Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
DEA Temporarily Bans Supplements Containing 7-OH, A Synthetic Form Of Kratom
The New York Times: Trump Administration Delivers Lucrative Win For Its Kratom Allies
The Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday took steps to temporarily ban supplements containing a synthetic version of kratom, a plan that had been sought by makers of a rival product with strong ties to the Trump administration. The agency said it plans to classify an addictive psychoactive compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, in the same category as heroin and LSD — drugs that are illegal to buy or sell. (Jewett and Vogel, 7/1)
Bloomberg: Trump’s Nuclear Watchdog To Ditch 50-Year-Old Radiation Guidance
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to scrap guidance on radiation exposure for power plant workers that’s been in place since the mid-1970s. The NRC has proposed replacing the “as low as reasonably achievable” standard, abbreviated as Alara, with regulations the agency considers more cost effective and less complex. The new policy would be based on existing federally regulated dose limits. The commission also proposed a range of reforms to licensing practices in an effort to streamline nuclear power plant development. (Mackler and Wade, 7/1)
ABC News: Will The Return Of The Presidential Fitness Test Improve Kids' Physical Activity Levels?
The Trump administration launched the return of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test this week with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. participating in fitness activities with a youth organization. It comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year reestablishing the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. "We must address the threat to the vitality and longevity of our country that is posed by America's declining health and physical fitness," the executive order reads. (Kekatos, 7/2)
The Washington Post: Fireworks On Mall Likely To Cause Hazardous Air Pollution, Documents Show
Internal modeling shows the July 4th fireworks display will cause hazardous pollution around the Mall and “very unhealthy conditions across central D.C.” (Spring, 7/1)
On the immigration crisis —
The Washington Post: An ICE Detainee Sought Treatment For Mental Illness. He Died In A Struggle With Guards.
The family of Geraldo Lunas Campos is suing detention center operators and guards over his death. Records show he repeatedly requested treatment for his mental illness. (MacMillan and Schaffer, 7/2)
The 19th: Could Trump’s Next Push To Limit Birthright Citizenship Include A Ban On Pregnant Tourists?
In the wake of a Supreme Court decision this week upholding the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, the Trump administration and fellow Republican immigration hardliners are exploring alternative routes to limit citizenship rights for children born within the United States to foreign tourists. (Becker, 7/1)
In news from Capitol Hill —
Axios: Exclusive: GOP Think Tank Pushes Heavy Health Spending Cuts
An influential conservative think tank is issuing a new call for policy changes that would lower the federal government's health care spending, including several that would be guaranteed to generate political blowback. (Owens, 7/1)
Modern Healthcare: House Committee Advances Tax-Exempt Hospital Transparency Act
Tax-exempt hospitals would have to reveal extensive financial data under a bill that cleared a key House committee Wednesday. The Tax-Exempt Hospital Transparency Act of 2026 passed the Ways and Means Committee on a voice vote, with some Democrats indicating opposition. Hospitals have increasingly been in the crosshairs on Capitol Hill, with Republicans going as far as floating an end to their tax exemption last year. Progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are also critical of nonprofit hospitals, contending they do not provide enough charity care to justify not paying federal taxes. (McAuliff, 7/1)
Politico: Tom Kean Jr. Kept His Depression A Secret. Colleagues Are Questioning That Decision
When Rep. Tom Kean Jr. revealed Tuesday his extended absence from the House was due to inpatient treatment for depression, he ended months of speculation but also fueled a delicate conversation: Just how much privacy are elected officials entitled to? The New Jersey Republican offered only scant details about his condition during the four months he went missing. And while colleagues of both parties expressed sympathy for his mental health challenges and gratitude that he has now returned, many hedged their comments by saying Kean could and perhaps should have said something earlier. (McCarthy and Levien, 7/1)
