Category: public health
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‘It’s a massacre’: CDC battered by government shutdown firings
‘It’s a massacre’: CDC battered by government shutdown firings WASHINGTON — The White House’s mass firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease, according to four people familiar with the cuts. Overall, the White House is expected to cut…
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STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health
STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health WASHINGTON — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff behind the agency’s flagship publication have suffered deep cuts as part of the firings the Health and Human Services Department has blamed on the government shutdown, according to five people familiar with the situation. Almost the…
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STAT+: Canadian lawmakers urge the government to suspend imports of long-tailed macaques
STAT+: Canadian lawmakers urge the government to suspend imports of long-tailed macaques A half-dozen members of the Canadian parliament are urging the government to immediately suspend imports of long-tailed macaques into the country over concerns the monkeys may be infected with tuberculosis and pose a biosecurity risk. In their Oct. 1 letter, the lawmakers cite…
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STAT+: Roche suffers setback as court allows generic version of its rare disease drug to be sold in India
STAT+: Roche suffers setback as court allows generic version of its rare disease drug to be sold in India In the latest tussle over access to medicines, an Indian court has upheld a ruling that found it would be in the public interest to allow a generic company to sell a lower-cost version of a…
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STAT+: Key GOP lawmaker tones down rhetoric on medical care for immigrants
STAT+: Key GOP lawmaker tones down rhetoric on medical care for immigrants You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Three cheers for Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers, who spent her Saturday…
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STAT+: House speaker backs emergency care law as GOP targets immigrant medical treatment in shutdown fight
STAT+: House speaker backs emergency care law as GOP targets immigrant medical treatment in shutdown fight WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that Republicans don’t want to change a law requiring hospitals to provide care to any individual experiencing a medical emergency, including immigrants without legal status. His remarks capped off more…
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CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations
CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations WASHINGTON — A top federal health official has approved recommendations allowing anyone over the age of 6 months to receive an updated Covid-19 shot after discussing the risks and benefits with their provider. While the updated recommendation maintains insurance coverage for those who want the vaccine, it doesn’t…
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Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots
Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots Jim O’Neill, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called for drastic changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine that aren’t supported by medical research, intensifying the Trump administration’s criticism of a shot that’s a cornerstone of…
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STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what?
STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what? You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Are you in a betting pool for how long the government shutdown will last? Send your…
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Warning: Serious cardiovascular events don’t come out of the blue
Warning: Serious cardiovascular events don’t come out of the blue Heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes don’t come out of nowhere, a new study concludes. The first time they strike, patients, clinicians, and researchers might think there were no red flags. But a prospective cohort study reports that more than 99% of people who experienced…
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A new Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as health officials warn of lack of funds
A new Ebola outbreak in Congo kills dozens as health officials warn of lack of funds GOMA, Congo — As a deadly new Ebola outbreak kills dozens in southern Congo, health authorities and organizations are sounding the alarm, warning they lack the funds and resources to mount an effective response to the crisis. The World Health Organization…
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STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows
STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows WASHINGTON — President Trump’s anti-vaccine comments on Monday signal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s growing influence — and raise new questions about how far the pair may go to upend vaccine policy. Standing with Kennedy beside him at the White House, Trump called the childhood vaccine…
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STAT+: FDA’s leucovorin approval could be a boon for supplement makers
STAT+: FDA’s leucovorin approval could be a boon for supplement makers Parents may flock to a dietary supplement with the same key ingredient as leucovorin, which the FDA just approved for children with autism. But there are drawbacks. The Food and Drug Administration has reapproved GSK’s branded version of leucovorin to treat a neurological condition…
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STAT+: FDA brings back GSK’s leucovorin drug that RFK Jr. touted as autism treatment
STAT+: FDA brings back GSK’s leucovorin drug that RFK Jr. touted as autism treatment In a highly unusual move, the Food and Drug Administration reapproved a drug on Monday that stopped being sold more than 25 years ago, part of a push from the Trump administration to identify the causes of and potential treatments for…
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In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule
In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule ATLANTA — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers to restore declining public trust in vaccines. What that looked like was on full display on Thursday and Friday: The…
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Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible”
Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible” On Thursday and Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a key panel that gives the CDC’s director guidance about what vaccines to recommend to the public. The…
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STAT+: FDA approves ultra-rare disease drug that became a symbol of uncertainty over regulatory standards
STAT+: FDA approves ultra-rare disease drug that became a symbol of uncertainty over regulatory standards After months of uncertainty, the Food and Drug Administration offered accelerated approval for an ultra-rare disease drug that had become a symbol of the fraught balancing act between upholding regulatory standards and accommodating desperate patients and their families. The agency…
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Trump administration’s new global health aid strategy focuses on bilateral deals with countries
Trump administration’s new global health aid strategy focuses on bilateral deals with countries NEW YORK — The State Department on Thursday announced it will refocus its foreign health assistance strategy around multiyear bilateral deals with recipient countries, making aid dependent on negotiations that officials say will help reduce waste and advance American priorities. “We must…
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Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence
Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence A key government advisory committee discussed on Thursday whether to recommend delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine shot, currently given at birth, by at least one month for babies who are born to mothers that test negative for the virus. Experts fear…
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3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda
3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda WASHINGTON — A Wednesday Senate hearing aimed to answer questions about the exodus of top leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month. Instead, it raised a host of new ones. Former CDC Director Susan Monarez…
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RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting
RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting WASHINGTON — Federal health officials announced the appointment of five new members to a panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, just days ahead of the group’s next meeting. They include…
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As U.S. faces deadly week, gun violence experts lament end of prevention research
As U.S. faces deadly week, gun violence experts lament end of prevention research Two violent acts on Wednesday — the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the shooting of two high school students in Colorado — crystallize the threat gun violence poses to public health. Yet the Trump administration just shut down its biggest…
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STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market
STAT+: Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market Consumers can now purchase Exact Sciences’ liquid biopsy early detection test, Cancerguard, and get an indication of whether they might have one of 50 different cancers included in the test’s analysis. The biotechnology company launched the test on Wednesday, and Tom…
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Risk of dying from chronic disease in the U.S. declined, but there are caveats, study says
Risk of dying from chronic disease in the U.S. declined, but there are caveats, study says The popular sentiment that Americans’ health is on a hellish downward spiral may not be true — or at least not entirely — according to a new study of global death data. From 2010 to 2019, the risk of…
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STAT+: An API supplier in India wants you to know its metal detector is working just fine
STAT+: An API supplier in India wants you to know its metal detector is working just fine For those wondering about any metallic particles found in active pharmaceutical ingredients made by a supplier called Hikal, you can rest easy — the company says its metal detector is working again. Since 2020, nearly two dozen complaints…
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STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel
STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are planning to add more members to a key panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of a meeting next week, a former government official with knowledge of the situation confirmed to STAT. The…
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STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump
STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive moves to change U.S. vaccine policy — adopted by leaders at other federal health agencies — may be putting him at odds with President Trump himself. Now Kennedy’s allies are rallying to support him, believing…
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Opinion: I inserted myself into a conversation at a bar about Covid and vaccines. Here’s what happened
Opinion: I inserted myself into a conversation at a bar about Covid and vaccines. Here’s what happened This essay was adapted from Jess Steier’s newsletter, “Unbiased Science.” For the last few weeks of summer, my mom visited from Florida. It was amazing, as it always is, to have her here spending time with the family…
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STAT+: Patient groups cheer as the WHO adds diabetes and cystic fibrosis drugs to its essential medicines list
STAT+: Patient groups cheer as the WHO adds diabetes and cystic fibrosis drugs to its essential medicines list For the first time, the World Health Organization has added various high-cost treatments for diabetes and cystic fibrosis to its list of essential medicines, a move that patient advocates hope will usher in a new era of…
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CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says
CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says It pains Rochelle Walensky, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to hear people say that the agency can’t be trusted. But these days, she said, people should be cautious about the vaccination information on its website. “What I can say is…
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STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views
STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views WASHINGTON — For the first time since health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation in February, visible fractures emerged in Senate Republicans’ united front of support for him. At the heart of the conflict: His stance on vaccines, which some Republicans had determinedly…
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STAT+: Amneal Pharma is scolded by FDA for using contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug
STAT+: Amneal Pharma is scolded by FDA for using contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug In a startling failure of quality control, Amneal Pharmaceuticals relied on contaminated bags for a sterile injectable drug even after identifying the risk and then lowered its standards so that the bags could continue to be used, according to…
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Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration
Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration SEATTLE — The Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday that they created an alliance to safeguard health policies, believing the Trump administration is putting Americans’ health and safety at risk by politicizing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.…
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7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more
7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to testify before Congress on Thursday as he continues to face a political firestorm that might determine his future in the Trump administration. Senators will have an opportunity to grill…
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Trump says CDC is ‘being ripped apart’ over Covid products, calls for drugmakers to prove their benefits
Trump says CDC is ‘being ripped apart’ over Covid products, calls for drugmakers to prove their benefits WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday urged pharmaceutical companies to publicly prove that their Covid-19 products work, saying in a Truth Social post that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “being ripped apart over this question.” …
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Opinion: Public health leader: Susan Monarez must be reinstated at the CDC
Opinion: Public health leader: Susan Monarez must be reinstated at the CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long been the world’s most prestigious public health agency. The CDC led the global efforts to eliminate smallpox, combat HIV/AIDS, shift public perception/use of tobacco products and dramatically reduce dental care issues by promoting the…
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Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say
Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say The implosion of leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threatens the agency, its mission, and the trust people place in public health, medical experts told STAT Thursday, a day after Director Susan Monarez refused to dismiss top scientists only to be ousted…
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STAT+: Amid chaos at CDC, Kennedy consolidates his power
STAT+: Amid chaos at CDC, Kennedy consolidates his power WASHINGTON — In another administration, an exodus of top public health officials would’ve been an earth-shattering crisis for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. In the age of MAHA, it seems like just another week under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. If…
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CDC Director Susan Monarez is ousted as senior leaders exit agency
CDC Director Susan Monarez is ousted as senior leaders exit agency WASHINGTON — Susan Monarez, the first Senate-confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been ousted after just a month on the job — part of a series of high-ranking exits at the CDC. The Trump administration confirmed her departure but provided…
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STAT+: FDA says it will publish reports of adverse events tied to drugs on daily basis
STAT+: FDA says it will publish reports of adverse events tied to drugs on daily basis WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it has begun publishing reports of adverse events concerning drugs and biological products on a daily basis. Previously, the database of the reports, called the FDA Adverse Event Reporting…
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STAT+: Conflicts among CDC and FDA vaccine panel members are not as numerous as you think, study finds
STAT+: Conflicts among CDC and FDA vaccine panel members are not as numerous as you think, study finds Conflicts of interest on federal government vaccine panels have declined to “historically low levels” in recent years according to a new study, findings that are likely to increase debate over a contentious issue pushed by Health and…
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Texas declares its measles outbreak over
Texas declares its measles outbreak over The Texas measles outbreak that sickened 762 people since late January is over, state health officials said Monday. Health officials have not confirmed a new case in the counties where the outbreak was spreading in more than 42 days, passing the threshold public health officials use to declare measles…
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Opinion: The CDC shooting was public health’s Jan. 6
Opinion: The CDC shooting was public health’s Jan. 6 A week ago, on Aug. 8, a gunman attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, firing nearly 500 rounds, breaking about 150 windows, and killing a police officer. The shooter had reportedly become fixated on his belief that the Covid-19 vaccine had made him and others sick,…
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Draft of major MAHA report calls for more education, less regulation — and offers few policies
Draft of major MAHA report calls for more education, less regulation — and offers few policies WASHINGTON — A much-awaited game plan for how the Trump administration will make Americans healthier largely steers clear of policy recommendations, instead calling for more research on nutrition, agricultural chemicals, and “potential benefits of select high-quality supplements,” among other…
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Lowering blood pressure reduces dementia risk, new guideline affirms
Lowering blood pressure reduces dementia risk, new guideline affirms A study in rural China demonstrating the power of intensive blood pressure control clinched the deal. The large, cluster-randomized controlled trial convincingly demonstrated that well-controlled blood pressure — below 130/80 mm Hg — lowered the risk of dementia by 15% and cognitive impairment by 16%. That was…
