Friday, July 17, 2026 - KFF Health News

From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:

KFF Health News Original Stories

Insurers Hedge on Trump-Backed Pledge To Improve Denials Process

Last year, the Trump administration announced a voluntary commitment by dozens of insurers to improve a process called prior authorization, which often requires patients or their doctors to seek approval before proceeding with treatment. Less than one year later, some insurers chose not to sign the pledge’s update. ( Lauren Sausser and Renuka Rayasam , 7/17 )

Watch: ‘Robust’ Primary Care, Transparency Top Employers’ Reform Wish List

KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Elizabeth Mitchell, the president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health, about systemic healthcare changes backed by large employers, which cover millions of Americans. ( Hannah Norman and Julie Rovner , 7/17 )

Trump’s CDC Nominee Praises Vaccines, Without Vowing Independence From Kennedy

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Erica Schwartz, expressed support for vaccines, including covid shots, in her confirmation hearing. It’s a distinction from health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ( Rachel Spears , 7/16 )

What the Health? From KFF Health News: States Start Their Medicaid Cuts

Most of the federal Medicaid cuts don’t take effect until 2027, but many states are already cutting budgets in anticipation of getting fewer health dollars from Washington. Meanwhile, Congress is back from break, but progress on legislative priorities remains slow. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. And as part of the “How Would You Fix It?” series, Rovner interviews Elizabeth Mitchell of the Purchaser Business Group on Health. ( 7/16 )

Here's today's health policy haiku:

THE POWER OF A TINY PARASITE

Beware of the greens.
It's cyclosporiasis
outbreak on the run.

— Renee Atkinson

If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story.

Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF.

Summaries Of The News:

Outbreaks and Health Threats

CDC, FDA Say Cyclosporiasis Outbreak In 5 States Linked To Iceberg Lettuce Supplied To Taco Bell

The CDC and FDA have traced the outbreak to a single Mexican supplier of iceberg lettuce used at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. The agencies have not named the supplier, The Washington Post reported. At least 34 states across the country have identified cases. The FDA is working with the supplier to determine if contaminated lettuce went to other places, officials told The Post.

The Washington Post: CDC, FDA Link Taco Bell Lettuce Supplier To Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak

Federal health officials said Thursday that a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis that has sickened thousands of people has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in five states, confirming key findings first reported by The Washington Post. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said traceback investigators identified a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico used at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. In updates posted to the CDC webpage and FDA webpage late Thursday, officials urged consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in those states while the investigation continues. (Sun and Roubein, 7/16)

ABC News: Hospitalizations In Michigan Linked To Cyclosporiasis Surpass 100: Health Officials

Hospitalizations in Michigan linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, have surpassed 100, health officials said Thursday. So far, 102 people have been hospitalized, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Additionally, cases have topped 4,000, state data shows. Preliminary findings by Michigan health officials suggest lettuce or salad greens as a potential source of the illnesses. However, no specific type of produce, grower or supplier has been identified as the source, and federal health officials have not publicly identified a source of the outbreak. (Benadjaoud and Kekatos, 7/16)

The Hill: Can Vinegar Kill Cyclospora Parasite?

A produce-linked parasite that can cause uncomfortable (and at times dangerous) bouts of “explosive” diarrhea is causing people to think twice before snacking on berries or mixing up a salad. Thousands of people so far have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite. The source of this year’s outbreak is not yet confirmed, but in years past the parasite has been found on fresh fruits and vegetables, like lettuce, salad greens, berries, cilantro, green onions, basil and snap peas. (Martichoux, 7/16)

MedPage Today: You've Heard Of Cyclospora. What Other Parasites Can You Catch From Food?

