5SR - December 14, 2023

Today’s curator is the founder of #5SmartReads, Hitha Palepu. She’s a consummate multihyphenate - CEO of Rhoshan Pharmaceuticals, author of WE’RE SPEAKING: The Life Lessons of Kamala Harris and How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip, and professional speaker. Hitha is an unabashed fan of Taco Bell, Philadelphia sports teams & F1, romance novels, and is a mediocre crafter. She lives in NYC with her husband and two sons.

How abortion pills work and why they're in the spotlight (Axios)

Defending mifepristone is my Roman Empire. The medication - used in both medication abortion and to treat uterine leiomyomas and Cushing’s syndrome - has one of the strongest safety profiles in the pharmacopeia and has been prescribed in the United States for over 20 years.

So why is access of this medication - on the so-called basis of safety - being decided by the Supreme Court, who has no education or training in the delivery or development of medication?

Because a tyrannical minority of this country’s leaders are trying to control people with uteruses, by any means necessary. And restricting access to mifepristone is one of the latest battles, but one that could start a dangerous war.

The FDA evaluates new drug applications on the basis of safety and efficacy - in that order. And yes, there have been cases where safety wasn’t evaluated as deeply or over a long enough period of time and destroyed lives (ahem, opioids). The data on mifepristone - both in this country and worldwide - shows it has a better safety profile than Tylenol.

Even before seeing what Katie Cox endured in Texas in seeking an emergency abortion (the fetus was unviable and carrying to term would put her future fertility at significant risk), I had zero confidence in our justice system ruling on literal life-or-death matters.

Jennifer Garner Practices "Benign Neglect" In Raising Her Kids—But What Is It? (Parents)

Excuse me, Jennifer Garner. I have a question - how young do my kids have to be to practice “benign neglect”?

The “neglect” described here isn’t putting your kids’ safety at risk, but it’s to nurture independence in your children and help them develop a sense of autonomy, which is further validated by you enjoying your own life.

But it’s a fine balance that every parent and family needs to cultivate for themselves. And it’s one I’m going to be a bit more conscious about over our holiday break. There are things I certainly want to enjoy as a family, and I also would enjoy reading on the couch while the kids do the same or play together in the same room.

Somalia has reached its debt relief milestone. Now the real work begins (The Guardian)

In the United States, the national debt is something used as a bargaining chip when a government shutdown is looming and a spending bill has yet to be agreed on. We know it exists and it needs to be addressed, but it’s overshadowed by the latest battle in Congress or presidential race.

We are so fortunate that our national debt has not impacted our nation’s sovereignty or security. Many emerging nations are not as lucky, and Somalia’s long journey to debt relief has been hard fought and finally successful.

Somalia attained debt relief from the boards of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund just yesterday. And while this victory needs to be recognized, it will soon be swept away by the urgent work to begin strengthening their economy and financial systems.

We will always find something to complain about when it comes to politics, the economy, etc. But reading articles like these have me sitting in both gratitude and guilt to have the privilege we have in this country and in my life, personally.

For Artist Manjit Thapp, “The World of Bridgerton” Puzzle Puts It All in Place (Shondaland)

There’s something about working on a puzzle over a holiday break that feels so right. And if I didn’t have a stack of unopened puzzles sitting in my closet, I’d be purchasing this gorgeous Bridgerton puzzle that Manjit Thapp created the art for.

It’s definitely on my own personal wish list for some date in the future. And so is one of Thapp’s gorgeous works (like this one):

Thapp’s artist journey is really inspiring, as she shares in this interview. And while artists can seem intimidatingly cool (at least to me), there’s something we all have in common - our deep love for Shonda Rhimes’ shows (she’s a Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder OG).

Most Americans with mental health needs don't get treatment, report finds (NPR)

One of the greatest gifts I value this year was getting referred to my psychiatrist (who properly diagnosed me with bipolar 2 disorder, and prescribed me a medication that has changed my life):

I recognize what a privilege it is to be able to afford this mental health care (while my medication is covered by insurance, my sessions with her are not). And I’m unsurprised and saddened that the lack of mental healthcare treatment for those who need it is the rule, not the exception.

About 2/3rds of Americans with a mental health diagnosis are unable to obtain care, either due to a lack of practitioners that accept their insurance, and an overall lack of psychiatrists in our system (we have less than a third of psychiatrists than we need).

This is a tragedy that needs system-wide attention and investment - in encouraging more medical students to become psychiatrists, in improving reimbursement and coverage of out-of-pocket expenses for psychiatric care, and so much more.

I suppose I have a new healthcare Roman Empire, in addition to mifepristone.

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