In This Edition:
From KFF Health News:
2. ICE Arrests Are Separating Families. Here’s How To Plan Ahead. As immigration authorities carry out President Donald Trump’s promise to conduct what’s billed as the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, several states are passing laws to protect the children of detained immigrants. Guardianship can become complicated when no family or friends are available to take temporary custody. (Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, 5/21)
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Summaries Of The News:
Administration News
3. RFK Jr. Ousts Experts From Preventive Services Task Force; AMA Denounces Move
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. didn't make clear his reasons for firing doctors John Wong and Esa Davis from the panel, but he did encourage them to reapply. The AMA reaction was swift: “We strongly urge HHS to restore the USPSTF's long-standing, transparent process for selecting members, specifically clinicians with expertise in the fields of preventive medicine and primary care."
AP: RFK Jr. Fires Leaders Of Group That Sets Guidelines For Health Screenings The Trump administration has fired the two leaders of an influential health group that determines when insurance must provide free preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies, for millions of Americans. In letters dated May 11, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. notified the two doctors who chaired the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that he was terminating their appointments immediately, before the end of their multiyear terms. (Neergaard, 5/20)
Medical Economics: RFK Jr. Fires USPSTF Vice Chairs, Drawing Sharp Rebuke From AMA The American Medical Association wasted no time in condemning the action. "The AMA is extremely concerned by today's HHS decision to remove the vice-chairs of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force," said Bobby Mukkamala, MD, AMA president, in a statement. ... “We strongly urge HHS to restore the USPSTF's long-standing, transparent process for selecting members, specifically clinicians with expertise in the fields of preventive medicine and primary care. We also implore HHS to commit to once again holding regular Task Force meetings to ensure its important work can continue without further delay. Our patients' lives depend on it." (5/20)
More MAHA news —
The New York Times: A Vacant Surgeon General’s Office Issues a Warning About Screen Time The surgeon general’s office on Wednesday issued a warning about the dangers of screen time for young people, linking excessive time online to worse sleep issues, anxiety, depression, alcohol use and other health harms. The advisory calls on children and adolescents to “live real life” and go outside, and for parents to discuss boundaries around technology and to delay screen time for “as long as possible.” The report was produced by the office of the surgeon general, however, that post has remained empty since January 2025. (Blum, 5/20)
KCCI 8 Des Moines: Iowa Signs New Law Limiting Classroom Screen Time Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Iowa’s new “Make America Healthy Again” bill into law Wednesday, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., putting new statewide limits on classroom screen time for younger students while launching a broader push focused on childhood health and chronic disease prevention. One of the bill’s provisions limits digital instruction on one-to-one devices to 60 minutes a day for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with several exceptions. (Purpura, 5/20)
Politico: Radiologist By Trade, Farmer On The Side. How Trump’s Surgeon General Pick Uses A Tax Loophole In New Jersey. Nicole Saphier joins a list of well-off residents who've taken advantage of a state law allowing steep discounts for land designated for agricultural use. (Han, 5/21)
Also —
The Wall Street Journal: How Zyn Became All The Rage Inside Trump World—Including With RFK Jr. Nicotine pouches have gained popularity across the administration, with even key health officials including Kennedy indulging. (Whyte, Dawsey and Barber, 5/18)
4. Big Tobacco Donated $5M To MAGA Inc. Before FDA's New Vape Policy: Report
The New York Times reports on Reynolds American’s campaign finance disclosure of the $5 million contribution, which was made about a week before new guidance from the FDA on flavored vapes. That new policy bypassed the agency's regular rulemaking process.