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Deconstructing RFK Jr.’s explanation for the cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts
Deconstructing RFK Jr.’s explanation for the cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts Last week, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of $500 million in contracts to help develop RNA vaccines. Kennedy explained his reasoning for the cuts in a video posted to X. The video is only 2½ minutes long, but in that…
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STAT+: Challenges mount for RFK Jr. and his MAHA agenda
STAT+: Challenges mount for RFK Jr. and his MAHA agenda WASHINGTON — A deadly shooting at one of the public health agencies that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vilified during his rise to power is proving to be a unique test of his leadership, at a time when fractures are emerging in his Make America Healthy…
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CDC leaders attempt to reassure staff after shooting, but meeting is brief
CDC leaders attempt to reassure staff after shooting, but meeting is brief The newly installed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday sought to reassure employees their mission would continue and efforts to ensure their safety would be stepped up following a gunman’s attack on the agency’s headquarters last Friday. The…
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NIH director: mRNA vaccine contracts were canceled because public lacks trust in technology
NIH director: mRNA vaccine contracts were canceled because public lacks trust in technology The head of the National Institutes of Health has offered a new explanation for why the federal government canceled $500 million in contracts to help develop messenger RNA vaccines, saying the platform is not viable because the public doesn’t trust it. The…
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STAT+: After years of close mentorship, Harvard’s president and Jay Bhattacharya enter dramatic new territory
STAT+: After years of close mentorship, Harvard’s president and Jay Bhattacharya enter dramatic new territory In early May, Harvard president Dr. Alan Garber received a letter from the National Institutes of Health notifying him that hundreds of scientific grants had been rescinded, as the next step in the escalating battle between Harvard and the Trump…
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In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response
In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response WASHINGTON — Leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday told staff that the agency’s campus had reopened in the wake of the Friday attack by a gunman — and suggested more security measures would be put in place. On…
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Opinion: Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner puts crucial health data at risk
Opinion: Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner puts crucial health data at risk In early July, I began teaching a summer course: introductory biostatistics for an accelerated master’s of public health program. Most of the students are clinicians, and biostatistics is (understandably) not often the favorite course. On day one, I told…
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Opinion: Former surgeon general: The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call
Opinion: Former surgeon general: The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call At approximately 4:50 p.m. on Friday, a gunman opened fire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta. The attack left bullet holes in office windows and claimed the life of DeKalb County police officer David Rose. Authorities believe the…
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STAT+: Advocates urge South Africa to reopen antitrust probe into Vertex Pharmaceuticals
STAT+: Advocates urge South Africa to reopen antitrust probe into Vertex Pharmaceuticals Patient advocacy groups are urging the South African government to reopen an antitrust investigation into Vertex Pharmaceuticals over allegations the company misled authorities into closing a high-profile case last year over access to a cystic fibrosis treatment. Last December, the Competition Commission ruled…
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HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts
HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are citing an extensive list of studies purported to document harms caused by messenger RNA vaccines as scientific justification for canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in the technology. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy…
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STAT+: Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say
STAT+: Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision this week to discontinue funding of the development of messenger RNA vaccines has alarmed scientists, who have warned that it will leave the country far less prepared for future pandemics. But it is…
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Opinion: Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed’s global impact
Opinion: Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed’s global impact Cambodia recently announced that it plans to nominate President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. In response, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, naming other conflicts that Trump has “ended,” said that, “It’s well past time that President Trump was awarded the…
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Scientific innovation is driving hope for progress in women’s health, but experts warn of headwinds
Scientific innovation is driving hope for progress in women’s health, but experts warn of headwinds Scientific breakthroughs — from next-generation vaccines to long-acting medications to prevent HIV — are fueling new hope in women’s health. But experts warn that persistent gaps in funding and access could stall that progress. At a STAT event this week, Ruanne…
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Gates Foundation pledges $2.5 billion to women’s health initiatives
Gates Foundation pledges $2.5 billion to women’s health initiatives The Gates Foundation said Monday that it would commit $2.5 billion through 2030 to support dozens of different approaches for improving women’s health, from new medicines to prevent maternal mortality to vaccines to curb infections that disproportionately affect women. The figure represents an increase of about…
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How healthy are ‘good-for-you’ ultra-processed foods?
