Latest KFF Health News Stories
FDA Redacts Names Of Drugs From Reports On Contaminated Factories
ProPublica reports that, according to the FDA, releasing the names of the drugs in inspection reports on foreign facilities would violate federal law protecting confidential commercial information. Experts worry that removing this data renders the reports useless for keeping Americans safe.
OB-GYN Group Urges Members To Support Contraception, Fight Misinfo
An official at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stressed the importance of helping “patients get access to the evidence-based care they need and deserve.” Also: Nurses are going on strike at Tenet Health hospitals in California; a look at the maternity care deserts in Minnesota; and more.
Deportees Recount Horrors Of Hours Spent In ICE’s Full-Body Restraints
The use of the WRAP — also called “the burrito” or “the bag” — has been criticized as inhumane by deportees and their advocates. Federal lawsuits liken incorrect usage of the device to punishment and even torture, AP reports. Plus, pregnant people decry the care they receive at detention facilities.
Bird Flu Infections Surging In Poultry And Cattle; Measles Outbreaks Swelling
With no clear picture of the scope of the U.S. bird flu surge — federal agencies have stopped communicating during the shutdown — state health officials are left to fend for themselves to cope with outbreaks. Meanwhile, Utah, Arizona, and South Carolina are measles hot spots.
Trump Might Replace ACA, Oz Says; 25 States Will Halt SNAP Amid Shutdown
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Wednesday that President Donald Trump “has a plan” to redo Obamacare, which is at the heart of the federal shutdown. Oz didn’t offer specifics but said, “There’s all kinds of ideas.” Meanwhile, dozens of states say they don’t have enough funding to run the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after Nov. 1.
First Edition: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Hundreds Of Disability Advocates Urge NC Legislature To Repeal Medicaid Cuts
The state’s Department of Health and Human Services slashed reimbursement for Medicaid-covered services on Oct. 1, North Carolina Health News reported. Other health news is from Mississippi, Minnesota, New Jersey, California, and Montana. Plus: A nationwide shrimp recall widens.
Opinion writers discuss these public health topics.
White House Warns Of Repercussions For Using Artificial Food Dyes
At a health industry conference on Tuesday, White House adviser Calley Means announced that regulations might be imposed on food companies that don’t switch away from synthetics. Also: The soda industry pits MAGA against MAHA; experts weigh in on the seed oil scandal; and more.
Gilead To Keep States’ HIV Drug Prices Steady After Earlier Saying They’d Rise
The agreement provides relief to federally funded programs that provide free or low-cost drugs to around 110,000 low-income people nationwide. Other news is on the side effects of antidepressants; the cause of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia; ivermectin as a cancer treatment; and more.
Private Equity Firms Blackstone, TPG To Buy Hologic For $13 Billion
Hologic — which makes mammography systems, breast imaging technology, and biopsy equipment — will go private in the deal. Other health industry news is on home infusion, death rates at U.S. dialysis centers, the shuttering of obstetric services at an Ohio hospital, and more.
Amid Shutdown, Health Care Lobbyists Tiptoe Around Topics To Pursue Wins
Health care advocates tread a delicate line when it comes to discussions about politically charged ACA subsidies, but they see opportunities to sway lawmakers on bipartisan issues such as telehealth. Meanwhile, moderate Republicans lean on House leadership to address expiring ACA subsidies.
ICE Detainees Claim They’re Served Low-Quality Meals, Are Left Hungry
USA Today reports on food quality at a Louisiana ICE hub, where detainees say they are subject to a diet of processed foods that are often expired and never fully sate their hunger. A Guardian report highlights ICE detention conditions of perpetual twilight under fluorescent lights.
First Edition: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A Record 154,000 NYC Students Were Homeless During The Last School Year
In New York, more than half of all children who are considered homeless under federal law are “doubled up,” sometimes packed into tiny apartments with three or four other families, The New York Times reported. Other health news from around the U.S. comes from Michigan, Wyoming, Colorado, Iowa, Utah, Arizona, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Viewpoints: Rural Medicine Has Lessons For American Health Care; Covering Ozempic Will Save Money
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
Kennedy Plans To Change Dietary Guidelines To Increase Saturated Fats
In contrast to the decades-long recommendation to limit foods high in saturated fats to less than 10% of a daily diet, RFK Jr. intends to encourage increasing consumption. Also: Americans’ opinions on what constitutes healthy food are changing; global cancer rates are on the rise; and more.
NC Settlement: Nursing Facilities Can’t Ban Those With Addiction History
Stat reports that the Americans with Disabilities Act is the basis of the settlement, which could set national precedent for those taking addiction medications. Other industry news is on Hartford HealthCare, Kaiser Permanente, Atrium Health, and more.
Hospital Workers Here On H-1B Visas Will Be Grandfathered In, Feds Say
Health care companies sued after President Trump announced he was attaching a $100,000 visa fee to foreign workers. Going forward, only new applicants are subject to the fee. Foreign workers seeking a change of status would be among those exempt from the fee.
Tylenol Maker Goes On Offensive, Says Autism Warning Shouldn’t Be On Label
“For over a decade, and as recently as August, FDA has fully evaluated the emerging scientific evidence and repeatedly concluded that the data do not support a causal association” between acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental disorders, Kenvue told U.S. regulators.