The New York Times: A $5 Million Donation From Big Tobacco Preceded F.D.A. Vape Decision The tobacco company Reynolds American donated $5 million to a super PAC backed by President Trump last month, about one week before his administration rolled out a new policy that could prove lucrative to the tobacco industry. The donation, which came through a Reynolds subsidiary and brings to $8 million the total donated by the subsidiary to MAGA Inc., the Trump-backed super PAC, was revealed in a campaign finance report filed Wednesday night. The donation came on April 30. (Vogel and Jewett, 5/20)
Barron's: Trump’s Portfolio Managers Traded UnitedHealth Ahead Of Favorable Medicare Policy Change President Donald Trump’s investment portfolio actively traded UnitedHealth Group as the stock was whipsawed by a federal policy proposal on Medicare rates earlier this year. The disclosure, released last week by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, lists more than 3,600 stock trades spanning a range of companies and industries during the first three months of the year. (Dunn, 5/19)
On the immigration crisis —
The Texas Tribune: Woman Detained By ICE Wrongfully Denied Surgery, Doctors Say The 911 call came two days after immigration agents detained the 23-year-old Guatemalan woman in Minnesota as she was driving her mother and two young siblings to their jobs cleaning houses. “Excruciating pain,” the employee at the El Paso immigrant detention facility reported. (Kriel, 5/20)
KFF Health News: ICE Arrests Are Separating Families. Here’s How To Plan Ahead Depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Developmental delays. The trauma of family separation can have serious health consequences for children. On WAMU’s May 13 “Health Hub” segment, KFF Health News correspondent Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez discussed what families without legal status can do if a parent is detained by immigration agents, as well as strategies to keep children out of foster care. (Orozco Rodriguez, 5/21)
In news from Capitol Hill —
The Washington Post: Barney Frank, Influential Congressman And Gay Rights Hero, Dies At 86 Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat who brought his sharp intellect and irrepressible wit to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he led a sweeping overhaul of the financial industry after the Great Recession and advanced gay rights as one of the first openly gay congressmen in history, died May 19 at his home in Ogunquit, Maine. He was 86. His death was confirmed by his sister Doris Breay. Mr. Frank revealed last month that he had entered hospice care for congestive heart failure. (Langer, 5/20)
Stat: Democrats Mount New Attempt To End Medicare AI Prior Authorization Pilot Senate and House Democrats introduced resolutions Wednesday to overturn a Medicare pilot that uses artificial intelligence to approve or deny care. The technology experiment has led to allegations of delayed care for seniors in at least one of the six states it is currently being implemented. (Trang, 5/20)
The Hill: Lawmakers Push To Expand Clinical Trial Access A House Democrat and Republican on Wednesday highlighted their push to expand access to clinical trials, saying artificial intelligence could be one tool used to reach more underrepresented communities seeking additional treatment options. The Clinical Trial Modernization Act, co-sponsored by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), is a bipartisan effort aiming to address some of the economic hurdles preventing patients from participating in clinical trials, which rely on community-based research to test the safety and effectiveness of medications, procedures and other health-related interventions. (Swai, 5/20)
Healthcare Costs
5. Providence Health Plan To Quit Medicaid, Obamacare, Employer Markets
The Washington-based health system aims to continue its Medicare Advantage operations by partnering with a national carrier, Modern Healthcare reports. Also: Seven things to know about CMS' proposed cap on state Medicaid payments.
