Latest KFF Health News Stories
CDC Makes It Official, Drops Hep B Shot Recommendation For Newborns
Babies whose mothers test positive for the virus, or whose status is unknown, should still get the birth dose, the CDC says, but others may delay the first shot until the child is at least 2 months old. However, doctors and hospital systems are likely to continue following the decades-old policy.
House To Vote On Gender-Affirming Care For Kids, Including Penalties
The two bills up for a vote include one that would criminalize providing certain gender-affirming procedures or medications, and one that would prohibit Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care, Axios reports. Also: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) blocks a vote on ACA subsidies.
First Edition: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Ohio Pediatricians Claim They Were Fired After Raising Safety Concerns
The two Cleveland pediatricians claim they were fired after alerting the hospital leaders to understaffing, vaccine shortages, and lab work delays. They have filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination and defamation. Also: Rural health care workers juggle multiple roles; and more.
FDA Green-Lights Libido-Enhancing Drug For Postmenopausal Women
The drug, Addyi, was first approved a decade ago for premenopausal women but comes with some unpleasant side effects. Also: a warning to retailers about tainted formula, a lawsuit over paraquat and Parkinson’s, and more.
RFK Jr. Calls For Changes As Childhood Vaccine Injuries Group Preps To Meet
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed a desire to add autism to the program. More vaccine news covers covid, long covid, measles, and avian flu in cattle.
Viewpoints: Both Parties Get Health Care Wrong; Dropping Hep B Birth Dose Has Dangerous Consequences
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
VA Rolls Out Plan To Restructure Veterans Health Administration
The department intends to reduce “duplicative management layers,” and says VA medical centers and clinics will retain their staffing levels. Veterans Affairs also will eliminate 25,000 unfilled jobs. Other administration news looks at disability rights lawyers, dietary supplements, saturated fats, and more.
Trump Order Classifies Fentanyl As Weapon Of Mass Destruction
The decree gives the administration additional tools to target countries, cartels, and organizations that are connected to the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl, The Hill reported. Experts pushed back on the new designation, with one noting it “is about looking like you’re doing something rather than actually doing something.”
Senators Buoyed By Talks On ACA But Say Solution Not Likely By End Of 2025
The framework of a bipartisan deal could come about by the end of the week, The Hill reported. Even so, January was targeted as a realistic time frame, senators cautioned. The current enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies will expire Dec. 31.
First Edition: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Tanning Bed Use Causes Significant Skin Cell Damage, Study Finds
The Northwestern Medicine study showed that tanning bed use not only increases skin cancer risk but also damages skin cell DNA. The study was prompted by recurrent melanoma in a high number of women under 50. Also: cervical, ovarian, and breast cancer; mental health; and gun violence.
Viewpoints: Employers Can Ensure Fair Access To GLP-1s; Testosterone Won’t Stop Aging Or Menopause
Editorial writers delve into these public health issues.
GAO Report Indicates FDA Rarely Pulls Defective Medical Devices Off Market
The Government Accountability Office’s new report says the FDA’s understaffing means it has difficulty ensuring companies are taking critical steps to protect patients.
Measles Detected In Connecticut; US On Cusp Of Losing Elimination Status
An unvaccinated child traveler starting showing symptoms of the virus soon after returning home from abroad. As South Carolina becomes the latest hot spot, disease experts criticize the Trump administration — specifically HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — for continued transmission.
Illinois Enacts Medical Aid-In-Dying Law Despite Controversy, Protests
Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said the legislation will help terminally ill patients “avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives.” More news comes out of California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Provision To Withhold Funding For Planned Parenthood Upheld In Court
The provision of the tax law enacted in July requires the government to stop making Medicaid reimbursements to a subset of the nation’s largest abortion providers, which Planned Parenthood says singled them out, The New York Times reports. The lawsuit will now return to a lower court.
With Clock Ticking Down On ACA Subsidies, Congress Is Still Deadlocked
The House will take up health care measures this week, but none of them will offer a straight, multiyear extension on enhanced Obamacare tax credits. Plus, more about the politics of Obamacare subsidies and what that could mean for U.S. health care.
First Edition: Monday, Dec. 15, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on antibiotics, medically assisted death, acromegaly, organ donation, and more.
