Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Supreme Court Blocks Proposed Restrictions On Medical Care For Trans Inmates
AP: Supreme Court Rejects Trump Administration On Restricting Transgender Inmate Medical Care For Now
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce new medical restrictions for transgender people in federal prison. The decision leaves in place a lower-court block on the policy. It was adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump, a Republican who has taken several steps to roll back transgender rights during his second term. (Whitehurst, 10/22)
In other administration news —
Axios: Hegseth Approves Testing Of 'Heat Ray' At The Border. Here's How It Works
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved testing of a military-grade "heat ray" for potential use along the U.S.-Mexico border — a weapon that uses invisible energy beams to produce an intense burning sensation on human skin. (Scribner, 10/21)
WUSF: White House Diverts HIV Prevention Money To States
The Trump administration has cut $46 million to groups that work on HIV prevention across the country by diverting grants previously awarded to community-based organizations and allocating the money to state health departments instead. HIV advocates warn of a possible rise in cases, particularly in states with high rates of new HIV infections like Florida, which ranks third in the nation after Washington, DC and Georgia. (Sheridan, 10/22)
Military.com: VA Approved More Than 625,000 Upgrades To 100% Disability Ratings In 3 Years, Budget Records Show
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has raised veterans' combined disability ratings to 100% more than 625,000 times between 2023 and 2025, including roughly 250,000 upgrades last year alone, according to a Military.com review of the department's congressional budget submissions. More than 2 million veterans now hold the VA's highest disability rating, up 122% from about 941,000 in June 2021, according to VA benefits datapreviously reported by OAF Nation. (Gramegna, 10/22)
Stat: Feds Launch Medicaid Fraud Crackdown In NYC Adult Day Care Centers
Just one week after being granted the authority to kick providers off of federal health care programs, U.S. health officials are using it on adult day care centers in New York City they say are committing fraud. (Bannow, 10/21)
Axios: Americans' Opinion Of The CDC Hits Record Low
Americans' ratings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have fallen to a record low, according to a recent Gallup poll, driven by a plunge in Democrats' views of the agency. (Adkins, 10/21)
On vaccines and prescription drugs —
ABC News: Changes To Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendations Could Leave Millions Of Children Vulnerable: Study
Changes to federal hepatitis B vaccination recommendations could lead to more childhood infections and leave up to 1.8 million young adults vulnerable to the virus, a new study finds. It comes as health experts raise concerns about the potential long-term impact of changing childhood vaccination recommendations. (Tsapatsaris and Assoumou, 10/21)
The Guardian: Controversial US-Backed Vaccine Trial In African Newborns Halted
The US-backed hepatitis B vaccine trial in African newborns that drew global backlash was halted, the lead researcher said on Wednesday. It was “now clear” that the study “will not move forward in Guinea-Bissau”, Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer, a Danish researcher, wrote on LinkedIn, adding, “we were not given the necessary governmental approval.” (Schreiber, 10/21)
KFF Health News: ‘Go To Canada’: Trump Touted Americans’ Access To Cheaper Drugs. A New Rule Threatens It
Days before it was to go into effect, the Trump administration pushed back a U.S. customs rule threatening the supply of vital prescription drugs imported by millions of Americans. Under the rule, Customs and Border Protection and the FDA will require coding on packages that makes it easier to know what’s in them. It is aimed at collecting tariffs on even low-value imports, and at catching illegal drugs like fentanyl. It will also add costs and complex paperwork to each order. Now the regulation, which was set to start Oct. 22, is delayed until Jan. 20. (Allen, 10/22)
