Latest KFF Health News Stories
Name-Brand Pharmaceuticals From EU Will Carry 15% Tariff, Per Trade Deal
The agreement struck between the Trump administration and the European Union, which goes into effect Sept. 1, holds tariffs for generic pharmaceuticals at roughly 2.5%.
Public Health Leaders From 8 States Meet To Discuss Regional Collaboration
Every New England state except New Hampshire was represented, as well as New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The Boston Globe reported that the meeting was unusual and marked a step toward independence from federal health agencies. Plus: New details about the CDC shooting.
In Blow To Medical Research, Supreme Court Says Trump Can Halt NIH Grants
The 5-4 ruling lifts a lower court ruling that forced the National Institutes of Health to restore funding for more than 1,700 health research grants. In a searing rebuttal, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson accused her colleagues of making it so that “this administration always wins,” Politico wrote.
First Edition: Friday, Aug. 22, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Construction Companies Sued In Deadly NY Legionnaires’ Outbreak
The lawsuits, filed Wednesday, claim the companies neglected safety measures, causing a “completely preventable” outbreak that has killed at least five and sickened many more. Other states making news: Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, and California.
63% Of US Drug Plants Are In Counties With Prior Climate-Related Disasters
Researchers point to supply chain risks, given that so many American drug manufacturing plants fall in the path of hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. Also in pharma and tech news: radiopharmaceuticals, airborne germ sensors, UTI treatments, and more.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
Editorial writers discuss these public health topics.
To Prevent Illness In Infants, Parents Urged To Mix Formula More Carefully
Parents should boil water, add formula, and then wait. Researchers found that not following these steps — which isn’t spelled out in packaging instructions — could lead to serious illness in infants. More public health news is on Omega-3 in adults and children, a covid surge, and more.
Some Breast Cancer Tumors Steal From Fat Cells To Power Growth, Study Finds
Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco found that the energy heist is a critical step in fueling a triple-negative breast cancer’s development. They hope their discovery leads to a cure for the often-deadly cancer and others. Other studies look at colon, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
UnitedHealth Adds ‘Public Responsibility Committee’ To Its Board
The goal, Bloomberg reports, is to bolster governance and oversight as UnitedHealth aims to improve its standing with shareholders, regulators, and the public. Other health industry news is on Elevance Health, Aetna, Epic, hospital inpatient costs, and more.
Feds Subpoena Hospitals For Wide Range Of Sensitive Trans Care Info
The Justice Department demanded access to sensitive information related to medical care for transgender patients under age 19, including billing documents, communications with drug manufacturers, and personal data such as birth dates, Social Security numbers and addresses.
Hundreds Laid Off At CDC; 750 HHS Workers Vent Anger In Letter To RFK Jr.
Between 500 and 600 employees were terminated as of Monday, The Washington Post reported today. A federal health official confirmed the layoffs but not the number. Meanwhile, HHS employees have accused HHS Chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of “dangerous and deceitful statements and actions.”
First Edition: Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kentucky Bans ‘Designer Xanax’ In Response To Increasing Overdoses
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, announced Monday that bromazolam, aka “Designer Xanax,” has been reclassified as a Schedule 1 drug. Other states making news: Connecticut, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Florida, California, and Texas.
Opinion writers tackle these public health issues.
In A First, FDA OKs Glucose Monitoring System For Weight Management
The system, from Signos, offers three- and six-month plans ($139 and $129 a month, respectively), and the company will send all of the continuous glucose monitors a patient needs, CNBC reported. Plus: Some veterans are losing insurance coverage for weight loss drugs.
HHS Authorizes FDA To Use Animal Drugs To Fight Screwworms
Although there are no specific FDA-approved drugs in the U.S. to treat the parasite, the emergency authorization paves the way for the use of animal drug products approved for other purposes or available in other countries. Plus: Legionnaires’ disease, plague, measles, and more.
CMS Plans To Remove Noncitizens From Medicaid And CHIP
Meanwhile, Iowa Medicaid work requirements are set to go into effect in January. Also: the impact of Medicaid cuts on Black children; provider reimbursement rate cuts in North Carolina; and more.
Rising Health Care Costs For Employers Means Less Coverage For Employees
A report by the Business Group on Health showing health care costs projected to rise 9% in 2026 has caused companies to reevaluate benefits and contracts for the coming year. A survey shows 66% of employers are worried Medicaid and Medicare cuts will mean hospital cost increases for the commercially insured.
