Health
Horace Hale Harvey III, a Pioneer in Providing Abortions, Dies at 93
On July 1, 1970, one of the first independent abortion clinics in the country opened on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. New York State had just reformed its laws, allowing a woman to terminate her pregnancy in the first trimester — or at any point, if her life was at risk. All of a sudden, the state had the most liberal abortion laws in the country.
Women’s Services, as the clinic was first known, was overseen by an unusual team: Horace Hale Harvey III, a medical doctor with a Ph.D. in philosophy who had been performing illegal abortions in New Orleans; Barbara Pyle, a 23-year-old doctoral student in philosophy, who had been researching sex education and abortion practices in Europe; and an organization known as Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion, a group of rabbis and Protestant ministers who believed that women deserved access to safe and affordable abortions, and who had created a referral service to find and vet those who would provide them.
What distinguished Women’s Services — a nonprofit that first operated out of a series of offices on East 73rd Street and charged on a sliding scale, starting at $200 — was its counselors. They were not medical professionals, but regular women, many of whom had had abortions themselves. Their role was to shepherd patients through the abortion process, using a model of a pelvis to explain the procedure in detail, accompanying the women into the procedure room and sitting with them afterward. They also reported on the doctor’s performance. It was a model that other clinics would adopt in the months and years to come.
The clinic’s humane approach was in stark contrast to the attitude of many hospital personnel at the time, Jane Brody of The New York Times wrote in 1970. “Don’t make it too easy for the patient,” one administrator put it, summing up the hospital’s philosophy. “If it’s too easy, she’ll be back here in three months for another abortion.”
Women’s Services had some other unique features as well. The waiting areas were cheerfully decorated, with piped-in music, and the operating tables had stirrups cushioned with brightly colored pot holders, a flourish Dr. Harvey, who died on Feb. 14, had brought with him from his days working out of hotel rooms in New Orleans.
Unlike many illegal abortion providers in those pre-Roe v. Wade days, who made the process as bare-bones and speedy as possible in anticipation of a police raid, Dr. Harvey had not only softened the atmosphere of his New Orleans procedure room to make it less terrifying; he had also offered the women cookies and Coca-Cola afterward, to help them recuperate.
“Harvey’s conviction was that even a healthy patient would feel sick, in the face of a cold, sterile hospital environment,” Arlene Carmen and the Rev. Howard Moody, the leaders of Clergy Consultation Service, wrote in their 1973 book about the group, “Abortion Counseling and Social Change From Illegal Act to Medical Practice.” “Since abortion was not a sickness, the atmosphere associated with hospitals needed to be avoided.”
Dr. Harvey was 93 when he died at a hospital in the town of Dorchester, in England, after a fall, his daughter Kate Harvey, said. He had lived in England for many years.
Women’s Services opened with $15,000 in funding from Dr. Harvey. Ms. Pyle, who was the administrator, described in an interview the chaotic early days, as clients poured in from all over the country. The clinic operated from 8 a.m. to midnight, with personnel working two shifts. Ms. Pyle slept on a couch in the building. On average, she said, the clinic performed about 72 abortions a day.
Newspapers wrote glowing reports, singling out Dr. Harvey as an innovator. But after less than a year, Ms. Carmen and Mr. Moody, of the Clergy Consultation Service, discovered to their horror that Dr. Harvey had been operating without a medical license. He had surrendered it in 1969, after the Louisiana authorities learned that he was performing illegal abortions. He had to go, and quickly, before he jeopardized Women’s Services’ legal status.
Dr. Harvey had become an abortion provider to combat what he felt was an epidemic of unsafe abortions at a time when unmarried women were denied access to contraceptives, and when comprehensive sex education was discouraged. Low-income women suffered disproportionally.
As a teenager, raised as a conservative Christian, Dr. Harvey had gone through a period of soul-searching, concluding that he was an atheist. During the Vietnam War, he registered as a conscientious objector; instead of fighting, he worked as a health counselor at a Y.M.C.A. Later, in New Orleans, he set up an independent sex-education program, giving lectures, answering questions by telephone and handing out brochures on college campuses.
