Category: public health
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STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding
STAT+: Senate GOP proposes to rein in states’ tools to boost Medicaid funding WASHINGTON — To help pay for President Trump’s tax cuts, the Senate is clamping down on tactics that states use to boost federal Medicaid funding, according to legislation released by the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. The text includes harsher restrictions on…
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CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired
CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired The staff of two world-class laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were slated to be closed in a round of cuts announced in April have been informed that their terminations have been canceled. The CDC’s sexually transmitted disease laboratory and its…
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STAT+: HHS plans ‘bold, edgy’ campaign on ultra-processed foods and diabetes
STAT+: HHS plans ‘bold, edgy’ campaign on ultra-processed foods and diabetes The links between ultra-processed food and higher risk of diabetes will be the focus of the first wave of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s national “Take Back Your Health” campaign, according to a notice posted on a government site for contractors. The notice…
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RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel
RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday unveiled the names of the eight new members who will sit on the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, and said they would review the current…
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HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings
HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has reversed the firings of hundreds of staffers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including those who work in divisions that handle cruise ship safety, sexually transmitted infection prevention, and global health. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services,…
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Merck’s RSV antibody treatment for infants is approved by FDA
Merck’s RSV antibody treatment for infants is approved by FDA A third monoclonal antibody product to protect babies against respiratory syncytial virus was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Monday, a development public health experts hope may eventually help to bring down the price of this effective but costly way of reducing the…
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Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel
Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken the extraordinary step of firing the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on immunizations, saying the action is needed to restore faith in vaccines. “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public…
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10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects
10.9 million people would lose health insurance under Trump’s tax cut bill, CBO projects WASHINGTON — House Republicans’ tax bill would lead to nearly 11 million people losing health insurance, providing a key source of savings to help finance President Trump’s tax cuts, according to projections that nonpartisan congressional scorekeepers published Wednesday. Another 5.1 million…
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Opinion: RFK Jr.’s stance on Covid vaccines for pregnant women is profoundly unethical
Opinion: RFK Jr.’s stance on Covid vaccines for pregnant women is profoundly unethical Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy’s proposal to end the government’s existing Covid vaccine recommendation for healthy pregnant women, if enacted, will be a major setback to decades’ worth of efforts to advance the health of pregnant people and their babies.…
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Ingredient up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar lurks in vapes popular with teens, study shows
Ingredient up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar lurks in vapes popular with teens, study shows Ice cream, lip gloss, and sparkling water are just a few of the products that can contain neotame — an artificial sweetener that’s 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Now researchers have found it’s also in many flavored disposable e-cigarettes,…
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FDA commissioner evades questions on Covid shot, calls CDC panel a ‘kangaroo court’
FDA commissioner evades questions on Covid shot, calls CDC panel a ‘kangaroo court’ In an interview meant to clarify the federal government’s position on Covid-19 vaccines, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary had few answers. Instead, he urged Americans to consult with their doctors. In a Sunday appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,”…
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STAT+: HHS cancels nearly $600 million Moderna contract on vaccines for flu pandemics
STAT+: HHS cancels nearly $600 million Moderna contract on vaccines for flu pandemics This story will be updated The Department of Health and Human Services has notified Moderna that it is canceling a nearly $600 million contract with the company to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including…
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Amid measles outbreak, Texas is poised to make vaccine exemptions for kids easier
Amid measles outbreak, Texas is poised to make vaccine exemptions for kids easier AUSTIN, Texas — Texas this year has been the center of the nation’s largest measles outbreak in more than two decades, as a mostly eradicated disease has sickened more than 700 in the state, sent dozens to hospitals and led to the death of two children…
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RFK Jr. rolls back Covid vaccine recommendations for healthy children, pregnant people
RFK Jr. rolls back Covid vaccine recommendations for healthy children, pregnant people Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that he has unilaterally struck the recommendation that healthy children and healthy pregnant people get Covid-19 booster shots — a move that experts say is unprecedented. Kennedy made the announcement on the social media site X,…
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STAT+: Lawmaker wants to know how FDA can police drug ads after cutting its oversight workforce
STAT+: Lawmaker wants to know how FDA can police drug ads after cutting its oversight workforce Amid ongoing controversy over pharmaceutical advertising, one lawmaker wants to know how the U.S. government will enforce regulations after the Food and Drug Administration let go of numerous employees from the office that oversees prescription drug promotions. In a…
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Opinion: I’m a dentist from India. The fluoride debate in the U.S. horrifies me
Opinion: I’m a dentist from India. The fluoride debate in the U.S. horrifies me Florida has just banned fluoride in public water, becoming the second state to do so. It’s part of decadeslong battle that has heated up in recent years. Local governments debate whether it belongs in the water supply. Parents question safety. Pseudoscience…
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STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework
STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary promised stakeholders last week that the agency’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework would answer all of their questions. But the framework has perhaps created as much confusion as clarity. Broadly, the FDA said it will limit approval…