Modern Healthcare: Providence Health Plan To Exit Medicaid, ACA, Employer Markets Providence Health Plan will quit the Medicaid and job-based insurance market next year, along with exiting the health insurance exchanges. The insurance division of the Renton, Washington-based nonprofit health system hopes to maintain its Medicare Advantage operations by partnering with a national carrier, Providence President and CEO Erik Wexler said in a Wednesday news release. The company did not name the national insurer, but Wexler said it is hoping to finalize the agreement shortly. (5/20)
More Medicaid developments —
Becker's Hospital Review: CMS To Cap State Medicaid Payments To Save $775B: 7 Things To Know CMS on May 20 proposed a rule that would cap certain state Medicaid payments and align them more closely with Medicare rates. The proposed rule would create new limits for Medicaid state-directed payments and certain fee-for-service payments to reduce Medicaid spending by more than $775 billion over 10 years, including $510 billion in federal savings, according to the agency. (Condon, 5/20)
Stat: Florida Hospitals Get $8 Billion In Medicaid State Directed Payments The federal government is sending nearly $8 billion in supplemental Medicaid funds to hospitals in Florida for care they delivered last year, delivering a windfall to facilities in the politically influential state ahead of the imposition of new limits stemming from President Trump’s 2025 tax cut bill. (Herman, 5/20)
In other healthcare industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Centerwell, Rush, DaVita Invest In Chronic Disease Technology Health systems, kidney care companies and primary care providers are investing millions of dollars in technology to keep chronic illnesses such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and hypertension from spiraling out of control. The diseases affect three out of four adults and account for about 90% of healthcare spending, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Eastabrook, 5/20)
Modern Healthcare: Memorial Hermann’s David Callender On Using AI To Meet Demand Memorial Hermann Health System is increasingly relying on technology to coordinate follow-up care as it works to anticipate the needs of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. The 18-hospital nonprofit health system has reduced costs and increased capacity by using artificial intelligence-backed digital tools to direct patients to the most appropriate care settings, President and CEO Dr. David Callender said. Reimbursement pressure and surging demand for care will drive additional investment in the system’s expansion and technology infrastructure, he said. (Kacik, 5/20)
The Baltimore Sun: Dr. William DeVoe Dies, Led St. Joseph Hospital Pediatrics William Floyd DeVoe, a prominent pediatrician in Towson, died May 15 of chronic health failure at Arden Courts in Ruxton. The Phoenix resident was 87.A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. DeVoe cared for children in Baltimore County for 45 years — more than half of that at St. Joseph Hospital in Towson, where he served as chief of Pediatric Medicine for 25 years. (Klingaman, 5/20)
Outbreaks and Health Threats
6. Trump Team Denied Ebola-Infected Doctor's Return To US For Treatment, Insiders Say
Those in the know say administration deliberations delayed the U.S. strategy to evacuate Peter Stafford from the Congo, The Washington Post reported. Urgent care is required with an Ebola infection, health experts say, and officials ultimately sent the surgeon to Germany. The White House contends it was acting in the best interests of the patient.
The Washington Post: White House Resisted Letting Doctor With Ebola Return To U.S. The White House resisted allowing an American doctor exposed to Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo to return to the United States, according to five people familiar with the Ebola response who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions, delaying the evacuation and care of Peter Stafford, who was ultimately transported to Germany. (Sun and Weber, 5/20)
CIDRAP: At Least 600 Ebola Cases Suspected As US Pledges To Fund 50 Treatment Clinics There are now 600 suspected cases and more than 160 deaths in a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today, with numbers expected to rise. "Our absolute priority now is to identify all the existing chains of transmission," Chikwe Ihekweazu, MBBS, MPH, WHO emergencies chief, said today at a press conference. (Soucheray, 5/20)
The New York Times: Uganda Says It’s Not Aware Of Ebola Clinics Promised By U.S. The State Department said it would fund up to 50 clinics in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “I don’t know the ones they are talking about,” a top Ugandan official said. (Bigg and Chutel, 5/21)
Bloomberg: US Ebola Spending Plunged 99% In Five Years Since Last Outbreak As the world’s leading public health officials gathered for emergency meetings in Geneva to discuss a deadly form of Ebola that’s likely circulated undetected for months in Africa, one group was missing from the table: a formal US delegation. In past outbreaks, the US often led surveillance, laboratory support and emergency response efforts through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the now-dismantled US Agency for International Development. The large field teams and hundreds of millions of dollars the US once deployed during health emergencies are also absent. (Nix and Inampudi, 5/20)