How healthy are ‘good-for-you’ ultra-processed foods? Not all ultra-processed foods are bad for you. But if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s still probably better to opt for nutritious minimally processed foods over protein bars and high-fiber breakfast cereals, according to a new study. The study, published Monday in Nature Medicine, builds on a growing…
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FDA to stress opioids’ risk of overdose, death in new medication safety labels
FDA to stress opioids’ risk of overdose, death in new medication safety labels The Food and Drug Administration will soon require prescription opioid manufacturers to include stronger language on the medications’ labels warning that higher doses and longer-term use carry risks including overdose and death. The action, announced Thursday, comes nearly three months after a…
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STAT+: Top White House pandemic preparedness official resigns, officials say, in sign of broader disarray
STAT+: Top White House pandemic preparedness official resigns, officials say, in sign of broader disarray When reports circulated in February that the White House had selected biosecurity expert Gerald Parker as the head of its Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, there was palpable relief among infectious disease experts. As former commander of the…
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STAT+: Preventive care panel could be restructured ‘imminently’ as RFK Jr. vets new members
STAT+: Preventive care panel could be restructured ‘imminently’ as RFK Jr. vets new members WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could “imminently” overhaul a key federal advisory panel that recommends which preventive services insurers must pay for, according to a person familiar with the plans. The person said that federal health officials are…
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Trump targets supervised consumption of drugs and harm reduction in executive order
Trump targets supervised consumption of drugs and harm reduction in executive order President Trump is threatening to withhold funds from supervised drug consumption sites and potentially pursue criminal penalties against them, offering his clearest stance yet against the philosophy of harm reduction and marking a significant escalation of his rhetoric on substance use and addiction. …
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Safety of fluoride supplements, and freedom of choice, debated at FDA meeting
Safety of fluoride supplements, and freedom of choice, debated at FDA meeting As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for the removal of fluoride from water, he has framed it as an issue of medical freedom. “We shouldn’t be demanding that parents accept something for their children and in their homes that is essentially a…
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STAT+: HHS orders thimerosal out of all flu vaccines
STAT+: HHS orders thimerosal out of all flu vaccines You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Alex Hogan did yeoman’s work of taste testing beef-tallow-fried chicken wings and fries, soda pop…
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HHS Secretary RFK Jr. accepts recommendations to drop thimerosal from U.S. flu vaccines
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. accepts recommendations to drop thimerosal from U.S. flu vaccines Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday formally accepted recommendations that would require all vaccine manufacturers to discontinue using the preservative thimerosal in influenza vaccines. A statement issued by the department on Wednesday called the move the fulfillment…
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New study advances theory on why most U.S. bird flu cases have so far been mild
New study advances theory on why most U.S. bird flu cases have so far been mild The H5N1 bird flu virus has historically extracted a heavy toll when it infects humans, with nearly half of confirmed cases ending in death over the past three decades. But of the 70 cases reported in the United States…
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STAT+: After explosive federal report, Congress fears plummeting trust in organ donation
STAT+: After explosive federal report, Congress fears plummeting trust in organ donation WASHINGTON — Members of a congressional oversight committee said Tuesday that they fear public trust in organ donation has been fractured after a federal report found that an organ procurement organization ignored signs of life in patients when authorizing attempted organ removals. The…
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Opinion: STAT readers weigh in on marijuana-related vomiting, drug prices, and more
Opinion: STAT readers weigh in on marijuana-related vomiting, drug prices, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters…
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Why MAHA’s push on Coca-Cola and ice cream is ‘nutritionally hilarious’
Why MAHA’s push on Coca-Cola and ice cream is ‘nutritionally hilarious’ Pop quiz: What’s Coca-Cola with cane sugar and ice cream made with natural dyes? Answer: Coca-Cola and ice cream. Getting Coca-Cola to use cane sugar rather than corn syrup and ice cream manufacturers to stop their use of synthetic dyes are the latest achievements…
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STAT+: RFK Jr. gives vaccine skeptics plum HHS posts