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STAT+: Maryland governor signs law to expand powers of the state’s prescription drug affordability board
STAT+: Maryland governor signs law to expand powers of the state’s prescription drug affordability board In a notable development, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill that will allow a state board to extend its mandate for lowering prescription drug costs to all residents, not just those employed by government agencies. The move was hailed…
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STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard
STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard In yet another escalation of its fight against higher education, the Trump administration has moved to terminate hundreds of research grants at Harvard University and its medical school, imperiling dozens of research projects and potentially upending the futures of young scientists. Harvard researchers studying cancer,…
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HHS to stop recommending routine Covid shots for children, pregnant people, RFK Jr. ally says
HHS to stop recommending routine Covid shots for children, pregnant people, RFK Jr. ally says Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to announce that the Department of Health and Human Services will stop recommending Covid vaccines for children and pregnant people, a close Kennedy ally said Thursday. The news arrived between panels at…
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STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening
STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening The Make America Healthy Again movement is coalescing around a new effort to turn its goals into federal policy. The Trump administration is listening. The MAHA Institute, a policy center launched Thursday, is pushing to change the American health and food systems: from…
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STAT+: More Medicare plans cover Humira biosimilars, but do little to encourage patient use
STAT+: More Medicare plans cover Humira biosimilars, but do little to encourage patient use Medicare drug plans significantly boosted coverage of biosimilar versions of the Humira rheumatoid arthritis medicine this year, but nearly all of them failed to take steps that would encourage greater use of these alternative treatments, a new government watchdog report finds.…
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RSV sent fewer babies to the hospital last winter, after new treatment and vaccine arrived
RSV sent fewer babies to the hospital last winter, after new treatment and vaccine arrived A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there was a substantial drop in hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus this winter among very young children, who are at the highest risk of becoming severely ill if they contract…
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STAT+: The state of antibiotic development: ‘Deplorable comes to mind’
STAT+: The state of antibiotic development: ‘Deplorable comes to mind’ Four years ago, an ambitious pharmaceutical industry venture to tackle antibiotic resistance launched to invest in small companies that can develop two to four novel antibiotics by 2030 — and replenish the global supply chain with needed treatments. The effort began with $1 billion in backing…
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STAT+: GOP hits resistance on Medicaid cuts, and a brewing plan to lower drug prices
STAT+: GOP hits resistance on Medicaid cuts, and a brewing plan to lower drug prices 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. A horse named Journalism was favored to win the…
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CDC reports 216 child deaths this flu season, the most in 15 years
CDC reports 216 child deaths this flu season, the most in 15 years NEW YORK — More U.S. children have died this flu season than at any time since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a federal report released Friday. The 216 pediatric deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eclipse…
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STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC
STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday proposed massive cuts to the federal government’s health agencies in his 2026 budget request, arguing that Congress should reduce spending by tens of billions from current levels. The request would be a 26% cut to…
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STAT+: Lack of access to antibiotics for drug-resistant infections often blamed on poor care, study says
STAT+: Lack of access to antibiotics for drug-resistant infections often blamed on poor care, study says Only 6.9% of people with drug-resistant infections in eight large, low- and middle-income countries received an appropriate antibiotic in 2019 and the lack of access was largely attributed to insufficient care, according to a new analysis. The researchers examined…
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NIH cancels participation in Safe to Sleep campaign that decreased infant deaths
NIH cancels participation in Safe to Sleep campaign that decreased infant deaths WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has cancelled federal participation in Safe to Sleep, a 30-year campaign to prevent babies from dying in their sleep, STAT and the Medill News Service have learned. The elimination of the National Institutes of Health’s role in the…
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STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research
STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research WASHINGTON — There was broad bipartisan support at a Senate hearing Wednesday to reverse course on the Trump administration’s cuts to federally funded biomedical research. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, kicked off…
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U.S. government researchers present ‘phenomenal’ new data on HPV vaccines
U.S. government researchers present ‘phenomenal’ new data on HPV vaccines CHICAGO — A clinical trial run by the National Cancer Institute seems to confirm that a single dose of the vaccine used to prevent infection with the human papilloma virus is just as effective as two — and, therefore, also helps to prevent cancer. The result…
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Rural health study is told it’s losing federal funds, and other major heart studies are worried
Rural health study is told it’s losing federal funds, and other major heart studies are worried Vasan Ramachandran is baffled. A cardiologist and veteran of the famed Framingham Heart Study, he is struggling to understand why a similar study he brought to life in 10 rural counties across four Southern states is facing elimination. The…
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RFK Jr. faces mixed reception, unruly crowd at major addiction conference
RFK Jr. faces mixed reception, unruly crowd at major addiction conference NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appearance at a major addiction and drug policy conference was marked by repeated interruptions on Thursday, as protesters and jeers forced him to pause and wait for noise to subside at least five times during his 36-minute…
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STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV
STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV WASHINGTON — The health official who helped convince President Trump during his first term that it’s possible to end the HIV epidemic in the United States is now imploring the president to stay the course, as funding cuts threaten…
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STAT+: Research grants as political ammo; Death to dyes?
