Brian Yermal Jr.
Morning Consult
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Past articles by Brian:
Taking the Temperature: An Energy and Climate Tracker
Taking the Temperature represents Morning Consult's ongoing effort to track how the U.S. public feels about energy and climate. → Read More
Most Voters Say Ransomware Attacks Are a ‘Major’ Problem. But Whether Companies Should Pay Hackers Is Up for Debate
Amid a recent string of ransomware attacks that have affected hundreds of businesses and infrastructure, new polling from Morning Consult and Politico shows more than 3 in 5 voters consider such attacks on American businesses to be a major problem. But they are less certain about whether the companies should comply with the hackers’ ransom demands. → Read More
Pence’s Televised COVID-19 Inoculation Wasn’t a Shot in the Arm for Vaccine Acceptance
Despite Pence’s inoculation, the willingness among GOP adults to get the vaccine was about the same: 48% said they would get a coronavirus shot, compared to 47% a week earlier. Among all adults, 56% said they would get a coronavirus vaccine if one became available: the highest level since Aug. 31 but just an increase of 2 percentage points from the previous week. → Read More
In April, Half of the Public Had Worn a Face Mask in the Past Month. Now, That Number Is 95%
As more states and businesses implement face mask requirements in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, polling shows their efforts appear to be reaching the public at large. → Read More
Amid Safety Warnings, 37% of Voters Oppose Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19
Morning Consult polling conducted earlier this month showed almost half of voters supported the use of hydroxychloroquine for treating the coronavirus as a national health agency launched a study on the drug. But as the Trump administration’s health agencies now warn against personal use of hydroxychloroquine, new survey data indicates voter support for it is murky. → Read More
Health Brief: Week in Review & What's Ahead
By Brian Yermal Jr. Week in Review Affordable Care Act The Trump administration approved a plan by Wisconsin for a reinsurance program that allows the government to provide insurers with money to offset the costs of the most expensive patients, which lowers premiums and the federal government’s expenses to subsidize premiums. The Centers for Medicare … → Read More
Health Brief: Week in Review & What's Ahead
By Brian Yermal Jr. Week in Review Medicare and Medicaid Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma issued a new rule to restart the risk-adjustment program under the Affordable Care Act, which pays billions of dollars to insurers that enroll higher-risk patients, citing insurers’ concerns about going bankrupt or having to withdraw from … → Read More
Health Brief: Pfizer Raises Prices on 100 Products
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories Pfizer Inc. has increased prices on 100 products by as much as more than 9 percent in many cases, a move that comes a few weeks after President Donald Trump said drug companies were about to make “massive” reductions on prices. Pfizer raised the price of its smoking cessation … → Read More
Health Brief: California Governor Signs Bill Banning Soda Taxes for 12 Years
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed legislation into law that bans cities and counties in the state from taxing soda and other sugary beverages for the next 12 years; in exchange, the nonalcoholic beverage industry nixed a campaign effort to raise the voter threshold from a majority vote to … → Read More
Health Brief: General Electric Plans to Divest Health Care Unit
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories General Electric Co. plans to divest its health care unit as part of a plan to shrink GE by spinning off portions of the company, including its oil and gas, lighting and transportation divisions. The announcement comes after the completion of a yearlong review by Chief Executive John Flannery, … → Read More
Health Brief: State Department Says 25th Embassy Worker Sickened by Mystery Illness in Cuba
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories The State Department says another diplomat working at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba has been sickened as the result of a mysterious ailment, the 25th case of embassy personnel experiencing the unknown illness. Doctors are monitoring another person from the embassy showing similar symptoms, which include sharp ear pain, … → Read More
Health Brief: Facebook Announces Feature to Help Users Seek Treatment for Opioid Addiction
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories Facebook Inc. announced a new feature that will redirect people trying to buy opioids or searching for addiction treatment to information about a national helpline, as the social media company faces pressure to crack down on narcotics sales on its platform. The feature comes a week before a Food … → Read More
Health Brief: WHO Plans to Recognize Video Gaming Addiction as Mental Illness
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories The World Health Organization plans to recognize video gaming addiction as a mental illness in its new draft of the group’s International Classification of Diseases today, with the designation possibly encouraging more therapists to provide treatment options and increasing the chances that insurers would cover such treatments. The Entertainment … → Read More
Health Brief: Week in Review & What's Ahead
By Brian Yermal Jr. Week in Review Opioid epidemic The House passed 25 bills to help stem the rise in drug-related deaths from opioid overdoses, including a measure that would provide resources for hospitals to give patients the overdose-reversal drug naloxone after they are discharged following an overdose. Other legislation would also grant the … → Read More
Health Brief: Kentucky AG Files Opioid-Related Lawsuit Against Walgreens
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear filed a lawsuit against Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. that accuses the company of playing a role in the state’s opioid crisis as a pharmacy chain and wholesale pharmaceutical distributor. The lawsuit, which is Beshear’s sixth seeking to hold companies liable for their alleged roles … → Read More
Energy Brief: Pope Francis Tells Industry Leaders to Focus on Climate Change Efforts
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories Pope Francis urged leaders in the financial, oil and gas industries at a conference at the Vatican to work on transitioning to energy sources that are “highly efficient while producing low levels of pollution,” saying that “there is no time to lose.” Francis told the group, which included the … → Read More
Health Brief: Universal Health Care Advocate Wins California Governor Primary
By Brian Yermal Jr. Morning Consult just launched the first edition of our new Midterm Wave Watcher, showcasing a range of survey research insights related to to the 2018 midterm elections. View the feature here. Top Stories Democrat Gavin Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor serving his second term as California’s lieutenant governor, finished first … → Read More
Health Brief: Trump Expected to Sign 'Right-to-Try' Legislation After House Passes Bill
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories The House passed “right-to-try” legislation in a 250-169 vote on Tuesday that would allow patients who suffer from life-threatening illnesses and have exhausted all available treatment options to obtain experimental medications not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Senate-passed bill, … → Read More
Health Brief: Justice Department Reverses DEA Order Suspending Opioid Sales from Drug Distributor
By Brian Yermal Jr. Top Stories The Justice Department reversed a Drug Enforcement Administration order against Louisiana drug wholesaler Morris & Dickson Co. that stopped its opioid sales over allegations that the company failed to report unusually large orders for the drugs by pharmacies. Five days after the DEA’s order in early May, U.S. District … → Read More
Brands Brief: Amazon Said to Be Building Robots for Home Use
By Brian Yermal Top Stories Amazon.com Inc. is reportedly pursuing plans to build robots to be used in households, according to people familiar with the project, codenamed “Vesta,” but it is not clear what functions the robots would perform. Sources said the prototypes could act like a mobile Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, and feature advanced cameras … → Read More