As health officials track cyclosporiasis cases in multiple states, experts note that there are plenty of other parasites that people can contract from food. These fall into two main categories: protozoa -- like Cyclospora, the one causing "explosive diarrhea" right now -- and worms. (Henderson, 7/16)

The latest on the Ebola outbreak —

Reuters: EXCLUSIVE: Aid Group Says Seven Americans Quarantining At Kenya Ebola Facility After US Travel Ban

Seven American aid workers who had been in Congo to fight the Ebola outbreak are quarantining at a new isolation facility in Kenya ‌after the U.S. government introduced travel restrictions, the head of a U.S. charity employing them told Reuters. The aid workers are the first known people to quarantine at the facility, which has sparked huge opposition in Kenya and is at the heart of a legal case in which a court has ordered the work to be suspended. Construction continued however, according to U.S. officials and satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters. (Farge, 7/17)

Stat: WHO Presses Uganda For Update On Cases Of Deadly Marburg Virus

The government of Uganda has gone quiet on an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus that it reported late last month, with the World Health Organization acknowledging Thursday it has made repeated requests for updated information on the status of the investigation into how it started and how far it may have spread. (Branswell, 7/16)

On the spread of measles and covid —

MedPage Today: Studies Document Brain Swelling, Sepsis In U.S. Measles Outbreaks

As U.S. measles cases approach last year's record-breaking total, studies on South Carolina and Utah's large outbreaks showed cases of encephalitis and sepsis among the hospitalized patients. In both states, hypoxemia and pneumonia were the most common conditions leading to hospitalization for measles, with some admissions driven by electrolyte abnormalities, sepsis, and shock. (Rudd, 7/16)

CIDRAP: Most Measles Patients Who Sought Care At Prisma Health In South Carolina Were Kids

Most of the measles patients Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital cared for during South Carolina's recent outbreak were kids aged 10 years or younger. NIHAccording to a letter from the health system's physicians, published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine, Prisma treated 81 people for measles from October 2025 to April 2026. (Boden, 7/16)

CIDRAP: Contagious Cuteness: Children’s Birthday Parties Spread COVID-19 To Grandparents During Pandemic

Without a doubt, young children are the world's most adorable vectors of disease.Their chubby cheeks. Their dimpled knees. Their sticky, unwashed hands and perpetually runny noses. Their tendency to put absolutely everything they can grab into their mouths.Anyone who has lived with a toddler or preschooler knows that youngsters are avid collectors of germs. And they can’t help sharing them.During the pandemic, a new study suggests, many older adults were infected with COVID-19 around the time of their grandchildren’s birthdays, probably during parties or family gatherings. (Szabo, 7/16)

Environmental Health

Grab An N95 Mask: Wildfire Smoke Will Intensify Today Across Large Swaths Of US

Health experts recommend wearing an N95 mask to help prevent against smoke inhalation. An N95 mask is designed to filter at least 95% of airborne particles, said Kai Chen of the Yale School of Public Health. Wildfire smoke is made up of fine solids, gases, and fine particles that can get trapped in the lungs, Chen said.

The Washington Post: Wildfire Smoke Will Worsen In The Northeast And Mid-Atlantic Through Friday

Through Friday, more than 115 million people are forecast to be exposed to air quality levels that are unhealthy or worse as winds funnel smoke south from out-of-control fires in Canada and Minnesota — and a heat dome traps that smoke near the ground. (Noll, 7/16)

ABC News: As Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blankets The US, Can Wearing A Mask Help?

For those who need to work outdoors, are more sensitive to smoke or are in a high-risk group, wearing a mask can help protect you -- as long as it's the right kind of mask. (Kekatos, 7/16)

Bloomberg: Overlapping Weather Disasters Challenge US Amid Trump Cuts

Across the US this week, different disasters — from Canadian wildfire smoke darkening the skies in the Midwest and Northeast to extreme heat along the East Coast to catastrophic flooding in Texas — are disrupting daily life and putting people's health at risk. When multiple weather catastrophes play out like this at the same time, or in quick succession, experts refer to them as compound events. As climate change makes compound events more likely, experts warned that grappling with them is further complicated by the Trump administration’s cuts to disaster work. (Hirji and Woody, 7/16)

