Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: RFK Jr.’s Take On Rebuilding Public Trust In Vaccines; MAHA Report Falls Short
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
NIH Halts Anti-DEI Policy That Was Required To Get New Research Grants
It’s unclear what prompted the change, which is effective immediately, Stat reported. In related news, a federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing anti-DEI and anti-trans policies against groups that provide help for the LGBTQ+ community.
Doctor Shortage Could Grow More Dire With Bill’s Limits On Med School Loans
If a $150,000 cap on direct federal unsubsidized loans stands, some fear fewer students will be able to afford medical school. Graduates carry an average debt of $212,341, the Association of American Medical Colleges found. Plus, Republicans take a swing at changes to the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Montana Supreme Court Declares Abortion Restrictions Unconstitutional
Monday’s ruling concluded a multiyear legal challenge over three reproductive rights restrictions. Also in reproductive health news: Wisconsin now has five abortion clinics; Ohio Republicans want to bring back a 24-hour waiting period for abortions; Texas isn’t budging on abortion bans; and more.
Policy Change Could Allow Abusers To Have Gun Rights Restored More Easily
Lawmakers and gun violence experts voice concern over the Trump administration’s proposed change and what it could mean for domestic violence survivors. Also in the news: forced reset triggers; a rise in firearm deaths of children and teenagers in states that loosened gun laws; and more.
New York Lawmakers Pass Bill Opening Door For Medically Assisted Suicide
The bill will allow terminally ill New Yorkers to end their life on their own terms, and it now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul. “It’s not about hastening death, but ending suffering,” Democratic state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said. Plus: 27 states and the District of Columbia have sued to block their citizens’ 23andMe data from being sold.
Although Rare, Appendix Cancer More Prevalent In Under-50s, Study Shows
As many as one-third of cases are among young adults. Meanwhile, the number of fentanyl and other drug overdose deaths in those under 35 dropped by nearly 47% between 2021 and 2024. Other news is on treatment for OCD, a study on dementia risk, and more.
RFK Jr. Ousts Panel Of CDC Vaccine Advisers, Presumably Picks Successors
New members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have not yet been identified, but they are expected to meet later this month. Separately, the FDA has approved Merck’s monoclonal antibody clesrovimab to protect infants from RSV.
3 Health Care Companies To Lay Off Hundreds Of Workers
The cuts are coming to Virginia Mason Franciscan (based in Tacoma, Washington), Prime Healthcare (based in Ontario, California), and Bayada Home Health Care (based in Moorestown, New Jersey). Plus: Affinia Healthcare is now fully accredited for its new family medicine residency program.
First Edition: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Medicaid Work Requirements Will Create Chaos, And Cuts Will Lead To Excess Deaths
Opinion writers discuss Medicaid and other topics.
As Measles Cases Close In On 30-Year High, WHO Warns US Must Act Now
With 1,168 confirmed cases across 33 states — more than four times as many cases as last year — the country is at risk of losing its disease-elimination status. U.S. leaders must focus on vaccine efforts to prevent it from becoming endemic, the WHO’s vaccine director says.
Doctors Implore AMA To Challenge Trump’s Health Agenda More Strongly
Cuts to Medicaid and NIH, along with trade tariffs, will make it harder to give Americans the kind and quality of care they need, doctors argue. “Quiet advocacy is insufficient,” one AMA member said.
Emergency Officials Unclear How — Or Even If — They Can Help In Disasters
Summer is approaching, bringing potentially deadly floods, tornadoes, and wildfires along with it. But recent staffing changes and policy directives at FEMA have left local emergency officials unsure what kind of help — medical, financial, or otherwise — they’ll be able to offer.
Depressed? You Are Not Alone: Health Workers Report High Rate Of The Blues
Over one-fifth of health care and other service workers say they have been diagnosed with depression, a study had found. Also in the news: the Federation of American Hospitals; Adventist HealthCare; BayCare; and more.
Dozens Sickened In 7 States From Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Eggs
Twenty-one people have been hospitalized in an egg recall that spans nine states: Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, and Wyoming. Other news comes from Washington, D.C., Michigan, Massachusetts, Utah, Missouri, California, Louisiana, and Florida.
Risk Of Diabetes Is Higher With Sugary Beverages But Not Sugary Foods
A study, which spanned multiple continents, found that drinking sugar consistently led to higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but consuming it from food sources showed no such link. In other lifestyle news: a BowFlex recall; dating apps’ effects on mental health; and more.
4 Members Of CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel Get Termination Notices
Stat reports that the panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has been a target of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Other vaccine-related news is on covid vaccine recommendations, “medical freedom,” and more.
First Edition: Monday, June 9, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Four States Petition FDA To Remove Mifepristone Restrictions
The petition, filed by Massachusetts, New York, California, and New Jersey, aims to compel the FDA to recognize that mifepristone is safe and effective. More reproductive health news includes GLP-1 drugs and birth control; IVF; antibiotics during pregnancy; gut microbiota; menopause; and more.