Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Global Groups That Don't Abide By US Health Priorities Will Lose Foreign Aid
AP: Trump Administration To Block Foreign Aid From Those Promoting Abortion, DEI And Gender Identity
The Trump administration is expanding its ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups supporting abortion services to include assistance going to international and domestic organizations and agencies that promote gender identity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs. An administration official said Thursday that the State Department would release final rules that expand the scope of the “Mexico City” policy that has already severely reduced assistance to international organizations that provide abortion-related care. The policy was first established under President Ronald Reagan, rescinded by subsequent Democratic administrations and reinstated in Trump’s first term. (Lee and Swenson, 1/22)
The New York Times: Trump Administration Cuts Off Funding For Fetal Tissue Research. Again
The National Institutes of Health said on Thursday it is ending support for all research that makes use of human fetal tissue, eliminating funding for projects both within and outside of the agency. A ban instituted in June 2019 by the first Trump administration ended all research done at the N.I.H. and led to the rejection of most external grant proposals. It was lifted in 2021 by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., restoring financing and allowing scientists to conduct research using tissue from elective abortions to study and develop treatments for diseases. (Caryn Rabin, 1/22)
More news about abortion and today's March for Life —
CNN: ‘Mr. President, It’s Now Time’: Social Conservatives Beg Trump For Abortion Pill Crackdown Ahead Of March For Life
As thousands of protestors demonstrate in Washington, DC, at Friday’s annual March for Life, the Trump administration faces a deadline to explain why it opposes a lawsuit that would achieve a key goal of its allies in the anti-abortion movement by ending the availability of abortion pills by mail. The lawsuit, brought by Louisiana against the President Donald Trump-appointed health officials, is one of several pressure points the anti-abortion movement is pressing to push the administration to limit access to medication abortion, which now accounts for roughly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States. (Sneed and Owermohle, 1/23)
Roll Call: Sidelined Last Election, Abortion Returns To Policy Limelight
In the months leading up to the 2024 election, many Republicans tried to play off abortion as a lesser campaign priority following the backlash to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. But one year into President Donald Trump’s second term, anti-abortion advocates are aiming to push the issue back into the limelight. The movement has been emboldened following successful lobbying to get Planned Parenthood defunded for one year in Republicans’ 2025 reconciliation law. (Raman, 1/22)
KFF Health News: Why Medication Abortion Is The Top Target For Anti-Abortion Groups In 2026
This week would have marked the 53rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide — that is, until 2022, when the court overturned it. Since then, abortion has been banned in 13 states and severely limited in 10 others. Yet anti-abortion activists remain frustrated, in some cases even more so than before Roe was overturned. (Rovner, 1/23)
Other news from the Trump administration —
AP: Judge To Consider Whether Trump Can Withhold Money For Programs In 5 States
Five Democratic-controlled states are asking a judge Friday to order President Donald Trump’s administration to keep money flowing for child care subsidies and other programs aimed at boosting low-income families with children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was pausing the funding because it had “reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others. The states say the move was instead intended to damage Trump’s political adversaries. (Mulvihill, 1/23)
Phys.org: 9/11 WTC Health Program Workforce Cut By 25% Under Kennedy As Patient Count Rises, Advocates Say
The staff running the federal World Trade Center Health Program has been cut by 25% as the number of sick 9/11 survivors the group treats is expected to increase by 10,000 this year, the Daily News has learned. Survivor advocates are demanding U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lift the agency's hiring freeze and fully staff the program before the personnel shortfall adversely affects first responders and survivors seeking help. (Tracy, 1/20)
Stat: Questions Swirl As Vacancies On NIH Advisory Councils Go Unfilled
Since President Trump took office last January, only one new member has been added to the NIH advisory councils, key panels that make final recommendations on what research to fund at universities and medical centers, depleting their ranks as current members’ terms expired and a handful resigned. (Molteni, 1/22)
The New York Times: Trump Says He Bruised His Hand On A Table
President Donald Trump said that the bruise was also a side effect of taking aspirin. “I would say take aspirin if you like your heart. But don’t take aspirin if you don’t want to have a little bruising. I take the big aspirin. And when you take the big aspirin, they tell you you’ll bruise,” he said. (Moses, 1/23)