AP: Spain Practices Outside Before The World Cup Final As Smoke Fills The Air

With the sun obstructed by haze, Spain’s players practiced Thursday ahead of the World Cup final outside in northern New Jersey while air conditions are hazardous because of smoke from Canadian wildfires. It was not clear how fast-paced a practice Spain held. Media members are only able to observe the first 15 minutes of what was scheduled to be a hourlong session in East Hanover beginning at 11 a.m. EDT. (Whyno and Borenstein, 7/16)

Government Policy

Senate Rejects Democratic Effort To End AI-Powered Prior Authorization In Medicare

CMS has described the so-called WISeR program as a tool to cut down on waste and fraud, Modern Healthcare reported, but lawmakers from both parties say the policy is creating hurdles for Medicare beneficiaries. In other news from Capitol Hill, the House delayed a vote on the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, one of the largest legislative packages for veterans in years.

Modern Healthcare: Senate Blocks Repeal Of CMS’ WISeR Prior Authorization Model

The Senate has rejected an attempt to repeal an artificial intelligence-powered program that introduced prior authorization requirements to fee-for-service Medicare. The upper chamber voted down a Democratic measure to repeal the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model, known as WISeR, on Thursday. The bill failed on party-line 46-50 vote in the majority-Republican Senate. (McAuliff, 7/16)

KFF Health News: Insurers Hedge On Trump-Backed Pledge To Improve Denials Process

One year after the Trump administration announced that dozens of health insurers had signed a six-part pledge promising to reduce barriers to doctor-recommended care, some insurers now say they won’t implement all the promised initiatives. Meanwhile, patients, their advocates, and clinicians say little has improved. “It has never been this bad for patients,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), a physician who co-chairs the GOP Doctors Caucus. (Sausser and Rayasam, 7/17)

On military health —

Military.com: House Officially Delays 60-Bill Veterans Package As Major Veterans Service Organizations Split Over Benefits

The House on Thursday abruptly delayed a vote on the Take Care of America's Veterans Act (TCAVA), shelving one of the largest veterans legislative packages in years after Republican leaders apparently failed to secure enough support amid a growing fight over disability compensation that has divided many of the nation's largest veterans organizations. (Lindsay, 7/16)

Stat: Hegseth Call For Military Testosterone Screenings Divides Experts

Medical experts are divided on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that U.S. service members will undergo testosterone deficiency screenings with their annual physical exams. (Merelli, 7/16)

Military.com: Marine Corps Officially Issues New Rules To Prevent Heat And Cold Injuries

The Marine Corps issued updated interim rules July 9 to help commanders prevent heat and cold stress injuries during training and operations. (Billard, 7/17)

On the immigration crisis —

The Hill: Trump Administration Revives Public Charge Rule For Green Card Applicants

The Trump administration is reviving a policy that would allow immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who use public benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance or food stamps. The policy governs how officials can apply the “public charge” test, which is used to determine whether applicants are likely to rely on government support. A final rule issued Thursday reverses the 2022 Biden-era policy that only allowed authorities to consider a green-card applicant’s use of cash benefits. The new version provides no limits. (Weixel, 7/16)

AP: ICE Officer Who Killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero Has A Violent History, Family And Records Say

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot a Colombian man in Maine this week is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood and never should have been given a badge and gun to patrol American streets, several of his close relatives told The Associated Press. David Brouillette has a history of terrifying and violent behavior, according to those relatives. They accuse him of attacking women in his life over the years, and one shared a voicemail with the AP from last winter in which he told her that he thought someone should slit her throat. (Brook, Sisak, Swinhart and Galofaro, 7/17)

AP: ICE's Hiring Spree Draws Fresh Scrutiny After Maine Shooting

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been rapidly expanding its workforce, hiring thousands of new officers as part of the Trump administration’s attempt to ramp up immigration arrests and deportations. The supersizing of ICE -- fueled by an infusion of billions of dollars granted by Congress — has raised concerns about the agency’s hiring practices and whether officers being brought on are receiving proper vetting. Those concerns have been rejected by the Department of Homeland Security. (Santana, 7/17)

