Viewpoints: With Trump’s Nominees, Our Health Is On The Line; Why The Feds Should Pay For Weight Loss Drugs
Opinion writers tackle these public health issues.
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Opinion writers tackle these public health issues.
In yet another sign that the president-elect is looking to overhaul the public health sector, Donald Trump has selected a candidate who has been critical of the agency he would direct.
A new experimental weight loss drug from Amgen — the first in a growing group of drugs aimed at once-a-month injections instead of once a week — helped patients lose up to 20% of their weight in one year, according to data from a Phase 2 trial. In other news, a new study shows that acetaminophen may in fact cause ulcers along with other health issues. Also: biotech, AI, and more.
Also in health industry news: Pontiac General Hospital files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; health systems are hiring doctors from PE-backed firms; and more.
Also in the news: vaccine hesitancy in Washington and Oregon; the Canadian teen with bird flu; the mpox vaccine in Africa; and more.
The landmark move comes as a report shows new HIV cases are at their lowest numbers since the 1980s. World AIDS Day is Sunday.
Newspapers in China warned the United States not to "take China's goodwill for granted regarding anti-drug cooperation," Reuters reported. China has recently been more willing to share intelligence on the flow of fentanyl. Meanwhile, as the Wall Street Journal notes, Mexico has a notorious inability to confront powerful drug gangs.
The president-elect's nominees — particularly those in the health sector — have a history of scrutinizing the government agencies that would be under their purview. However, they have shown that their political priorities align with Trump's.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: First Edition won't publish for the rest of the week. Look for it again in your inbox Monday. Happy Thanksgiving!
Opinion writers tackle these public health issues.
Delta workers and a person on an Avianca flight all sought medical care after arriving at Boston Logan International Airport. The cause of the illnesses is unknown. Meanwhile, Texas is facing its worst dengue fever outbreak in two decades. Also, a look at lung cancer rates in women.
Among other news: Massachusetts law allows "sick leave" for miscarriages and failed adoptions, and the USDA has rejected Iowa's request to send out food boxes to low-income families, putting summer food assistance for 240,000 kids in jeopardy.
The company's future now appears to be in flux, as simufilam was its only drug in clinical trials, The New York Times reported. Also: a Roche lung cancer drug has failed to improve survival; pharma companies' net zero carbon goals; and more.
The Boston Globe reports on the widening investigation into Steward, including that federal investigators also visited another Steward executive and seized his phone, as well. Separately, the Globe explores how the Steward collapse is worsening ER overcrowding.
Following complications from a miscarriage, 35-year-old Porsha Ngumezi suffered what more than a dozen doctors called a preventable death after not receiving a standard D&C procedure. More abortion news comes from Arizona, New York, Minnesota, and more.
According to several news outlets, an executive order is being drafted that would immediately discharge all transgender service members — estimated at 15,000 — from the military, a move that would prove to be chaotic at a time when new recruitments are low. Donald Trump's team did not deny the reports but said no decisions have been made.
The Washington Post reports that Republican party leaders want to impose new restrictions on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which shields people from deceptive financial practices. Meanwhile, some government watchdogs are already quitting their jobs.
The absence of direct-to-consumer outreach will “almost certainly” cause drug sales to plunge, experts fear. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump is considering Jim O’Neill as deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services. O’Neill has expressed interest in FDA reforms.
HHS proposed a rule Tuesday that, if enacted, would expand access to anti-obesity medications like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro to millions of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The regulation would not be finalized before Donald Trump takes office and could be blocked by the next HHS Secretary; nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a critic of such drugs.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
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