves drugs and devices. The legislation, while containing some useful measures, is flawed. Instead of hastily agreeing to it, Congress should postpone consideration until 2017 and attach the best of the 19 bills (see below) to must-pass legislation on FDA funding through industry user fees.

Bullying Harms Victims and Perpetrators of All Ages

Health Progress, July/August 2016. Bullying used to be considered an unfortunate, inevitable rite of childhood, but researchers now tell us that bullying often occurs in conjunction with more serious aggressive and antisocial behavior. They conclude that bullying, therefore, should not be considered a normal and accepted part of growing up.

Abortion Clinics vs. Cosmetic Surgery Centers: Which Are Safer for Women?

Our Bodies Ourselves Blog, March 4, 2016. The Supreme Court is trying to decide if regulating most abortion clinics out of existence places an undue burden on women’s access to safe and legal medical care. If legislators really want to protect women’s health, I want them to know that they can protect many more women, including many of their friends and loved ones, from far more dangerous medical procedures.

FDA Revisits Safety of the Essure Contraceptive Device

NPR, September 21, 2015. Many women rely on birth control throughout their lives to prevent unwanted or untimely pregnancies. The Essure contraceptive device is placed in the fallopian tubes essentially sterilizing the woman. This alternative to traditional sterilization methods has caused immense harm to many women and provoked strong responses from patient advocacy organizations and professionals in the health care industry.