The Washington Post: Exclusive: FDA Raised Conflict Of Interest Concerns Ahead Of New Peptide Panel

As the Trump administration was assembling a key panel to review a slate of controversial peptides, FDA officials expressed concerns about appointing those who worked for peptide-related businesses and clinics, according to two individuals familiar with the matter. The Food and Drug Administration said such members could represent potential conflicts of interest, the individuals said. Despite the flags, officials from the Department of Health and Human Services selected multiple people who promote peptides or work for companies that sell peptides to the panel, an unusual process given FDA staff typically choose their own advisers, said one of the individuals, along with another person familiar with the matter. Those people, like several others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. (Roubein, 7/17)

WUSF: RJK Jr. Lauds TGH For Going Healthy With Patient Meals

The food you get while recuperating at Tampa General Hospital might be tasting better these days. At least, it's likely to be better for you. It's the first hospital to sign a healthy food pledge that may be adopted by other medical centers. (Newborn, 7/17)

KFF Health News: Trump’s CDC Nominee Praises Vaccines, Without Vowing Independence From Kennedy

Erica Schwartz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expressed support for vaccines — including mRNA-based covid shots — in a Senate hearing on Wednesday, though she didn’t dispel concerns the agency has lost any independence from the White House. “I have been vaccinating people throughout my entire career in uniformed services. I believe in vaccines,” Schwartz said at the hearing. “I do believe that mRNA technology is safe and effective.” (Spears, 7/16)

Healthcare Costs

Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Several Parts Of ACA Exchange Rule

Last month, multiple cities and groups filed a lawsuit against CMS for allegedly violating the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 and the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Plaintiffs say the provisions in the rule would increase costs for enrollees and permit insurers to offer skimpier coverage, Modern Healthcare reported.

Modern Healthcare: Key ACA Exchange Rule Provisions Blocked By Federal Judge

A federal judge temporarily blocked several parts of a rule Thursday that would have made major changes to the Affordable Care Act exchanges. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland blocked several provisions of a sweeping Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulation from going into effect July 20. (Early, 7/16)

More about the high cost of healthcare and prescriptions —

Stat: UnitedHealth Signals Employer Health Insurance Premiums Likely To Rise

UnitedHealth Group smashed through investors’ earnings expectations in the second quarter, with executives confidently saying this new level of profit is durable for the foreseeable future. (Herman, 7/16)

Modern Healthcare: Why Health Systems Are Scaling Back Provider-Owned Health Plans

A growing number of regional health systems are exiting the insurance business as rising costs squeeze margins and market share remains concentrated among the national carriers. Provider-owned health plans are running into trouble as they navigate expensive care and administrative costs, while also trying to keep premiums competitively low. The largest insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, are well-oiled operations with multibillion-dollar balance sheets. For systems, insurance is often an add-on business and not part of the core care delivery operation. (Hudson, 7/16)

KFF Health News: Watch: ‘Robust’ Primary Care, Transparency Top Employers’ Reform Wish List

In this “How Would You Fix It?” interview, Julie Rovner, KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent and host of the What the Health? podcast, sat down with Elizabeth Mitchell, the president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health, which represents many large employers and other institutional buyers of healthcare coverage. Mitchell noted that employers, which offer coverage to more than 160 million Americans, are a big player in the nation’s healthcare system — a role they came into because of “an accident of history,” she said. (Rovner and Norman, 7/17)

MedPage Today: Medicaid Could Save $$ Under 'Most Favored Nation' Pricing, Study Finds

A new program to base Medicaid drug prices on the lowest drug prices in other countries -- known as "most favored nation" (MFN) pricing -- could result in substantial savings, researchers found. (Frieden, 7/16)

MedPage Today: New Maternity Billing Codes Better Reflect Modern Care, Ob/Gyns Say

