Note From The Commissioner:
Dear Community Partner,
As a doctor, it used to be that I
treated only adults with chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes,
and obesity. But now, I treat teenagers as young as 13 with these conditions.
These kids grow up to be adults who will suffer and die from heart disease, the
number one killer of men and women in our City. In Baltimore, one-in-three high
school children are obese. It’s no coincidence that one-in-four school-aged
children drink one or
more soda per day. Public health leaders and doctors agree:
sugary drinks are a major contributor to childhood obesity. Taking
these empty calories out of children’s diets is the single biggest change
parents can make.
Two years ago, I fought to protect our residents by supporting legislation in the Baltimore City
Council that places warning labels on all sugary drink advertisements,
restaurant menus, and stores that sell these drinks. The warning label included
important facts about the dangers of sugary drinks and would have leveled the
information playing field for consumers. Yet, despite the support of over 2,000
pediatricians, public health leaders, and advocates, the bill failed.
On Monday, the Baltimore City Council
showed how they are a progressive, “public health Council” by voting 15-0 on a
common-sense bill that
makes healthy beverages, including water, milk, and 100 percent fruit juice,
the default drink option for kid’s meals sold in Baltimore City. Currently,
many restaurants include soda and fruit drinks as part of the kid’s meals, and
parents must pay extra for the healthy alternatives. Switching the default
option is a simple step that makes the healthy
choice the easy choice. I am so proud of our elected leaders for
voting on the right side of history. (The Council also passed legislation that
we supported to prohibit the use of Styrofoam containers for carryout food and
drink.) This is about our children’s health, and the future of our communities
and our planet.
I discussed how public policy affects
public health on Midday
with Tom Hall this week. Tom and I discussed efforts in Annapolis to
protect the Affordable Care Act and to lower the price of prescription drugs. (The
Health Department team has been busy this week: see below for our various
testimonies in front of the State House and Senate on lead poisoning
prevention, tobacco regulation, children’s health and wellness, and more.) I
also discussed harmful, unscientific policies being proposed. This week, I
wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun to oppose
a chilling bill that would further criminalize the disease of addition. At a time of a public health epidemic, we must
do everything we can to save lives. We must use science to fight stigma. And we
must treat everyone with compassion, dignity and humanity.
Leana Wen, M.D., M.Sc.
Dr. Wen Speaks at Kerner Commission Conference
On
Thursday, Dr. Wen spoke on the “Health and Race” panel at the Kerner Commission
Conference, held at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. The Conference commemorated
the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report, which detailed
disparities in economic opportunities, academic advancement, housing access,
and other socioeconomic indicators between white and African-American
populations in the United States. Dr. Wen remarked on the significance of
recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Commission Report in
Baltimore, from a public health perspective, in light of the 2015 unrest. Dr.
Wen also discussed the importance of addressing racial inequities in societal
responses to drug addiction, and detailed the Health Department’s efforts to reduce
health disparities in the City.
“We
must stop using the rhetoric of choice,” Dr. Wen said. “We say that a person
chose not to eat well, but this ‘choice’ is predicated on privilege. A goal of
public health is to understand that poverty is related to health, and that we
have to level the playing field.”
Learn
more about the Kerner Commission Conference here.
WYPR 88.1FM – Dr. Wen Participates in Midday’s
“Healthwatch” Segment
On
Wednesday, Dr. Wen was interviewed for a live edition of Midday’s “Healthwatch”
with Tom Hall. She discussed the importance of the City Council’s vote on the
Healthy Beverages for Children’s Meal bill, and the Health Department’s
legislative advocacy in Annapolis in front of the General Assembly.
“Public
health policy changes behavior and saves lives,” said Dr. Wen.
To
listen to the full interview, click here.
Dr. Wen Voices Strong
Support for The Healthy Beverages for Children’s Meal Bill
This
week, Dr. Wen advocated for a bill to make the default option the healthy
option for kid’s meals. The Healthy Beverages for Children’s Meal bill would
make water, milk, and 100% fruit juice the default options for kids’ meals
served in Baltimore. Bill sponsor Councilman Brandon Scott, Sugar Free Kids
Maryland Executive Director Shawn McIntosh, and Doctors for America Maryland
Chapter President Justin Lowenthal also spoke.
“Public
health leaders and doctors agree: sugary drinks are the major preventable cause
of childhood obesity,” said Dr. Wen. “The bottom line is that this legislation
is about public health. It’s about saving lives. It’s about our children.”
The
bill, passed by the Council unanimously on second reader, will be voted on for
the final time in March before being sent to the Mayor for signature.
Read
Dr. Wen’s op-ed on the importance of the sugary drinks bill in The
Hill.
The Hill: Dr. Wen Pen's Op-Ed About Sugary Drink Bill
Dr. Wen authored an op-ed in The Hill this week explaining the importance of Baltimore City
Council Bill 17-0152, a bill that would make the default option the healthy
option in kids’ meals.
“In my city of Baltimore, 1 in 3 high school students are
obese or overweight. It’s no coincidence that more than 1 out of every 4 high
school students also drink at least one soda per day. The science is clear —
sodas have empty calories that have no nutritional benefit,” wrote Dr. Wen. “For
our city of Baltimore, this legislation is about public health.”
Read the full article here.
Baltimore Sun: Dr. Wen Writes Op-Ed
About the Dangers of MD House Bill 771
This week, Dr. Wen authored an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun explaining that a current bill in the Maryland
Legislature, House
Bill 771, would turn back the clock on progress made in battling the opioid
crisis in Baltimore.
"Denying someone naloxone because it might
make him use drugs is just as absurd as withholding an Epi-Pen because it might
make someone eat more peanuts," Dr. Wen wrote.
Read the full article here.