Bloomberg: US Enlists Small Biotech For Experimental Ebola Treatment US officials are working with a small biotech company to provide an experimental treatment that may be used in patients exposed to Ebola, according to a person familiar with the matter. The closely held firm, Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., is working with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, to deliver its drug for potential use in patients, said the person, who asked not to be identified. (Smith, 5/20)
NBC News: Detroit-Bound Flight Diverted To Canada After Congolese Passenger Boarded ‘In Error’ Amid Ebola Outbreak An Air France flight bound for Detroit was redirected to Canada after a passenger from Congo boarded “in error” amid the Ebola outbreak in central Africa, officials said Wednesday. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said the agency took “decisive action” by prohibiting the flight from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. (Kottke and Lo, 5/21)
On hantavirus —
CIDRAP: Public Health Alert Gives More Detailed Information About Andes Hantavirus On Cruise Ship A Public Health Alerts report today provides detailed information on 10 of the 11 cases of Andes hantavirus infection on passengers of the MV Hondius cruise ship, including the first passenger who contracted the disease after the index patient. (Wappes, 5/20)
Politico: What Ebola And Hantavirus Are Revealing About America’s Public Health System Public health experts say neither virus poses an immediate threat to most Americans. But the trust deficit the viruses are exposing could be catastrophic when crisis arrives. (Messerly, Gardner and Haslett, 5/21)
On Lyme disease, measles, and malaria —
Newsweek: Lyme Disease Warning As Map Shows Tick Bite Surge Across US Scientists have issued fresh warnings about Lyme disease as tick bites continue to climb across the United States. Emergency room visits for tick bites have climbed to the highest levels for this time of year since 2017 in every U.S. region except the South Central states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in warning earlier this morning. (King, 5/20)
HealthDay: Study Finds Ticks Can Live Indoors On Floors And Carpets For Weeks Here’s a creepy-crawling fact as summer fun approaches – ticks can survive indoors for up to three weeks on hard-surface or carpeted floors, according to a study. This means folks can have a tick latch onto them despite taking proper precautions outdoors, if one of the pests hitchhikes into their home on a person or a pet, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Vector Ecology. (Thompson, 5/19)
CBS News: Why A Deadly, Massive Measles Outbreak In Bangladesh Has Some U.S. Health Experts Concerned A measles outbreak in Bangladesh that has killed almost 400 people is spreading fast, and health experts say it could carry risks even for the U.S. Most of those killed by the measles outbreak in Bangladesh in recent weeks have been children. The country's Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) says the number of suspected cases has surged to over 56,000, with regional media outlets saying many hospitals across the country are overwhelmed. (Ellery, 5/20)
MedPage Today: No Infants Developed Measles After Utah Prophylaxis Regimen After 11 infants were exposed to measles at a pediatric clinic in Utah, the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) helped administer intramuscular immunoglobulin (IMIG) as postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and ultimately developed a protocol for statewide use amid the ongoing outbreak. None of the infants' parents declined IMIG for their child, and there were no serious or localized systemic adverse events during administration or reported in follow-up calls, reported Anna Jones, MD, of DHHS and the CDC, and colleagues. Notably, none of the infants contracted measles during the 21-day monitoring period. (Henderson, 5/20)
CIDRAP: Malaria Reintroduction Into US Is Possible: CDC Report The United States eliminated malaria in the 1950s, but that doesn't mean this parasitic disease is gone for good, warns a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) The report points to a 2023 outbreak in which 10 people across four states—Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, and Texas—were infected with locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria. These cases were not associated with travel, which poses serious public health implications, as malaria can be a life-threatening or life-altering disease, especially for young children. (Boden, 5/20)
Also —
The New York Times: 3 Die After Suspected Exposure To Unknown Substance In New Mexico Officers from the state police and the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home in Mountainair, N.M., for what was initially reported as a possible drug overdose. They found four unresponsive people inside around 11 a.m., the state police said in a statement. Three of the four have died, authorities added. ... While responding to the incident, 18 emergency officials were exposed to the substance and began experiencing symptoms including nausea and dizziness, the state police said. Those officials, and the fourth person found inside the home, were taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital for quarantine and monitoring, the state police said, adding that two officials are in serious condition. (Zhuang, 5/21)
Lifestyle and Health
7. MAHA-Backed Natural Food Dyes Linked To Health Risks
Scientists from several French universities and research institutions identified a more than 40% increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and some cancers when natural food color alternatives are used. Also: Sorbitol may cause liver damage; creatine use skyrockets among teens; and more.