Maternity care billing is getting an overhaul that ob/gyns say is long overdue and will likely improve patient care and physician compensation -- as long as it's rolled out effectively. For decades, there's been a global system for pregnancy care billing in which all patients got the same package of 13 visits and clinicians were paid in a lump sum for this bundle. But starting Jan. 1, ob/gyns can individualize patients' care plans and bill for specific services thanks to new maternity billing codes adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA). (Robertson, 7/16)

In other healthcare industry developments —

Stat: Experts Expelled From ADA Conference Embroiled In New Controversy

Turmoil at the American Diabetes Association has taken a fresh turn, with leaders blocking editors at its flagship journal from publishing an opinion piece and first-person accounts detailing a high-profile controversy at the group’s own annual meeting just last month. (Cooney, 7/16)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: SSM Preps $783 Million Bond Sale, One Of Largest Of Its Kind, For Children’s Hospital

SSM Health, one of the largest hospital systems in the region, plans to issue $783 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance construction of its new Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. Some of the money is also earmarked for refinancing and smaller projects in Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, the healthcare giant disclosed this week in a notice filed with the state. (Bauman, 7/16)

Modern Healthcare: GE HealthCare, Catholic Health Agree To Imaging Tech Deal

GE HealthCare is locking in one of its largest-ever health system partnerships: a 10-year, $500 million deal with Long Island-based Catholic Health to modernize the system’s imaging, AI and diagnostic capabilities across more than 40 sites. The partnership, known as a care alliance, is part of Chicago-based GE HealthCare’s broader push into AI imaging and is meant to significantly enhance Catholic Health’s high-tech medical offerings. (Asplund, 7/16)

Axios: CVS Wants To Become The AI Front Door To Health Care

CVS Health is betting it can drive customer engagement with an AI assistant it developed with Google to help schedule checkups, fill prescriptions and check what insurance covers. (Reed, 7/16)

Stat: MDCalc Is Scoring The Clinical Calculators Used By Millions Of Doctors

Every day, doctors turn to specialized calculators to make decisions about their patients’ care. Kidney performance? There’s a calculator for that. Chance of a successful vaginal birth after a previous C-section? There’s a calculator for that. (Palmer, 7/17)

State Watch

Confusing Language In NC Law Prompts Head-Scratching Over Medicaid Dental Coverage

New legislation signed into law on July 7 seems to say that access to some oral health surgeries for Medicaid recipients will be halted on July 1, 2027. But Mark Casey, dental director for Medicaid at the state Department of Health and Human Services, said the provision does not eliminate the coverage, NC Health News reported.

North Carolina Health News: Oral Health Advocates Try To Unravel Mystery Of Two NC Budget Paragraphs

People who pay close attention to the machinations of state budget-making these days in North Carolina know that you can’t just look at the bottom line to understand how lawmakers’ spending choices will shape communities, families and the health care they’ll have access to. You have to become adept at reading between the budget lines to get the sweeping effect. (Blythe, 7/17)

KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: States Start Their Medicaid Cuts

When Republicans passed their big budget bill in 2025, they scheduled many of the Medicaid reductions to take effect in 2027, after the 2026 midterm elections. But in anticipation of getting less money from Washington come January, many states are already cutting their Medicaid programs, making the issue more relevant for voters in November. (Rovner, 7/16)

More health news from across the U.S. —

New Hampshire Public Radio: Health Services For Granite Staters Affected By State Budget Cuts

The current state budget required New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services make $51 million in cuts over two fiscal years, marking the largest reduction in its budget in the past 30 years. (Richardson, 7/16)

Connecticut Public: Key Lawmaker Wants CT To Explore Partnership To Make GLP-1s

A key lawmaker wants Connecticut to explore manufacturing generic weight-loss drugs despite Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration backing away from the idea. (Khan, 7/16)

AP: Sister Of Tennessee Death Row Inmate Targets Doctor Who Participated In Failed Execution