STAT+: RFK Jr. gives vaccine skeptics plum HHS posts You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mr. Medicare Dr. Oz suggests 10 minutes of yoga straight out of bed, preferably with…
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STAT+: A troubled Sun Pharma plant fails yet another FDA inspection
STAT+: A troubled Sun Pharma plant fails yet another FDA inspection A Sun Pharmaceutical plant in India that has been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for serious quality control issues failed another inspection last month over concerns the company was not doing enough to prevent medicines from becoming contaminated. The problems…
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STAT+: ViiV expands licensing deal for its HIV drug in low-income countries
STAT+: ViiV expands licensing deal for its HIV drug in low-income countries Once again, ViiV Healthcare has announced steps to widen access to a sought-after HIV medicine in low- and middle-income countries, reflecting ongoing pressure to respond to criticism. Under the latest arrangement, the company is expanding a licensing agreement reached three years ago with…
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Study finds no evidence aluminum salts in vaccines are tied to higher risk of asthma, other childhood diseases
Study finds no evidence aluminum salts in vaccines are tied to higher risk of asthma, other childhood diseases When anti-vaccine activists and others argue that the immunizations used to protect children from infectious diseases are risky, they often point to aluminum salts, a product added to many childhood vaccines to increase their effectiveness. A new…
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U.S. drops charges against doctor accused of throwing away Covid shots, selling fake vaccine cards
U.S. drops charges against doctor accused of throwing away Covid shots, selling fake vaccine cards The federal government on Saturday dismissed charges against a Utah plastic surgeon accused of throwing away COVID-19 vaccines, giving children saline shots instead of the vaccine and selling faked vaccination cards. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on the social…
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Opinion: Ending the federal LGBTQ+ suicide prevention line is a public health failure
Opinion: Ending the federal LGBTQ+ suicide prevention line is a public health failure Last month, the federal government announced it would eliminate the national suicide prevention hotline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ callers — a decision that pulls vital support away from some of the most at-risk young people in America. The end of the service…
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Trump administration cuts undocumented immigrants’ access to range of federally funded programs
Trump administration cuts undocumented immigrants’ access to range of federally funded programs WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday announced it would further curtail undocumented immigrants’ access to federally funded programs, including health care clinics, early childhood education, and nutritional support. The decision reverses a federal practice that has been in place for decades, and is…
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Nearly 1 in 3 teens have prediabetes, CDC finds, in ‘wake-up call’
Nearly 1 in 3 teens have prediabetes, CDC finds, in ‘wake-up call’ About 1 in 3 young people who are 12 to 17 years old have prediabetes, new national data show, putting them at risk not just for type 2 diabetes but also for heart disease and stroke. Developing chronic diseases early in life also…
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STAT+: Kennedy abruptly cancels preventive care committee meeting
STAT+: Kennedy abruptly cancels preventive care committee meeting WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has abruptly canceled a meeting of a key expert panel that evaluates the nation’s preventive care recommendations, according to an email viewed by STAT. The email did not cite a reason. The cancellation of the Thursday meeting of the U.S.…
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STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest
STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is sitting on information about new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest, and seemingly backtracking on its vow to make key disclosure documents public. Agency officials previously said they would release ethics forms for…
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Use of antibiotic to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, research shows
Use of antibiotic to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, research shows When several countries endorsed the notion of some high-risk people taking the antibiotic doxycycline after unprotected sex to lower their chances of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, as the U.S. did last year, there was a theoretical concern the shift…
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STAT+: How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts
STAT+: How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts WASHINGTON — Republicans swiftly approved President Trump’s tax cut bill last week, despite a full-court press from doctors, hospitals, and patients to beat back some of the largest health care cuts in American history — more than $1 trillion in all…
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STAT+: Fed-up and demoralized, FDA staff are leaving.