STAT+: Research grants as political ammo; Death to dyes? 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. STAT won its first National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Not bad, huh? Help us…
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White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information
White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information A government website long used to provide the latest guidelines on managing Covid-19, as well as information on how to receive tests, vaccines and treatments has now been replaced with a page proclaiming the virus emerged from a lab…
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STAT+: RFK Jr. is back to criticizing vaccines, and Trump’s new drug-cost plan
STAT+: RFK Jr. is back to criticizing vaccines, and Trump’s new drug-cost plan 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. I cast my leafy-green seeds already, and my mint, chives and…
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‘The same Bobby Kennedy’: How RFK Jr.’s vaccine criticism came rushing back
‘The same Bobby Kennedy’: How RFK Jr.’s vaccine criticism came rushing back WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed his past criticism of vaccines as he sought to become the nation’s health secretary. Now, just two months after winning confirmation, he’s frequently returning to rhetoric from his time as perhaps the most prominent vaccine critic…
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RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting system
RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting system WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that he plans to roll out changes to the vaccine injury monitoring system that would automate and increase data collection as well as look for negative impacts of the shots. Reforming the current Vaccine Adverse Event…
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STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid
STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Thursday that it will no longer help states fund non-medical services that often are aimed at improving housing and nutrition for people in the Medicaid program. The change is a departure from the Biden administration’s efforts to…
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STAT+: FDA plans to phase out animal testing in drugs in what it calls a ‘paradigm shift’
STAT+: FDA plans to phase out animal testing in drugs in what it calls a ‘paradigm shift’ In an unexpected move, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans this week to reduce — and possibly replace — animal testing with other methods for developing certain medicines in a bid to lower R&D costs and,…
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CDC officials plan for the agency’s splintering, but questions remain
CDC officials plan for the agency’s splintering, but questions remain NEW YORK — A top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told staff this week to start planning for the agency’s splintering. Several parts of CDC — mostly those devoted to health threats that aren’t infectious — are being spun off into the soon-to-be-created Administration for…
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Health secretary RFK Jr. declares certain vaccines have ‘never worked,’ flummoxing scientists
Health secretary RFK Jr. declares certain vaccines have ‘never worked,’ flummoxing scientists Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed another unorthodox view on vaccines, with the long-time vaccine critic declaring that vaccines for respiratory bugs that target a sole part of the pathogen they are meant to protect against do not work. The claim…
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On an RFK Jr. road show, MAHA goals take precedence. Measles prevention less so
On an RFK Jr. road show, MAHA goals take precedence. Measles prevention less so GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY, Ariz. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaking Tuesday morning at a conference on Native American tribal self-governance, was working hard to win his audience’s affection. But amid a measles outbreak linked to the deaths of two children…
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National public health group calls for RFK Jr. to resign, citing ‘complete disregard for science’
National public health group calls for RFK Jr. to resign, citing ‘complete disregard for science’ A national public health organization is calling for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign the federal post he assumed just weeks ago, citing “implicit and explicit bias and complete disregard for science.” Georges Benjamin, executive director of the…
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STAT+: Why the closure of an FDA office may impact generics manufacturers — and everyday Americans
STAT+: Why the closure of an FDA office may impact generics manufacturers — and everyday Americans Amid the hard-to-follow cutbacks at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a little-known but important office was eliminated — and the implications will be felt not only by drugmakers, but consumers. The Division of Policy Development in the Office…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing delayed, living with more measles
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing delayed, living with more measles 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. STAT is cutting the price of an annual subscription in half. Click here for…
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RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water
RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soon to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy also said he’s assembling a task…
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‘Most effective way’ to prevent measles is vaccination, RFK Jr. says, in most direct remarks yet
‘Most effective way’ to prevent measles is vaccination, RFK Jr. says, in most direct remarks yet WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Sunday that “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” his most direct statement yet on the issue, following the death of a second child…
