Daily Rounds: Mass. Drug Shortages; Teaching Good Sex; Broken Heart Syndrome; Pizza A Vegetable?

Massachusetts rangs high among states suffering critical drug shortages (The Boston Globe) - "Shortages of critical drugs used to treat cancer, infections, cardiovascular disease, and pain have become a nationwide issue, but the shortages are particularly acute in Massachusetts. According to a new report by a health care analytics company, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, the supply of 64 injectable drugs in the state over three months this summer declined by a third, compared to last year. The IMS report found that a dozen other states faced similarly steep drops in the availability of sterile injectable drugs." (The Boston Globe)

Teaching good sex (The New York Times Magazine)- "In its breadth, depth and frank embrace of sexuality as, what Vernacchio calls, a “force for good” — even for teenagers — this sex-ed class may well be the only one of its kind in the United States. 'There is abstinence-only sex education, and there’s abstinence-based sex ed,' said Leslie Kantor, vice president of education for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. 'There’s almost nothing else left in public schools.'" (nytimes.com)

Women may face more health risks from broken hearts (boston.com) - "Think “broken heart” is just a figure of speech? Actually, it’s a real health condition triggered by romantic loss or other emotional turmoil, and women appear to be far more likely to experience broken heart syndrome than men. In a research paper presented yesterday at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting." (boston.com)

Is pizza a vegetable? Congress will decide (Los Angeles Times) - "Buried in a thick spending bill before Congress that must be approved to prevent a government shutdown is one line dealing with tomato paste. The line would ensure that two tablespoons of tomato paste slathered on school pizzas can continue to be classified as a vegetable serving. " (latimes.com)