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What We're Reading: Planned Parenthood Leaves Title X; Growing Measles Cases; Premature Babies Lack Vital Vaccinations
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Planned Parenthood decides to withdraw from the Title X program after bid to halt Trump administration plan is rejected by courts; measles outbreaks are increasing, threatening to remove elimination status in the United States; a study finds that premature babies are not receiving necessary vaccinations.
Planned Parenthood Leaves Federal Family Planning Program
CDC Records 21 New Measles Cases as of Last Week
Premature Babies Lag in Vaccinations
Planned Parenthood on Monday announced its exit from the federal family planning program amid a new Trump administration rule prohibiting clinics from referring women for abortions, according to The Associated Press. With the departure, Planned Parenthood will no longer receive federal funds toward their nationwide network of health centers. Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parenthood’s acting president and chief executive officer, stated the organization’s intent for their clinics to remain open but conceded that many low-income women who rely on Planned Parenthood services for care would “delay or go without” it.In the worst outbreak of measles since 1992, the United States recorded 21 new cases last week, which brings the total number of cases this year to 1203 across 30 states, Reuters reported. The CDC said there had been a 1.8% increase in the amount of measles cases between August 8 and August 15, with a lack of vaccinations serving as the main catalyst of growing cases. Health officials warned that the failure to vaccinate poses a public health risk to vulnerable people unable to receive the vaccine. Measles was declared defeated in the United States in 2000, but may lose its elimination status if outbreaks continue to occur.Premature babies are at increased risk for vaccine preventable diseases, but they are not getting their vaccinations on time, according to The New York Times. A study conducted by researchers in Washington State found that premature babies were 23% less likely than full-term babies to have had required vaccinations by 19 months and 27% less likely to have completed the series of shots by the time they were 3 years old. Reasoning behind the lack of completed vaccinations are unknown, but the authors of the study attribute a possible vaccine stigma by parents or a failure by healthcare personnel to properly educate these parents as underlying reasons.