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Second child with measles dies in Texas, prompting RFK Jr. visit
Second child with measles dies in Texas, prompting RFK Jr. visit A second unvaccinated school-aged child in West Texas died from a measles -related illness, a hospital spokesman confirmed Sunday, prompting Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to travel to the area for the child’s funeral. Kennedy, an anti-vaccine advocate before ascending to the role of nation’s top…
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CDC’s top laboratory on sexually transmitted diseases is shut by Trump administration
CDC’s top laboratory on sexually transmitted diseases is shut by Trump administration At a time when the world is down to a single drug that can reliably cure gonorrhea, the U.S. government has shuttered the country’s premier sexually transmitted diseases laboratory, leaving experts aghast and fearful about what lies ahead. The STD lab at the…
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CDC division responsible for asthma control and lead poisoning prevention effectively eliminated
CDC division responsible for asthma control and lead poisoning prevention effectively eliminated After Hurricane Ian, as Floridians returned home to sodden furniture and moldy piles of debris, many with asthma could feel their chests tightening. To figure out what was safe, some sent their concerns directly to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. …
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STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users
STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users The Trump administration vows to emphasize addiction treatment alongside an enforcement-first drug policy, according to a not-yet-public strategy document obtained by STAT. In an effort to reduce overdose deaths caused by fentanyl and other illicit substances, the administration plans to…
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Cuts, ousters and drama at the FDA
Cuts, ousters and drama at the FDA Turmoil, job cuts and forced ousters of high-ranking officials at federal health agencies. Marty Makary’s rough first week as FDA Commissioner. Biotech stocks tumble even further. President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs roil global markets. We talk about biotech’s volatile week, plus interview AstraZeneca R&D executive Sharon Barr, on…
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New York City’s health department just lost $100 million in federal funds. That has consequences
New York City’s health department just lost $100 million in federal funds. That has consequences If a child in New York City showed up with a fever and a rash that might be measles, it should be simple to have a blood test quickly confirm one way or the other. But $100 million in federal…
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Opinion: Decimation of HHS comms, FOIA offices will leave Americans in the dark about urgent health matters
Opinion: Decimation of HHS comms, FOIA offices will leave Americans in the dark about urgent health matters The DOGE cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday will make America less safe. Unless something is done soon to change course, they will also make it easier to hide corrupt behavior by…
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50 canceled vaccination clinics, and other local impact from HHS cuts
50 canceled vaccination clinics, and other local impact from HHS cuts Just last week, the leader of public health in Dallas had to cancel 50 vaccination clinics, including events specifically targeting schools with low immunization rates, all while the West Texas measles outbreak continues to flare. Then on Tuesday came the layoffs of thousands of…
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After RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS shutters much of its communications, FOIA operations
After RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS shutters much of its communications, FOIA operations The Department of Health and Human Services made major cuts to teams across its agencies that handle communications, media relations, and Freedom of Information Act requests as part of mass layoffs Tuesday, a move that workers say will cripple the department’s…
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STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gets off to a bruising start as agency is wracked by layoffs
STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gets off to a bruising start as agency is wracked by layoffs WASHINGTON — Marty Makary’s first official day as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration began with employees in tears, learning from security guards that they were losing their jobs. The news release announcing the start of his…
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STAT+: Cassidy gave himself a difficult task. RFK Jr. isn’t making it any easier on him
STAT+: Cassidy gave himself a difficult task. RFK Jr. isn’t making it any easier on him WASHINGTON — Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he would be Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s keeper, but the physician-turned-politician is struggling to stop the nation’s health secretary from undermining public trust in vaccines. Cassidy has taken the lead for his…
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STAT+: Texas judge strikes down FDA’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests
STAT+: Texas judge strikes down FDA’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Texas squashed the Food and Drug Administration’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests on Monday, ruling in favor of lab trade groups that said the agency was overstepping its bounds. “The Court VACATES and SETS ASIDE, in its entirety,…
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Texas reaches 400 measles cases as U.S. deals with outbreaks in 5 states
Texas reaches 400 measles cases as U.S. deals with outbreaks in 5 states At least five states have active measles outbreaks as of Friday, and Texas’ is the largest with 400 cases. Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said. Other states with outbreaks —…