HHPR Editor James Jolin interviewed Dr. Marcela del Carmen, the Chief Medical Officer for the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and Gynecologic Oncologist at the Center for Gynecologic Oncology. They discussed the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the Massachusetts General Hospital System, lessons learned, health equity and vaccine distribution.
Read MoreAs the COVID-19 pandemic continues and vaccines become more widely available, what challenges and opportunities arise from the legal and ethical perspective?
Read MoreAs we move forward through the COVID-19 pandemic and look ahead to new epidemics that the future will inevitably bring, computational researchers should remember the value provided by domain experts. The interface between algorithms and socio-technical problems will never be straightforward to navigate. Scientific teams which leverage a complete spectrum of expertise are our best hope for developing algorithmic approaches which meet the needs of complex medical and public health challenges.
Read MoreIn 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, and clinicians scrambled to find effective treatments for their patients. Through unprecedented rates of research and collaboration across disciplines, several therapies were demonstrated to show promise, while others fell short. In this piece, we argue clinical trials can—and, indeed, must—be done during a pandemic to identify safe and effective therapeutics and that these trials must be completed free of political pressures. For optimal treatments, we ought to prepare clinical trials before—not during—public health emergencies.
Read MoreTo what extent should national governments expand their presence during a pandemic, and does American aversion to “big government” need reconsideration during one?
Read MoreIn order achieve vaccine equity, change must occur. Broadening the concept of health equity to include shifting decision-making power to marginalized communities, creating demand, and requiring accountability with regard to data is necessary and will improve vaccine uptake and overall health well beyond this pandemic.
Read MoreThe Global Health Security Index (GHSI), published in 2019, ranked the United States first among nations in its pandemic preparedness. This paper uses the GHSI framework to explore how systemic racism resulted United State's failure to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic adequately.
Read MoreAn ongoing public health crisis results from lack of access to abortion care in the United States, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities in access to abortion care. In contrast, the COVID-19 pandemic has also seen a plethora of telehealth innovations, including telemedicine abortion services, that may become an integral part of care after the pandemic. However, telemedicine abortion can only become standard care with substantial policy change at both the state and federal levels.
Read MoreSuccessful contact tracing requires acknowledging structural inequities, deliberately designing programs to address them, and fitting solutions within broader support systems. After all, a program to stop community transmission will not achieve its intended impact if people are unable to isolate/quarantine.
Read MoreThe United States’ long history of legislation restricting access to comprehensive health insurance, labor protections, and economic opportunities for immigrants set the stage for disproportionate morbidity and mortality during COVID-19. If we continue to erect and fortify policy barriers to the equitable distribution of healthcare and economic opportunities, the impact of COVID-19 will remain disproportionately experienced by our immigrant neighbors, colleagues, and friends.
Read MoreMany of us are anxiously looking forward to a “return to normal” after the Covid-19 pandemic. But as much as we miss the interactions and activities of pre-Covid life, it’s an ideal time to consider the possibility of “emerging better” instead of normal. For many people, how they decide to live after Covid-19 may determine if they have vibrancy vs. debilitating chronic diseases in their later years.
Read MoreBeyond its toll on human health, one of the direst effects of COVID-19 is on food security. Addressing food security during the pandemic and after will require a comprehensive agenda that improves food security among the urban poor.
Read MoreIn the past year alone, the pandemic has already disrupted the lives of millions of children across America and the world. Yet, its long-term impact may still be with us for years to come.
Read MoreThe recent COVID-19 global pandemic has affected millions of individuals. Older adults with mental health disorders are an extremely vulnerable group of individuals whose care has suffered immensely during this pandemic.
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