The Wall Street Journal: Natural Food Colors Embraced By MAHA Linked To Health Problems Artificial food dyes have long been suspected to be harmful to your health. But new research shows that some of the natural color additives being turned to as alternatives are associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and cancer. (Petersen, 5/20)
More on nutrition and exercise —
The Baltimore Sun: Popular Low-Calorie Sweetener Carries Hidden Liver Danger The common sugar-free sweetener sorbitol may damage your liver in the same way as the older sweetener fructose, researchers found, triggering processes linked to fatty liver disease in people without a history of drinking alcohol. (Hille, 5/19)
CNN: 2026 ‘Dirty Dozen’ Produce: Nearly 100% Tested Positive For Pesticides, Including ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Experts Say Leafy greens such as spinach and kale and perennial kid favorites such as strawberries and grapes held the highest levels of potentially harmful pesticide residues based on government tests, according to the 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. (LaMotte, 5/19)
HealthDay: Teens Swap Steroids For Creatine As ‘Looksmaxxing’ Trends Surge U.S. teens trying to build up their muscles are turning from steroids to creatine supplements, a new study says. Creatine use rose by 90% among boys and a whopping 168% among girls between 2019-2020 and 2023-2024, researchers report in the August issue of the journal Annals of Epidemiology. This happened even as steroid use fell by more than half, researchers found. (Thompson, 5/20)
The Washington Post: How Brief Bursts Of Intense Exercise May Help Reduce Panic Attacks The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, looked into exercise as a form of exposure therapy for people who experience frequent and unexpected panic attacks. The researchers found that deliberately triggering some of the physical sensations of panic — a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating — via sprinting was more effective than relaxation therapy in reducing the severity and frequency of panic attacks. (Krietsch, 5/20)
The Washington Post: Marathons And Ultramarathons May Be Linked To Colon Cancer. Here’s Why. A small study found a surprisingly high incidence of precancerous polyps in young, extreme runners, sparking controversy and concern. (Reynolds, 5/21)
The New York Times: Experimental Drug Yields Dramatic Weight Loss An experimental shot helped participants in a large trial lose far more weight than obesity drugs already on the market, Eli Lilly, the maker, announced on Thursday. Among the heaviest patients in the trial, the results were on par with those seen with gastric bypass surgery, the only effective treatment for most with severe obesity. (Kolata and Robbins, 5/21)
On diabetes —
Stat: Papers Provide New Clues To Spotting Type 1 Diabetes Before Onset The story of type 1 diabetes begins in the pancreas, long seen as a battleground between insulin-producing beta cells and misdirected immune defenders. Scientists have been searching for ways to spot this internal warfare early enough to prevent a lifelong disease that depletes the body’s source of insulin. (Cooney, 5/20)
State Watch
8. Investigators Focus On Mental Health Of Gunmen After Manifesto Found In San Diego Mosque Attack
The LA Times reports on the FBI's investigation into the online radicalization of the two teenagers in the run-up to the shooting. Plus: SNAP participation falls in Texas; expired drugs might be used at a Tennessee execution this week; and more.
