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Visit KFF Health News for the latest headlines | Morning Briefing | In This Edition: From KFF Health News: 1. Newsom Picks a Dogfight With Trump and RFK Jr. on Public Health Scientists are cheering California Gov. Gavin Newsom as he builds a public health bulwark against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine stance and President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Still, federal cuts have sapped morale and left local health departments less prepared for outbreaks. (Angela Hart, 3/9) 2. Florida Hasn't Expanded Medicaid. Lawmakers Want To Add Work Requirements Anyway. Florida is not mandated to add work requirements for Medicaid, because the state has not expanded eligibility to more low-income adults. But lawmakers have proposed requiring some adults in the state's program to work anyway, a policy that could leave many uninsured. (Daniel Chang, 3/9) 3. Journalists Explain a Spat Over Sugary Coffee and How Measles Fools Doctors KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here's a collection of their appearances. (3/7) Here's today's health policy haiku: HOW DOES THIS HELP PATIENTS? Prior approval
not any better for health.
Insurers profit. - Catherine DeLorey If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story. Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF. Summaries Of The News: 4. Vinay Prasad Leaving Role As FDA's Top Vaccine And Biotech Regulator Prasad, who has been embroiled in recent controversial decisions at the Food and Drug Administration, will leave in late April. Separately, surgeon general nominee Casey Means is facing opposition on multiple fronts. Also, 11 more children have died from flu-related complications. AP: FDA Vaccine Chief Dr. Vinay Prasad Exits Agency For The Second Time
The Food and Drug Administration's embattled vaccine chief, Dr. Vinay Prasad, is once again leaving the agency — the second time in less than a year that he's departed after controversial decisions involving the review of vaccinations and specialty drugs for rare diseases. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the news to FDA staff in an email late Friday, saying Prasad would depart at the end of April. Makary said Prasad would return to his academic job at the University of California, San Francisco. (Perrone, 3/6) Politico: The Surgeon General Nominee Can't Get People To Stop Asking Her About Vaccines
Casey Means, President Donald Trump's pick for surgeon general, has achieved an unlikely feat: uniting vaccine skeptics and mainstream medical advocates against her nomination. Activists in both camps are now urging senators to vote her down. (Friedman and Paun, 3/6) On the spread of flu and measles — CIDRAP: CDC Reports 11 More Pediatric Flu Deaths
Eleven new pediatric flu deaths were reported this week, according to the latest update on US flu activity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 90 children have died from flu-related complications this season, the CDC said in its weekly FluView report. Approximately 85% of those deaths were in children who were not fully vaccinated against flu. (Dall, 3/6) NBC News: Measles Is 'Worse Than Expected' In Utah, Officials Say
In southern Utah, a measles outbreak that's been simmering since last summer is showing signs of wider spread. Now, state health officials are pleading with residents to take the virus seriously. "It is not a mild infection. It is not a mild virus. It is severe illness," Utah's state epidemiologist, Dr. Leisha Nolen, said at a news briefing Thursday. (Edwards, 3/6) Minnesota Public Radio: North Dakota Has 23 Confirmed Measles Cases
Two new cases of measles were confirmed in North Dakota Friday. That brings the total to 23 for the year so far. The two new cases are in Traill and Pembina counties, which both border Minnesota. (Ratanpal, 3/7) The Colorado Sun: Broomfield Measles Outbreak Now Up To Seven Cases, CDPHE Says
Public health disease-trackers have identified four more cases of measles in an outbreak linked to two schools in Broomfield. The newly announced infections all involve unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 and 17. (Ingold, 3/6) CIDRAP: US Measles Total Approaches 1,300 Infections
The US measles count climbed by 145 today, reaching 1,281 cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update, with cases in Texas now approaching 100. For all of last year US officials confirmed 2,258 infections, a number the nation appears on pace to surpass this year. The Pan American Health Organization recently announced it has pushed back its decision on whether the country loses its measles elimination status—which it gained in 2000—to November, after the midterm elections. (Wappes, 3/6) 5. FDA Shifts Away From Advisory Panel Meetings; Transparency Worries Grow Industry leaders and academics are concerned that decision-making input from agency leaders, drug developers, patients, and physicians has largely been cast aside during the Trump administration. Plus, Democrats are going to drugmakers directly for information about Trump's drug deals. Stat: FDA Advisory Committee Meetings Fade As Controversial Decisions Grow
