KOIN AM Extra speaks with Ryan Petteway, Dr.P.H., about integrating the creative arts into social epidemiology. "I think more of us would be inspired about what we can do for public health and community health if it was through a creative lens," he says.

Following the case of a homeless woman addicted to fentanyl giving birth in a tent, KGW-TV reports that an increasing number of babies are being born with fentanyl withdraw. Dmitry Dukhovny, M.D., says, "The use of fentanyl has increased quite a bit in pregnancy just in the last few years. Some of the things that we’re seeing is the [fentanyl] withdrawal starting out early. It starts almost right away in the first 12 to 24 hours of life, versus some of the other opiates."

Across the Pacific Northwest, Native nations and Native-led organizations are working to combat the opioid crisis, offering addiction treatment programs to support their citizens, other Indigenous people and the broader community. The Grande Ronde tribe's Great Circle Recovery mobile medication unit is one example. Todd Korthuis, M.D., says, “In general, most addiction treatment in the U.S. and in Indian Country is hard to come by and high barrier. What an innovative and exciting model [Great Circle Recovery] is that is reaching people who would otherwise not be served. Both tribal members and others in the community.”

In a story about a study that finds some differences in physical performance between transgender and cisgender athletes, Joanna Harper, Ph.D., says, “The idea that trans women are going to take over women’s sports is ludicrous,” and adds that blanket bans of transgender athletes are “unnecessary and unjustified.”

Tom Beer, M.D., discusses the importance of patient-reported outcomes in the Food and Drug Administration’s review of new cancer drugs. He says: “While PROs are an invaluable tool to better understand the patient experience, like any important outcome measure, they should be used when clinically and scientifically indicated. That is often, but not always.”

In a story about genetically engineered bacteria designed to prevent cavities, Jonathan Baker, Ph.D., expresses concern that the new bacteria have the potential to be transmitted between household family members, and, particularly, between parents and their children.

In a Wall Street Journal article about the Supreme Court's consideration of whether federal law requires emergency rooms to perform abortions in dire circumstances despite state bans on the procedure, Alison Edelman, M.D., says she has seen pregnant patients sent from Idaho to Oregon with dangerously high blood pressure and other serious conditions because, due to a state ban, Idaho physicians are unable to provide abortions to patients if they need one, so instead make risky transfers. “It is incredibly scary,” she says. “When there’s any delay, that really impacts the outcome for the patient.”

While discussing a new Commonwealth Fund report on health equity for which he led data analysis, David Radley, Ph.D., says that while Oregon fairs better than most states, “There are still big disparities. There’s still a lot of improvement to be made.” For example, the death rate before age 75 for treatable causes is about twice as high for Black Oregonians when compared with white Oregonians.

Media outlets follow coverage from The New York Times about a study that finds some differences in physical performance between transgender and cisgender athletes, using a quote from Joanna Harper, Ph.D., who says, “The idea that trans women are going to take over women’s sports is ludicrous,” and adds that blanket bans of transgender athletes are “unnecessary and unjustified.”

The American Society for Radiation Oncology, or ASTRO, names Erin Kaya, M.D., one of 15 Emerging Advocacy Grassroots Leadership grantees that will participate in the 2024 Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.