STAT+: Fed-up and demoralized, FDA staff are leaving. You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Between innings of the July 4 Chesapeake Baysox game against the Richmond Flying Squirrels there was…
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Leading medical groups sue Kennedy over changed Covid-19 vaccine recommendations
Leading medical groups sue Kennedy over changed Covid-19 vaccine recommendations WASHINGTON — Six major medical groups, and a pregnant physician, are suing health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over changes he made to Covid-19 vaccine recommendations that they say were unlawful and undermine public trust in health care. The suit argues that a May 19 directive…
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Opinion: Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on
Opinion: Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on There’s been much discussion and debate about the cuts to Medicaid eligibility that Congress just passed and, in particular, what they may mean for current Medicaid recipients. A key piece of evidence in this debate has been results from the Oregon Health Insurance…
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STAT+: Memo said to describe biotech industry meeting calls RFK Jr. a ‘direct threat to public health’
STAT+: Memo said to describe biotech industry meeting calls RFK Jr. a ‘direct threat to public health’ A memo that purports to summarize a meeting held by members of a leading biotech trade group suggests deep concern about health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stance on vaccines, and describes him as a “direct threat to…
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Opinion: STAT readers on vaccines, research funding cuts, and organ donation
Opinion: STAT readers on vaccines, research funding cuts, and organ donation First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
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STAT+: Senator launches investigation into GSK’s asthma inhaler maneuvers
STAT+: Senator launches investigation into GSK’s asthma inhaler maneuvers Amid ongoing controversy, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) is investigating GSK for replacing a popular asthma inhaler with a so-called authorized generic at a much higher price in order to avoid paying Medicaid rebates. In a letter sent to the company, the lawmaker maintained that the…
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WHO expert group fails to find a definitive answer for how Covid-19 began
WHO expert group fails to find a definitive answer for how Covid-19 began LONDON — An expert group charged by the World Health Organization to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic started released its final report Friday, reaching an unsatisfying conclusion: Scientists still aren’t sure how the worst health emergency in a century began. At a press briefing on Friday,…
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CDC advisory panel, selected by RFK Jr., recommends thimerosal be dropped from flu vaccines
CDC advisory panel, selected by RFK Jr., recommends thimerosal be dropped from flu vaccines A federal vaccine advisory panel, which health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently stacked with handpicked members, recommended on Thursday that Americans should not receive flu vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal. The votes — there were three related to the topic…
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Opinion: We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations
Opinion: We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations Let us introduce ourselves. We are the doctors you trust with your health and the health of your family across every stage of life, from the first checkups in infancy and childhood, to health care during pregnancy and adulthood,…
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STAT+: The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, empowered by RFK Jr., is just getting started
STAT+: The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, empowered by RFK Jr., is just getting started The meeting began with an airing of pandemic-era grievances and closed with a move to cement a decades-old, long-dismissed anti-vaccine talking point into U.S. national policy. In the intervening 13 hours came technical issues, forgotten procedures, and a public comments…
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STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing
STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing WASHINGTON — There seemed to be one question on the minds of many senators grilling Susan Monarez, President Trump’s pick to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a hearing on Wednesday: If confirmed, would she…
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STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers
STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers The decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove and replace all members of the government’s independent vaccine advisory committee doesn’t just change how the nation will approach vaccine policy. It could also take money…
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Childhood vaccination coverage was falling across the globe even before Covid
Childhood vaccination coverage was falling across the globe even before Covid Childhood vaccination coverage has made leaps since 1980. But progress has significantly slowed in the last two decades. That is according to a study published in The Lancet Tuesday, which found stagnation and wide variation in childhood vaccination rates since 2010. The study, which…
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STAT+: Gilead’s CEO on the approval of a powerful new drug to prevent HIV
STAT+: Gilead’s CEO on the approval of a powerful new drug to prevent HIV On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new medicine, lenacapavir (brand name: Yeztugo) that could be the closest thing so far to an HIV vaccine: a long-acting antiviral that, given twice a year, can prevent people from contracting the…
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STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’
STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’ In their first all-staff meeting since the start of the Trump administration, the interim leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attempted to sidestep controversy and rally troops at the storied but demoralized agency on Tuesday. Staff were told CDC…
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Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’
Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’ NEW YORK — All 17 experts recently dismissed from a government vaccine advisory panel published an essay Monday decrying “destabilizing decisions” made by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that could lead to more preventable disease spread. Kennedy last week announced he would “retire” the entire panel that…