Los Angeles Times: Social Media, Manifesto Of San Diego Mosque Shooters Rooted In White Nationalism The gunmen who killed three people at the San Diego Islamic Center left behind a 75-page document that preached hate, anti-Islam ideology and antisemitism and promoted violence and chaos, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told The Times. The manifesto was titled “The New Crusade: Sons of Tarrant” and made reference to Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 people and injured 89 more in an attack on a mosque and an Islamic center in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019, according to the sources. The FBI confirmed Tuesday that it is examining a manifesto, but did not verify the one circulating online that purports to be the attackers’ writings. (Winton and St. John, 5/20)
In health news from Texas —
The Texas Tribune: Texas SNAP Participation Drops By 14% In The Past Year The number of Texans receiving food assistance dropped 14% in a year, reflecting a national decline, the result not only of stricter new work requirements imposed last year by the Trump administration but also rising fears of deportation, according to advocates. (Langford and Keemahill, 5/20)
Military.com: Army Announces New Charges Against Fort Hood Doctor New charges have been announced by the U.S. Army against Maj. Blaine McGraw, a former obstetrician gynecologist accused of sexual crimes and previously assigned to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. McGraw now faces a total of eight charges and 273 specifications that allegedly occurred on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2026. The total number of alleged victims in this case is now 96. It's an increase from Dec. 9, 2025, when the office announced four charges and 61 specifications against McGraw filed under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). (Mordowanec, 5/20)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Bill Would Create Board To Cap Prescription Drug Prices With 11 days remaining in their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers are considering legislation that would create a state panel empowered to review the costs of prescription drug prices and whether medicine is inaccessible to those who need it the most. (Gorner, 5/20)
Wyoming Public Radio: New Program Could Bring Low-Cost Generic Drugs To Rural Hospitals A new pilot program could bring a steady stream of generic drugs to some small hospitals in the Mountain West. Dozens of independent, rural hospitals in Montana, Nevada and Wyoming are eligible. (Merzbach, 5/20)
North Carolina Health News: NC Lawmakers Debate Adult Care Home Inspections, Oversight State lawmakers are proposing a bill they say would reduce administrative burden and redundancy for inspections in adult care homes, the places that manage the care for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. (Fredde, 5/21)
Bridge Michigan: Michigan's Aging Population Could Have Serious Consequences An aging population, rising retirement rates and a stagnating labor market could have serious consequences for the state and its residents if left unaddressed, state demographers said Friday. Data presented to state lawmakers painted a stark picture of Michigan’s labor market, which officials say has seen little upward momentum since bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s not just troubling news for state officials looking at a loss of tax revenues for future budgets, but also for schools that could continue to lose students and employers that may struggle to find workers. (Hermani, 5/20)
AP: Tennessee Death Row Inmate's Lawyers Fear Expired Lethal Injection Drugs Attorneys for a Tennessee death row inmate say they are concerned the state may be planning to use expired lethal injection drugs at his execution on Thursday, a growing concern across the country as states work to keep most information about their drugs secret. Tony Carruthers’ attorneys twice asked the Tennessee Department of Correction last month whether it had secured the appropriate drugs for his execution date and for assurance the drugs had not expired. Assistant Attorney General John W. Ayers’ response did not directly answer but said the department will comply with its lethal injection protocol — which includes regular inventory of the drugs to monitor expiration dates. (Loller, 5/20)
Sentient: Iowa Senator Catelin Drey Knows Her State’s Cancer Crisis. She’s Living It. In January, State Senator Catelin Drey stood at a podium on the Senate floor in front of her colleagues representing all corners of Iowa. She told them that she was about to speak candidly on a topic both “personal and political.” Behind her, legislators and staffers appeared to be half-listening, looking at their laptops and flipping through papers. When she said that she had been diagnosed with uterine cancer, their heads shot up in astonishment. Drey, 38, was just weeks into her first term as a state senator. (Elkadi, 5/18)
