What We're Reading: Robotic Surgery Questioned; Migrants Quarantined; Medicaid and Sex Reassignment

FDA: No Evidence Robotic Surgery Better Than Traditional Methods for Cancer Patients

Robotic surgery has been particularly unsuccessful in treating cervical cancer as women who underwent these procedures experienced 6 times as many deaths and 4 times as many cancer recurrences than women who underwent traditional radical hysterectomy surgeries, which typically cures patients with cervical cancer. Although it lacks FDA approval, robotic surgery is being frequently used for cancer-related treatment, The New York Times reported. Safety and success rates have shown no evidence that patients receiving robotic procedures live longer than those who undergo traditional procedures. Questions also remain concerning how well physicians have been trained to use the equipment.

More Than 2000 Migrants Quarantined as Mumps Cases Reported

Among the 50,000 migrants held in US detention centers, 2287 have been quarantined as an estimated 236 cases of mumps have been identified over the past year throughout 51 US facilities, The Hill reported. Immigration advocates have suggested that this outbreak and transmission of other infectious diseases could restrict access to legal services.

Iowa Supreme Court: Medicaid Can Cover Sex Reassignment Surgery

The Iowa Supreme Court recently ruled that Medicaid can provide coverage for sex reassignment surgery, The Associated Press reported. The decision reflects a lower court’s ruling where denial of coverage was found to violate the state’s 2007 Civil Rights Act that added gender identity to the list of the state’s protected classes.