To Dr. Harvey, the importance of abortion was the idea of preventing “the loss of potential for women,” Ms. Harvey, his daughter, said. “It was a matter of principle to him.”
Horace Hale Harvey III was born on Dec. 7, 1931, in New Orleans into a once-prominent family that had developed what is known as the Harvey Canal, which became part of the Intracoastal Waterway in 1924. His father, Horace Hale Harvey Jr., was a gambler, and the family was poor; they moved around a lot as he tried various professions, including setting up a loan company. His mother, Florence (Krueger) Harvey, was a secretary.
Horace studied philosophy at Louisiana State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1955, and a medical degree there in 1966. In 1969, he received a master’s degree in public health and a Ph.D. in philosophy, both from Tulane University, in New Orleans.
Dr. Harvey moved to England after leaving the New York abortion clinic — a choice he made, his daughter said, because he approved of Britain’s National Health Service. He settled on the Isle of Wight, another considered choice: According to his research, it had the highest average temperature and received more hours of sunlight than anywhere else in England.
Dr. Harvey worked briefly in public health in his new country, advising on cervical cancer screening procedures, but spent most of his time researching aging — to prepare for his own old age — reading philosophy and attending to his duties as a landlord.
He had bought Puckaster Close, a rambling Victorian house, turning it into apartments that he renovated in a style as “quirky and characterful” as Dr. Harvey himself, his son, Russell, said.
In addition to his daughter and son, Dr. Harvey is survived by three grandchildren. His marriage to Helen Cox, a school headmistress, ended in divorce.
Health
Weight loss, diabetes drugs can cause mood changes: What to know about behavioral side effects
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), medications that help control type 2 diabetes and obesity, can have a profound impact on physical wellness – but what about mental health?
Some examples of these medications include semaglutides, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and liraglutide, like Victoza and Saxenda.
Various studies have pointed toward GLP-1 RAs causing mental health complications, such as anxiety and depression.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published research in June 2024 that considered the correlation between semaglutide therapy and “exacerbating mood disturbances.”
The study highlighted the association of negative mood changes in patients with type 2 diabetes with a history of depression, warning healthcare providers to be aware of this “potential risk.”
Studies have debated the correlation between GLP-1 RA drugs and mood changes. (iStock)
But a more recent study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, suggested that these mood changes were linked to genetic variations across diverse populations and ancestries within the U.K. Biobank.
While GLP-1 RA variants had “consistent cardiometabolic effects” across all groups, the researchers said the negative impacts on mental health were “more varied,” concluding that any behavioral changes are “likely not acting directly through [the medications].”
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Doctors weigh in on medications and mood
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who often prescribes GLP-1 RAs to his patients, believes that there is “no consistent causal relationship” between these medications and mental illness.
“Researchers assayed genetic markers across almost half a million people from different backgrounds in search of a link between the gene behind GLP-1 receptors and mental health problems like depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation — and they didn’t find it,” he summarized.
GLP-1 receptor agonists have been linked to mood changes, patients and doctors have reported. (iStock)
People who are obese or battling type 2 diabetes are “often already depressed” without the medication, the doctor pointed out.
“These conditions take a toll – physically, emotionally and socially,” he said. “So, yes, a large portion of patients starting GLP-1 drugs are already dealing with mental health struggles. But that’s not because of the drug — that’s because of the disease.”
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Once these individuals begin dropping weight, blood sugar stabilizes and energy improves, which usually lifts their mood as well.
“GLP-1 drugs help people reclaim their health,” Osborn noted. “They reduce inflammation. They lower blood sugar. They shrink waistlines.”
“And when people look and feel better, when their bodies finally start working for them instead of against them, they often smile more, not less.”
“GLP-1 drugs help people reclaim their health,” one doctor said. “And when people look and feel better, when their bodies finally start working for them instead of against them, they often smile more, not less.” (iStock)
Dr. Muhammad Ghanem, a bariatric surgeon at Orlando Health Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute, shared in a separate interview with Fox News Digital that while some of his patients have reported mood changes, others “don’t have that at all.”