KFF Health News: Colorado Charts Its Own Course On Vaccines Amid Federal Pullback In response to abrupt and politicized changes to federal vaccine policy, concerned Coloradans have taken several steps to shore up support for vaccine science. A bill passed by the state legislature in March then signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis allows Colorado to further uncouple itself from federal guidance.The law allows health officials to follow the recommendations of national medical groups when making decisions such as purchasing bulk vaccines for the Medicaid program. (Daley, 5/21)
Health Policy Research
9. Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Cardinal News: The Pulse: UVa Researchers Make New Discoveries Into Why Cancer Relapses Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a previously unknown trigger that helps these dormant cells “wake up” after periods of nutrient deprivation. (Schabacker, 5/21)
Fox News: New Endometrial Cancer Drug Boosts Survival In Phase 3 Trial A new treatment for endometrial cancer demonstrated strong potential in a Phase 3 clinical trial. Drugmaker Merck announced Monday that the investigational drug sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) met its "primary endpoints" of overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. (Stabile, 5/20)
HealthDay: Short, Intense Radiation Therapy Safe For Prostate Cancer A shorter, more intense course of radiation therapy can safely treat prostate cancer, a new study says. Men given two larger doses of radiation had about the same side effects as others treated with the standard five-dose course, researchers reported Sunday at a meeting of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) in Stockholm. (Thompson, 5/19)
Stat: After Decades Of Research, In Utero Gene Therapy Nears First Trial In utero gene therapy is nearing a first FDA-backed trial for GM1, a fatal neurodegenerative disease, says UCSF researcher Tippi MacKenzie. (Molteni, 5/20)
MedPage Today: Study Questions Methods Used In Alzheimer's Drug Analysis A statistical approach used to support amyloid-targeting treatment for Alzheimer's disease may lead to overstated claims about amyloid-cognition relationships, an analysis suggested. The study focused on quantile aggregation, a statistical technique that divides trial data into quantiles, averages the results of each quantile, and looks for patterns across groupings. (George, 5/20)
HealthDay: Your Handwriting Could Be A Window Into Your Aging Brain Researchers in Portugal studied 58 adults, ages 62 to 92, living in care homes. Thirty-eight had previously been diagnosed with a cognitive impairment. All were asked to use a digital pen and tablet to draw lines, copy sentences and write dictated phrases —under strict time limits. Seniors with cognitive impairment often took longer to begin writing, wrote more slowly and had more fragmented stroke patterns — especially during longer, more demanding sentences. (5/20)
Editorials And Opinions
10. Viewpoints: RSV Can't Be Overlooked Anymore; MAHA's Influence Appears To Be Fading
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
CIDRAP: RSV—The Middle Child Of Respiratory Season Who Deserves More Attention The RSV vaccine is different from the vaccines for flu or covid. It does not have a reputation problem or a trust problem. It has an awareness problem. Most people do not know what RSV is, do not know they are at risk, and do not know there is something they can do about it. (Jess Steier, 5/19)
The New York Times: MAHA Is No Longer Useful To Trump Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s MAHA movement has reshaped the public health debate. But if the coalition behind it begins to fracture, what comes next? (Tressie McMillan Cottom, Alexandra Sifferlin and David Wallace-Wells, 5/21
Stat: Can The FDA Ever Recover From The Trump Administration? I was at the annual American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) meeting in Boston when news broke last week that Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary was being ousted. The general reaction from my colleagues seemed to be a resigned sense that chaos is the new norm. (Paul Knoepfler, 5/21)
Stat: Ebola Taught Me Whose Suffering The World Sees Amid another Ebola outbreak, hundreds of Africans are sick, displaced, fearful, or dead. Health care workers across Central Africa are once again caring for patients in overstretched hospitals with limited supplies, uncertain staffing, and enormous personal risk. Yet, as has happened before, the story has suddenly become about an American — in this case, a missionary and physician who became infected. (Krutika Kuppalli, 5/20)
Stat: Living With Bullet Fragments In The Body Can Have Long-Term Medical Consequences Oronde McClain was only 10 when he was shot in the head while caught in the gunfire of a drive-by shooting. He had to learn how to walk and talk again after an eight-week coma and the removal of one-third of his brain. (Adeiyewunmi [Ade] Osinubi, 5/21)
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