The sister of a Tennessee death row inmate whose execution was halted because of problems inserting an IV has filed a complaint against the doctor who was involved. The complaint filed Wednesday with the Tennessee Department of Health by Tonya Hervey says Tony Carruthers suffered excruciating pain during the May 21 attempt to administer a lethal injection and the family believes he now has partial paralysis that they attribute to a stroke. It does not specifically say how or when they believe the stroke occurred, and Hervey declined an interview request. (Loller, 7/16)

AP: Ghost Gun Company Must Pay $100M In The Death Of A Kentucky Teen

A ghost gun company has been ordered to pay more than $100 million in the death of a Kentucky teenager who had purchased the company’s pistol-building kit online. The verdict — believed to be the largest ever against a gun dealer — was awarded by a jury Wednesday following a trial focused on whether the vendor, Husky Armory LLC, skirted federal regulations barring the sale of the gun-assembly kits to those under 21. (Offenhartz and Lovan, 7/17)

Public Health

988 Suicide Hotline Not Reaching Adults Over 50, A Critical Age Group

A University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 69% of survey respondents had never heard of the 988 service. As HealthDay explained, the findings are alarming given that suicide rates for people older than 50 are higher than those among teens and young adults.

HealthDay: Survey Finds Adults Over 50 Largely Unaware Of 988 Suicide Line

New research suggests that this resource is failing to reach those 50 and older. The National Poll on Healthy Aging reported that 31% of adults over 50 are completely unaware that any mental health crisis lines exist. Even more concerning, 69% of survey respondents had never heard of the 988 service. These gaps in awareness are alarming given that suicide rates for people over 50 are higher than those among teens and young adults. (Neff, 7/17)

If you need help —

Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.

In other health and wellness news —

The Wall Street Journal: Federal Officials Investigate Online Ketamine Sellers To Curb At-Home Use

The federal government is cracking down on companies that provide ketamine for consumers to take at home, as concerns grow about misuse, adverse effects and deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration has ongoing multiple investigations into “bad actors” prescribing the powerful mind-altering drug online, according to a person familiar with the probes. (McKay and Ramachandran, 7/16)

Stat: Brain-Computer Interface Helps Paralyzed Man Regain Sensation

Keith Thomas just wanted to pet his dog. A diving accident in 2020 damaged Thomas’ spinal cord and left him with virtually no ability to move or feel his limbs below his neck, so when Bow, his Malshipoo, grazed his legs or nuzzled in his lap, Thomas couldn’t feel it or return the affection. (Broderick, 7/16)

HealthDay: One Type Of ADHD Med May Affect Kids' Weight

Two top treatments both eased kids' ADHD symptoms in a new study, though one caused more significant weight loss within the first year. Children who were given dexamphetamine lost more weight than those prescribed methylphenidate, according to an Australian study recently published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. (Miller, 7/17)

Stat: Can Ultrasound Treat Duchenne? Sonothera Raises Millions To Find Out

For the last year, a small California startup has been making extraordinary claims about the ability of its technology to potentially treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy — and maybe a slew of other genetic diseases, too. (Mast, 7/17)

The Washington Post: A Viral Trend Is Back. Has ALS Research Progressed Since The First Ice Bucket Challenge?

Some of the country’s biggest football stars have brought back a decade-old internet trend where people douse themselves in ice water to raise money for research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease known as ALS. Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson put ALS and the Ice Bucket Challenge back in the spotlight in late June when he announced his diagnosis on “Good Morning America.” (Wu, 7/16)

Weekend Reading

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 brain cancer, dementia, Minecraft, and more.

