Latest KFF Health News Stories
Scientists Find New MS Subtype Characterized By Cognitive Impairment
The unrecognized subtype exhibits minimal motor impairment. The researchers have created an accessible and effective online tool to assess cognitive impairment, which they noted is not currently a standard part of clinical practice. Other news looks at avian flu, measles outbreaks, and more.
Texas Poised To Enact Stricter Bans On Abortion Pills, Transgender Rights
Lawmakers passed a bill that would allow private citizens to sue out-of-state medical providers who mail abortion medication to Texas patients. They also passed a bill that would ban trans people from using public bathrooms or locker rooms that align with their genders. Both bills await the signature of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Study: People 65 And Older Receive Substandard Care For Opioid Disorder
Drug overdose deaths for people in that age group rose 11.4% between 2022 and 2023, CDC data show. Also: Scientists have developed a powerful non-opioid painkiller; controversy brews over involuntary addiction treatment; and more.
FDA: Pharma Firm Used Contaminated IV Bags For Epidural Injectable Drug
Amneal Pharmaceuticals lowered its standards to be able to continue using the bags even after the problem had been identified, the FDA said in a warning letter sent last week. Other news is on a one-shot early syphilis treatment trial, GLP-1 drugs, and more.
House Panel Sets Sights On Extending Health Care Provisions
The committee aims to secure bipartisan support for extending telehealth flexibilities in Medicare coverage as well as for provisions in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. Also in the news: ACA subsidies; health AI; and more.
Viewpoints: We Are Losing Our Freedom To Choose Vaccination; The CDC Is Becoming Unrecognizable
Opinion writers tackle vaccines, the CDC, and the U.S. drug supply.
Research Powerhouse Harvard Secures Win Over Trump’s $2B Funding Freeze
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston ruled the government violated the university’s free speech rights when it withheld grants, noting the administration “used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities, and did so in a way that runs afoul” of the law. A separate judge has blocked foreign aid cuts.
West Coast States Form Health Alliance In Response To Trump’s CDC
On Wednesday, the governors of California, Washington, and Oregon announced the creation of the West Coast Health Alliance, aimed at providing public health and vaccine guidance separate from the CDC. Other vaccine news comes from Colorado, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Several Covid Vax Skeptics Might Join ACIP; RFK Jr. Testifies At Senate Today
Politico reports that it has seen an internal list that included the names of at least three people who have questioned the safety of mRNA vaccines. It’s unclear whether new members could join the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices before its next meeting Sept. 18-19. Plus: The FDA questions the safety of getting covid and flu vaccines at the same time.
First Edition: Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Advanced-Stage Prostate Cancer Rates See Sharp Rise In Past Decade
The report also shows that declines in mortality rates have slowed, from 3%-4% per year to 0.6% per year in the past decade. Plus: A study looks at cancer-fighting properties of a plant-based nutrient. More news is on Alzheimer’s; the link between brain tumors and the birth control shot; and more.
Victims’ Families, Survivors Of Maine Mass Shooting Sue US Government
The plaintiffs argue that the U.S. Army could and should have done more to stop the 2023 shooting that killed 18 people in Lewiston, AP reported, because it reportedly knew that the gunman had mental health issues. Also: President Donald Trump raises the possibility of arming teachers who have served as “distinguished” military service members.
OpenAI Will Offer Parental Controls After California Teen’s Suicide
The change will be introduced to ChatGPT within the next month, the company said Tuesday. Plus: The suicide rate among older Coloradans has not budged in a decade, The Colorado Sun reported.
First Covid Pill That Prevents Infection After Exposure Awaits FDA Approval
In a phase 3 trial, ensitrelvir — known as Xocova — showed a 67% reduction in risk of covid infection in patients treated after exposure. The drug has already been approved for use in Japan. Also, a new clinical trial shows covid may be prevented by using a common nasal antihistamine spray.
Different Takes: RFK Jr. Decries ‘Irrational Policy’ At CDC; Congress Must Take A Stand On Its Fate
Editorial writers examine the controversy over the CDC and other public health issues.
RFK Jr. Touts CDC’s Measles Response As Justification For Agency Shake-Up
In an op-ed, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. writes of the need to restore trust in the agency. But the director of the Dallas County Health Department disputes whether CDC policies helped end the outbreak, noting: “The accessibility and availability of CDC now is nothing like it has been in the past, or should be, and to claim that now this is the model for CDC is really — it’s just not true.”
HHS Will Restore Webpages With DEI; More CDC Budget Cuts On The Table
Under a court settlement, health data on those pages will be reset to reflect how they appeared as of Jan. 29, 2025. Axios has reported that a statement posted on those pages says, “Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from truth. This page does not reflect reality and therefore the Administration and this Department reject it.”
Providers, Patients Will Have Instant Access To Drug Costs Come Oct. 1
A final CMS rule requires providers to make digital requests during appointments with patients. Separately, Gilead Sciences aims to raise prices for its HIV medicines that are distributed by state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs.
First Edition: Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
2 Die In Louisiana After Eating Oysters Tainted With Flesh-Eating Bacteria
State health officials report 22 people have been hospitalized with Vibrio vulnificus infections. Plus: A Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs has sickened people in 18 states; it is now optional for the CDC to report illnesses caused by Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia; and more.