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“Depression or mood changes are very common regardless, especially nowadays, and so it’s hard to [determine] whether this is related to the GLP-1 agonist medications, or whether it just happens to be that they started suffering from these after they started that medication,” he said.
“It’s really hard to tell whether it’s a personality change that can happen because of weight loss or if it’s a side effect because of mood changes,” he added. “I don’t think we have enough data to reach that conclusion yet.”
For those who are interested in GLP-1 RA medications or are experiencing mood changes while taking them, an expert stressed the importance of keeping in close contact with medical providers. (iStock)
Patients who lose weight with GLP-1 RAs can experience a “big boost” in confidence, as well as a change in personality and even relationships, according to Ghanem.
“It really depends on the person and the support system they have,” he said. “You need proper, randomized controlled trials to reach a conclusion, and better studies to determine whether this is related to the medication itself or just weight loss.”
“It’s important for all doctors who prescribe these drugs to be aware and check the patient’s history.”
For those who are interested in these medications or are experiencing mood changes while taking them, the surgeon stressed the importance of keeping in close contact with medical providers.
“Just like any other medication, they can have potential side effects,” he said.
Ghanem recommended seeking out professionals and practices who take a “holistic approach” to weight loss, offering mental health support in addition to medication.
Dr. Brunilda Nazario, MD, chief physician editor of medical affairs at WebMD, told Fox News Digital that “obesity is complicated.”
“Obesity specialists … are cautiously excited about how well these drugs work,” she said.
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“With current studies showing conflicting results on mood disorders and the use of GLP-1 drugs, it’s important for all doctors who prescribe these drugs to be aware and check the patient’s history before prescribing [them].”
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you feel something is not right — your health depends on it,” one expert suggested. (iStock)
Nazario stressed that it’s “vital” for GLP-1 RA users to listen to their bodies, urging them to pay attention to their feelings and know the symptoms of mood disorders.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you feel something is not right — your health depends on it,” he added.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Nazario noted that GLP-1 RAs can affect mood in many different ways.
“They are not all negative — they have the potential to improve mood as well,” she said. “Just seeing great results can boost self-esteem, confidence and body image.”
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The first-ever blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In a Friday press release, the agency announced its approval of the first in-vitro diagnostic device, Lumipulse.
The method is intended for early Alzheimer’s detection in adult patients over the age of 55 who are exhibiting signs and symptoms of the disease.
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The new technology works by detecting amyloid plaques in the brain, a telltale sign of Alzheimer’s.
The first-ever blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (iStock)
While PET scans can pick up these plaques, they can be “costly and time-consuming” while exposing patients to radiation, according to the FDA.
The new Lumipulse device reduces the need for a PET scan or other invasive testing, the agency said.
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In a clinical study of 499 plasma samples from cognitively impaired adults, the Lumipulse test detected the presence of amyloid plaques in 91.7% of individuals.
The results indicate that the new blood test can “reliably predict the presence or absence of amyloid pathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease at the time of the test in patients who are cognitively impaired,” the FDA concluded.
The new technology works by detecting amyloid plaques in the brain, a telltale sign of Alzheimer’s, according to the FDA. (iStock)
The FDA noted the risk of false positive test results from Lumipulse, which could lead to inappropriate diagnosis and unnecessary treatment.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., MPH, wrote in a statement, “Alzheimer’s disease impacts too many people, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
“Knowing that 10% of people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s, and that by 2050 that number is expected to double, I am hopeful that new medical products such as this one will help patients,” he said.
“Today’s clearance is an important step for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, making it easier and potentially more accessible for U.S. patients earlier in the disease,” an expert commented. (iStock)
Center for Devices and Radiological Health Director Michelle Tarver, M.D., PhD, also commented in the press release that nearly seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
“And this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million,” she said.
“Today’s clearance is an important step for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, making it easier and potentially more accessible for U.S. patients earlier in the disease.”
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Weight loss, diabetes drugs can cause mood changes: What to know about behavioral side effects
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