The New York Times: For Families Facing A Deadly Brain Cancer, Scientific Progress Can’t Come Soon Enough

Ethan White first noticed something was wrong at drum practice. A snare drummer in the University of Michigan marching band, he suddenly could no longer feel the muscles in his right hand gripping the drumstick. Weeks earlier, he had marched on the field as the Wolverines won the 2023 national football championship. Then Ethan tripped while walking up stairs. The university’s health service suggested he see a neurologist. In March 2024, Ethan, then 20, was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, or D.M.G., an aggressive type of brain tumor that most commonly affects children and adolescents but can also occur in adults. (Agrawal, 7/16)

The New York Times: The Strange Phenomenon Of ‘Terminal Lucidity’

As they near death, some dementia patients recover mental faculties assumed to be long lost. Researchers want to know why. (Brennan, 7/14)

MedPage Today: What Do Pediatricians Really Think Of Minecraft?

As kids spend more hours in the summer engaged in the digital Lego-like worlds of Minecraft, often online with their friends, parents find themselves wondering whether the game is beneficial, harmful, both, or neither, when it comes to kids' development. Pediatricians actually acknowledge some benefits of the game, but they do warn of certain risks as well. (Henderson, 7/14)

NPR: Pythons’ Extreme Biology May Hold Clues For Treating Human Disease

When Skip Maas first adopted Agrapina, a mottled ball python, she hadn't eaten in 14 months. But as he soon observed, she was still a taut coil of spring-loaded muscle. Presented with a rat, she struck quickly, constricted it and then gorged on her meal. And then her body performed another feat pythons are known for: It accelerated its metabolism dramatically to deal with the sudden influx of protein and fats, says Maas, "to help break down that meal and extract all of its nutrients." (Daniel, 7/13)

The Washington Post: Are Cigarettes Cool Again? A Cultural Investigation.

Celebrities like Dua Lipa and Gracie Abrams have been photographed with cigs, as have social media influencers who like the retro vibes. (Goldstein, 7/14)

Editorials And Opinions

Viewpoints: CDC Nominee's Confirmation Hearing Inspired Little Confidence; Weed Might Be Legal Where You Live, But It Doesn't Mean It's Safe

Opinion writers weigh in on these topics and others.

The Washington Post: Erica Schwartz's Confirmation Hearing Shows Her Impossible Task At CDC

Erica Schwartz, the nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was asked on Wednesday whether she supports the Trump administration’s cancellation of mRNA vaccine research. “This is the first time I’m actually hearing about this,” she said. “As a private citizen, I certainly was not following that.” (7/16)

The CT Mirror: Legal Weed Doesn't Mean Harmless

As cannabis has become more widely available and socially accepted, many adolescents and their parents view it as relatively harmless. In fact, high schoolers in 2024 perceived regular cannabis use as less risky than high schoolers in the year 2000. But how harmless is it? (Annina Beus, MD, 7/15)

Kansas City Star: Hegseth Touts Testosterone To Fix Our Girly-Men In Uniform

It wasn’t that long ago, 2020 in fact, that eight Sedgwick County Jail employees were suspended for trafficking testosterone supplements and steroids among themselves, to get that muscular “swole” look to impress the guys they guarded. It turns out their mistake wasn’t the drug ring, it was their choice of career. (Dion Lefler, 7/16)

Stat: MAHA’S Mental Health Rhetoric Masks An Alarming Agenda

At a May MAHA Institute summit organized around the theme of “overmedicalization,” the health secretary announced an action plan to promote psychiatric deprescribing. At first look, it seemed innocuous. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) would study prescribing trends and publish fact sheets. Medicare would clarify how clinicians can be paid for the attentive work of tapering a patient off of a medication (which is already a part of routine clinical care). Webinars would teach prevention and “holistic” care. A technical expert panel would convene over the summer to make further recommendations. (Sunny Patel, 7/17)

The Washington Post: The Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak Has Ended. Here Are 5 Lessons.

The World Health Organization declared this month that the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak has ended. That closes a three-month international saga that left scores of people stranded aboard the ship for weeks and spawned a complex multinational effort to repatriate the passengers, including one of the largest quarantine operations in recent memory. In total, 13 people became ill and three died. Looking back, here are five important lessons for health officials, clinicians and the public. (Leana S. Wen, 7/16)