On Thursday, the Trump administration organized a private press conference so that a senior Food and Drug Administration official could anonymously criticize an experimental Huntington's disease treatment made by the company UniQure. (Lawrence, 3/9) FiercePharma: Democrats Press 11 Pharmas For 'Any Evidence' Their Trump Pricing Deals Deliver Savings For Medicaid
Although major pharmaceutical companies have fallen in line with President Donald Trump's "most favored nation" (MFN) drug pricing agenda, the specifics of their negotiated concessions and the actual impact on medicine affordability in the U.S. remain unclear. Now, amid mounting scrutiny of those MFN deals by patient advocacy groups and others—and on the heels of a late-2025 effort by Democratic lawmakers to suss out the fine details—Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, is going to drugmakers directly for answers. (Kansteiner, 3/6) The New York Times: Trump Executive Order Protected Weedkiller Roundup And A Munition, White Phosphorus
When President Trump issued an abrupt order last month compelling the production of glyphosate, the controversial weedkiller known as Roundup, he angered health activists who have long campaigned to ban the product for its links to cancer. But largely overshadowed in the furor was the order's mention of something contentious in another way: the manufacture of munitions used by the United States military. (Tabuchi, 3/8) On the immigration crisis — AP: Second Judge Limits Tear Gas Use At Portland ICE Building
A federal judge in Oregon on Friday limited federal officers' use of tear gas during protests at a Portland federal immigration building, as part of a lawsuit filed by an adjacent affordable housing complex following months of repeated exposure. U.S. District Judge Amy Baggio issued the preliminary injunction after a hearing last month in which the complex's residents described physical and psychological symptoms ranging from difficulty breathing, coughing, burning eyes and hives to anxiety and panic attacks. Some also testified about wearing gas masks in their own homes. (Rush, 3/7) On MAHA and public health — Politico: Trump's Food Industry Friends Are Warning Him RFK Jr.'s Agenda Is Bad For Business
America's food-makers have a message for President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers: You must choose between Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda and ours. Since Trump teamed up with Kennedy to win the 2024 election and made him Health secretary, the GOP's traditional allies in the food industry have mostly stood down as Kennedy called their products poison and blamed them for chronic disease. They aren't standing down anymore. (Chu, 3/8) KFF Health News: Newsom Picks A Dogfight With Trump And RFK Jr. On Public Health
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national public health leader by staking out science-backed policies in contrast with the Trump administration. After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez for refusing what her lawyers called "the dangerous politicization of science," Newsom hired her to help modernize California's public health system. He also gave a job to Debra Houry, the agency's former chief science and medical officer, who had resigned in protest hours after Monarez's firing. (Hart, 3/9) MedPage Today: Fauci Vs RFK Jr.? Here's Who Americans Trust For Public Health Advice
Public trust in federal health agencies is waning, especially in agency leaders, a survey showed. Among 1,650 U.S. adults surveyed by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, 43% said they had confidence in agency leaders versus 57% who said they did not, while 67% of respondents said they had confidence in career scientists at the CDC, NIH, and FDA versus 33% who did not. (Firth, 3/6) The Hill: Record High In Childhood Obesity Sparks MAHA Debate
New data showed childhood obesity has hit a record high in recent years, while federal changes such as cuts to food assistance programs and a revamped food pyramid reignite debates over how to handle the issue. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report late last month showed more than 1 in 5 U.S. children and teenagers were obese between 2021 to 2023, compared to only 5.2 percent between 1971-1974. The number of children with severe obesity in recent years has hit 7 percent. (Lonas Cochran, 3/8) 6. Novo Nordisk, Hims & Hers Reportedly End Obesity Drug Feud, Aim To Partner The potential partnership comes a month after Novo sued Hims over obesity drug knockoffs. Also: A new study finds that generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy could be sold for less than $3 a month. Bloomberg: Novo And Hims End Feud, Will Sell Obesity Drugs Together