WJZ-TV, Channel 13: BCHD's James "JT" Timpson discusses the life-saving work of Safe Streets
On
Wednesday, Safe Streets Community Liaison Officer James “JT” Timpson
participated in WJZ-TV’s Town Hall, Baltimore
Standing Together. The discussion included a panel featuring Mayor
Catherine Pugh and Baltimore City Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa. Mr. Timpson discussed the City’s Safe Streets program and elaborated on the initiative’s
mission to help residents find non-violent ways to resolve conflict.
To watch the Town Hall,
click here
Deputy Chief of Staff Discusses Social
Entrepreneurship and Government Regulation at Johns Hopkins Social Innovation
Lab Panel
On Monday, Deputy Chief of Staff Jeff
Amoros (far left) joined a panel discussion hosted by the Johns Hopkins Social Innovation
Lab on the intersection of social entrepreneurship and government regulation.
Mr. Amoros answered questions from several Social Innovation Lab teams
designing initiatives that seek to improve access to and efficiency of
government services.
Senior Medical Advisor
Testifies in Favor of Establishing a Drug Cost Review Commission and
Eliminating the Pharmacist Gag Rule
On
Wednesday, Senior Medical Advisor Dr. Shelly Choo testified on Dr. Wen’s behalf
before the Senate Finance Committee in Annapolis in support of establishing a
Drug Cost Review Commission (SB1023) and eliminating the pharmacist “gag rule”
(SB576). SB1023 would address rising drug costs by establishing a commission
responsible for setting fair rates for high cost drugs in Maryland, while SB576
would eliminate a “gag rule” that prevents pharmacists from sharing information
about less expensive drug options with patients.
“These
bills will allow patients and family members to know more about affordable
prescription medications,” said Dr. Choo. “We have a right to information about
alternatives that may cost a lot less, but be just as effective. We have a
right to transparent and accurate information, and a right to affordable
health care.”
Click
here to read SB1023.
Click
here to read SB576.
Deputy Commissioner of Population Health and
Disease Prevention Testifies in Favor of Modifications for Local Health
Services Funding
On
Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner of Population Health and Disease Prevention
Jennifer Martin testified before the House Health and Government Operations
Committee in Annapolis in favor of a bill that will increase state spending for
core public health services (HB1620). If passed, HB1620 would modify the
calculation of local health services funding for FY 2020, and for each
subsequent fiscal year.
“Increased
funding will allow local health departments to restore and reinvest in core
public health services and public health infrastructure,” said Ms. Martin.
“Restoring and reinvesting in core public health services will not only improve
Maryland residents’ everyday lives, but will also increase the capacity of
local health departments to respond to public health emergencies and emerging
infectious diseases.”
Click
here to read HB1620.
Tobacco Control and Cessation Manager Testifies
in Favor of Increasing Minimum Age for Tobacco Purchase and Prohibiting the
Sale of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems to Minors
On
Wednesday, Tobacco Control and Cessation Manager Casey Thomasson testified in
front of the House Economic Matters Committee in Annapolis on two bills
involving tobacco. The first increases the minimum age for the sale of tobacco
products from 18 to 21 (HB953). The second includes electronic nicotine
delivery systems (ENDS) on the types of tobacco products that cannot be sold to
minors (HB1094).
“Tobacco
use is the number one cause of preventable death for Baltimore residents, as
well as the leading preventable risk factor for the number one cause of death
for Baltimore City residents– heart disease,” said Mr. Thomasson. “Youth access
to tobacco is an issue that Baltimore takes very seriously, and our enforcement
team works diligently to educate our communities and ensure that license
holders are complying with the law.
Click
here to read HB953.
Click
here to read HB1094.
Deputy Chief of Staff Testifies in Opposition to
Civil Penalties for Victims of Overdose
On
Tuesday, Deputy Chief of Staff Jeff Amoros testified in front of the House
Health & Government Operations Committee in Annapolis in opposition to a
bill that would create civil penalties for victims of overdose revived with
naloxone by first responders (HB771).
“This bill reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about
the nature of addiction,” said Mr. Amoros. “Research shows that naloxone
distribution reduces fatal overdoses without increasing drug use. People who
use drugs do not want to die, nor do they want to suffer through the pain of
being revived with naloxone.”
Click
here to read HB771.
Assistant Commissioner for Maternal and Child
Health Testifies in Favor of Establishing “Thrive by Three” Fund
On
Thursday, Assistant Commissioner for Maternal and Child Health Rebecca Dineen
testified in front of the Senate Finance Committee in Annapolis in favor of
creating a fund for programs run by counties and municipalities seeking to
improve health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and children from
birth to 3 years old (SB912). The fund would provide grants for care
coordination services for programs assisting low-income women.
“We
know that people living in poverty face significant barriers when seeking and
obtaining even the most basic of services to meet their needs,” said Ms.
Dineen. “A new Thrive by Three fund will create a source of care coordination
dollars to support efforts to coordinate services and navigate systems to help
educate people about health benefits, link people to health care providers and
other services, and refer them to long-term case management services.”
Click
here to read SB912.
Director of Lead Prevention Program Testifies in
Favor of More Rigorous Blood Lead Level Standards to Trigger Services and Risk
Reduction
On Friday, Director of
Lead Prevention Program Camille Burke testified in front of the House
Environment and Transportation Committee in Annapolis in favor of a bill that
will lower the allowable standard for blood lead levels from 10 micrograms per
deciliter to 5, meaning that services and required risk reductions will be
triggered at a lower blood lead level (HB304).
“There is no
safe lead level in children. Lead
exposure can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead exposure
often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized, Ms.
Burke said. “Lead poisoning causes stagnated cognitive development, kidney
damage, hearing loss, lower IQ decreased bone & muscle growth and behavior
problems.”
Click here to read HB304.
BCHD in the News
|
