{"id":1156,"date":"2021-12-06T14:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T19:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paragoninstitute.org\/index.php\/2021\/12\/06\/paragons-initial-impact\/"},"modified":"2023-12-28T14:33:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T19:33:18","slug":"paragons-initial-impact","status":"publish","type":"newsletter","link":"https:\/\/paragoninstitute.org\/newsletter\/paragons-initial-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Paragon’s Initial Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Paragon Health Institute is hitting the ground running.\u00a0

We kicked off our launch with an announcement in\u00a0The Washington Post<\/em>,\u00a0coverage<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Inside Health Policy,<\/em>\u00a0a new website (www.ParagonInstitute.org<\/a>), and the release of our state health reform\u00a0book<\/a>, \u201cDon\u2019t Wait for Washington: How States Can Reform Health Care Today.\u201d\u00a0

Health economist John Goodman\u00a0reviewed<\/a>\u00a0Paragon\u2019s state health reform book in\u00a0Forbes<\/em>, writing:\u00a0\u201cI cannot in this short article do justice to the full range of reform opportunities that are open to state governments [from the book]. But would-be reformers will not be disappointed if they get the full\u00a0Paragon Institute report<\/a>\u00a0and read it cover to cover.\u201d

I\u2019ve been busy the past few weeks briefing key influencers about Paragon\u2019s mission and work. Last week, Paragon\u2019s Vice President Caroline DeBerry and I traveled to San Diego to attend the American Legislative Exchange Council\u2019s 2021 States and Nation Policy Summit. We met with lawmakers and influencers, and I presented Paragon\u2019s state reform recommendations to ALEC\u2019s HHS Task Force.<\/p>\r\n

\"Paragon<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

My colleagues have been busy as well. Director of Paragon\u2019s Public Health and American Well-Being Initiative\u00a0Dr. Joel Zinberg<\/a>\u00a0was featured in numerous media outlets with COVID-related commentaries.\u00a0

In the\u00a0New York Post<\/em>\u00a0on November 29, Dr. Zinberg provided sage\u00a0advice<\/a>\u00a0in an attempt to calm the hysteria of some politicians and members of the media about the Omicron Covid-19 variant.\u00a0Dr. Zinberg wrote, \u201cSince the start of the pandemic, governors around the country have often struggled to appear to be doing something to stem COVID-19, regardless of whether that something was well advised. \u2026 No one yet knows if the Omicron variant\u00a0will be widespread and dangerous<\/a>\u00a0\u2026 we should let local hospitals and governments, who are best positioned to understand their situations and the means necessary to mitigate them, act without heavy-handed state intervention.\u201d

A week earlier in the same paper, Dr. Zinberg\u00a0warned<\/a>, \u201cCirculating viruses can always mutate and become more transmissible or resistant to vaccines. That is why a new flu vaccine is formulated each year. New COVID-19 vaccines may eventually be needed, too. But unless SARS-CoV-2 changes in a large and unexpected way, near-term fluctuations in COVID-19 cases are unlikely to translate into large increases in hospitalizations and deaths. COVID-19 remains an important public health problem, but it is one we must keep in proper perspective.\u201d

Dr. Zinberg also\u00a0wrote\u00a0two pieces in\u00a0National Review\u2014<\/em>one\u00a0about<\/a>\u00a0the rash of pending opioid lawsuits \u201cthreatening to penalize legitimate prescription opioid makers,\u201d coauthored with Sally Satel, and another\u00a0about<\/a>\u00a0the lack of science behind President Biden\u2019s new COVID travel restrictions. The travel restrictions have potentially devastating policy ramifications as well. \u201cPerhaps most distressing about the Biden Africa ban is that it unnecessarily stigmatizes African people and discourages nations from being open and transparent about new variant outbreaks,\u201d Dr. Zinberg wrote.

In\u00a0City Journal<\/em>, Dr. Zinberg\u00a0wrote<\/a>\u00a0about the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to stay OSHA\u2019s workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Paragon\u2019s public advisors have been making an impact as well. Here is just a sampling:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n