Novo Nordisk A/S plans to sell its weight-loss drugs on Hims & Hers Health Inc.'s platform, according to a person familiar with the matter, ending a highly public feud between the two companies that spiraled into a legal battle last month. Novo and Hims plan to announce a new partnership as soon as Monday, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The two companies had a similar agreement last year, but Novo abruptly scrapped it after Hims refused to stop marketing and selling copycat medications. (Muller, 3/7) Bloomberg: Generic Ozempic Could Cost Less Than $3 A Month, Study Shows
Generic versions of Novo Nordisk A/S's hit shots Ozempic and Wegovy could be sold for under $3 a month, a new study showed, underscoring their potential to unlock global access to powerful weight-loss drugs. Generic injectable semaglutide, the main ingredient in both blockbuster drugs, could cost $28 to $140 a year, according to researchers at the University of Liverpool. By contrast, Novo's US list price is $1,027.51 for Ozempic and $1,349 for Wegovy, though it has pledged to cut both to $675 on Jan. 1. Direct-to-consumer prices are lower, at $349 a month for most doses of Wegovy. (Kresge, 3/6) In related news — The Washington Post: GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Can Raise Bone And Tendon Injury Risk, Large Study Suggests
The miracle of rapid weight loss has always come with fine print. Until recently, it read mostly like a list of digestive complaints — stomachaches, constipation — generally unpleasant but tolerable and rarely severe. New research presented this month suggests the drugs may affect something more structural: bone. In an analysis of nearly 150,000 patients, researchers found that people taking GLP-1 medications faced a significantly higher risk of skeletal disorders. (Eunjung Cha, 3/8) Other pharma and tech updates — Bloomberg: Agilent Buys Medical Instruments Maker Biocare For $950 Million
Agilent Technologies Inc. agreed to acquire privately held Biocare Medical, which makes instruments and materials used in cancer research, in an all-cash transaction valued at $950 million. Biocare will become part of the Agilent Life Sciences and Diagnostics Markets Group, according to a statement reviewed by Bloomberg News. The deal is expected to be accretive earnings per share about 12 months after it closes, and will "accelerate innovation and support long-term value creation for our shareholders," Agilent Chief Executive Officer Padraig McDonnell said in the statement. (Baker and Davis, 3/9) The Washington Post: The Surprising Way Breast Cancer Screenings Could Reveal Heart Disease
A new study finds AI can potentially detect artery calcification in routine mammograms, helping identify women at risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death. (Johnson, 3/9) 7. Discord Among Oregon Lawmakers, Docs, Corporate Health Care Deepens State lawmakers had tried to prevent national chains from moving in and replacing local physicians, but nonprofit PeaceHealth tapped an Atlanta-based company to staff its Oregon emergency rooms, STAT reports. Doctors, lawmakers, and others are pushing back on that decision. Stat: PeaceHealth Swaps Oregon ER Doctors For ApolloMD, Prompts Backlash
A nonprofit health system's decision to replace some of its Oregon physicians with a national chain presents an early test of a new state law designed to restrict such deals. (Bannow, 3/9) Modern Healthcare: Providence Plans To Sell Hospital To NorthBay Health
NorthBay Health has signed a letter of intent to acquire Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center. The proposed transaction involving the facility in Napa, California, and related assets is expected to be completed by the end of the year, pending a definitive agreement and regulatory approval. Financial terms were not disclosed. (DeSilva, 3/6) Stat: Blue Cross Blue Shield Study Says AI Upcoding Is Driving Up Prices
Since last summer, health insurers have been telling investors that hospitals' use of artificial intelligence tools for medical coding and billing is driving up the cost of health care. (Trang, 3/9) Stat: Health Tech Company Says It Will Join Medicare's New Chronic Care Experiment
Health tech company Cadence said Monday it will be among the first to participate in an experimental Medicare program that will pay providers set amounts to manage their patients' chronic conditions — and only pay them full price if their patients' conditions improve by certain margins. The model is meant as an alternative to paying for individual services. (Aguilar, 3/9) Modern Healthcare: Rural Hospital Race Clock For $50 Billion Transformation Fund
Rural hospitals fear a narrowing application window and stiff competition could cut them out of the first tranche of the federal $50 billion rural health fund. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in late December awarded each state an average of $200 million for the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program. States must allocate the funds by the end of September, and federal officials plan to start assessing progress in late summer. (Kacik, 3/6) 8. North Carolina Health Plan Offers Free Surgeries To State Workers The North Carolina State Health Plan is rolling out to more than 700,000 teachers, state workers, and their families. The unusual approach is an effort to save the state money on health care in the long run. Plus, news from New Hampshire, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, and elsewhere. Charlotte Ledger: A New Perk For State Workers: Free Surgery
What if your health plan offered free surgery, but only by surgeons on its approved list? That's the incentive behind a new program the North Carolina State Health Plan is rolling out for more than 700,000 teachers, state workers and their families. (Crouch, 3/9) More health news from across the U.S. — New Hampshire Public Radio: State Senate Votes Down Bill To Protect Medical Providers Offering Abortions
A bill that would have codified the right to reproductive health care services in New Hampshire — including contraception, abortion and assisted reproduction — was voted down 16-8 by the state Senate on Thursday. (Richardson, 3/6) The Colorado Sun: Polis Plan To Ban Purchase Of Soda With Food Stamps Stalled By Concerns It Would Shame Low-Income Coloradans
A plan to prohibit Coloradans from using food-assistance benefits to buy soda and sugary fruit juices was stalled Friday by a state board after opponents argued it was an overreach that could harm the dignity and autonomy of low-income families. (Brown, 3/6) Chicago Tribune: Illinois Orders 21 Communities To Remove Forever Chemicals From Drinking Water By 2029. But Who Will Pay?
But many towns cannot afford the millions of dollars needed to upgrade their water systems with equipment to remove PFAS, and grants are limited. That means ratepayers could end up footing the bill. (Freitag, 3/8) KFF Health News: Florida Hasn't Expanded Medicaid. Lawmakers Want To Add Work Requirements Anyway
In states that have long refused to expand Medicaid to more low-income adults, people in the program aren't subject to new rules under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act requiring them to prove they're working in order to get and keep coverage. That's not stopping Florida lawmakers from trying to adopt Medicaid work requirements anyway. It's the only legislative body in a nonexpansion state to even consider it so far. (Chang, 3/9) Maryland Matters: Maryland Behavioral Health Advocates Seek Provider Pay Boost
Advocates know Maryland lawmakers are working with a tight budget this year, but worry that another year without rate increases for behavioral health professionals will worsen a 34,000-person workforce shortage and threaten the services that struggling Marylanders need. (Brown, 3/6) Wyoming Public Radio: Trainings Offer Tools For Wyomingites To Help Support Suicide Prevention
Gov. Mark Gordon recently announced a handful of free trainings this month to help Wyomingites learn how to support people who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. (Habermann, 3/6) 9. About 3 Out Of Every 4 American Teens Aren't Getting Enough Sleep Researchers aren't sure what's behind the rise in insufficient sleep, but screen time doesn't seem to be the cause. Other wellness news is on a baby sleepsuit recall, the pandemic's impact on the cognitive development of young children, and more. NPR: Teens Are Sleeping Less Than Ever And Screens Aren't Primarily To Blame
The spring time change can mean waking up a little groggy. But the situation may be worse for many teenagers who appear to be getting less sleep than ever, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. That's concerning because adolescents really need their beauty rest. (Daniel, 3/8) More health and wellness news — Fortune: Chatbots Are 'Validating Everything' Even If You're Suicidal. Research Shows Dangers Of AI Psychosis
Artificial intelligence has rapidly moved from a niche technology to an everyday companion, with millions of people turning to chatbots for advice, emotional support, and conversation. But a growing body of research and expert testimony suggests that because chatbots are so sycophantic, and because people use them for everything, it may be contributing to an increase in delusional and mania symptoms in users with mental health. (Gioino, 3/7) CIDRAP: Pandemic Disruptions Tied To Changes In Executive Function Progress In Young Children
The COVID-19 pandemic may have interfered with young children's ability to stay focused, regulate their behavior, and adapt to new situations, according to a new longitudinal study published in Child Development. ... Executive function (EF) is a set of cognitive processes that includes working memory, inhibition control, and cognitive flexibility and supports self-regulation and the ability to focus. EF can influence academic achievement, career and relationship satisfaction, and health outcomes. (Bergeson, 3/6) CBS News: Baby Sleepsuit Sold At Walmart Recalled Over Potential Choking Hazard
A model of infant sleepsuits has been recalled over a possible choking hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced this week. The zipper head on the recalled HALO Magic Sleepsuits poses a danger to babies, according to the recall announcement. The products were sold on the company's website as well as at major retailers, including Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target.com. There have been at least 15 reports of the zipper head detaching from the garment, the CPSC said Thursday, but no injuries have been reported. (Intarasuwan, 3/7) KFF Health News: KFF Health News' 'On Air': Journalists Explain A Spat Over Sugary Coffee And How Measles Fools Doctors
KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam discussed excited delirium on Vox Media Podcast Network's Criminal on March 6. (3/7) In obituaries — The Washington Post: Paula Doress-Worters, Who Co-Wrote 'Our Bodies, Ourselves,' Dies At 87
In the days and weeks after she gave birth to her first child, a healthy, much-loved baby named Hannah, Paula Doress-Worters found herself painfully, inexplicably depressed. "I felt terrible," she recalled years later, "because she was a wanted child. She was lovely. But sometimes I just couldn't get out of bed." The neighbors grew worried. Her husband called the obstetrician. And when doctors arrived at their home in the Boston suburbs, Ms. Doress-Worters ran from the room. She was chased, sedated and hospitalized for a month. (Smith, 3/7) 10. Viewpoints: We're Getting Desensitized To The Overdose Crisis; Are Crop Top Medical Scrubs Unprofessional? Opinion writers weigh in on these topics and others. Stat: 72,000 Drug Overdoses A Year Is Not Acceptable
In May 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that drug overdose deaths had fallen 27%, from roughly 110,000 in 2023 to about 80,000 in 2024. Provisional data through late 2025 projects a further drop to around 72,000. (Wayne Kepner, 3/9) MedPage Today: Scrubs Were Never Meant To Be About You
It is not that a cropped scrub top prevents clinical excellence (you could presumably perform CPR just as well with your belly hanging out), or that lash extensions cannot be worn by a highly skilled doctor or nurse. It is that the aesthetic shift risks reframing healthcare from a solemn profession into an arena for curated self-presentation. It makes it more about the nurse or doctor, and less about the patient. (Caroline Rubin, 3/8) Stat: 5 Lessons From Vinay Prasad's Turbulent Tenure At The FDA
Food and Drug Administration official Vinay Prasad self-destructed last week. The FDA announced Friday evening that he would step down next month after a series of controversial decisions about vaccines and gene therapies. His unique ability to attract criticism — even when his bosses, including the president, wanted him to keep his head low — did him in. (Matthew Herper, 3/8) Stat: Parents Want Autism Diagnosis So Insurance Will Cover ABA Therapy
"Does he have autism?" Robert's mother asked anxiously. I'm a behavioral/developmental pediatrician working in a front-line private practice for the last 45 years in a Bay Area suburb. The family had asked me to perform an evaluation on Robert, a 6-year-old who had already been to two other expert teams. (Lawrence Diller, 3/9) The Washington Post: I'm A Computer Scientist. Here's How We Should Help Aging Parents With Technology.
This past Christmas, I helped my parents choose a water filter. The latest "smart" models all came with a smartphone app that promised to monitor filter life, track water quality and automatically request service. Yet my father, age 75, and mother, 67, were quick to reject them in favor of a nondigital model. "Every time it updates or I forget how to use it, we'll have to call you," my dad said. (Debaleena Chattopadhyay, 3/8) | | | | | |
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