Stat: Dr. Oz Clears Senate Panel Vote, On Path To Run Medicare, Medicaid 
Mehmet Oz has been a heart surgeon, a TV show host, an author, and a Senate candidate. On Tuesday, he inched closer to adding CMS administrator to the list. The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to send Oz’s nomination to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the full Senate for a vote, where he’ll likely be confirmed. (Bannow, 3/25)

The New York Times: Senate Confirms Bhattacharya And Makary To H.H.S. Posts
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Dr. Martin A. Makary as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health, installing two critics of the medical establishment to influential posts amid a Trump administration campaign to cut spending at health agencies. (Mueller, 3/25)

The Washington Post: Vaccine Skeptic Hired To Head Federal Study Of Immunizations And Autism
A vaccine skeptic who has long promoted false claims about the connection between immunizations and autism has been tapped by the federal government to conduct a critical study of possible links between the two, according to current and former federal health officials. The Department of Health and Human Services has hired David Geier to conduct the analysis, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. (Sun and Nirappil, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: Trump Taps Controversial GOP Aide For Chief HHS Watchdog
President Donald Trump's pick to be the top official investigating waste, fraud and abuse at the Health and Human Services Department has firsthand experience with improper payments at government agencies. Attorney March Bell, whom Trump nominated to be HHS inspector general on Monday, lost his job as deputy director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality in 1997 after an audit accused him of authorizing an improper payment to a former employee. Bell was senior adviser and chief of staff at the HHS Office for Civil Rights during Trump's first term. (Early, 3/25)

On USAID —

Bloomberg: China Swoops In To Replace Asian USAID Projects Axed By Trump
The US canceled two aid projects in Cambodia in late February — one to encourage child literacy and another to improve nutrition and development for kids under five. A week later, China’s aid agency announced funding for programs to achieve almost identical goals. “Children are the future of the country and the nation,” China’s ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said at the event, standing next to the country’s health minister and a UNICEF official. “We should care for the healthy growth of children together.” (Marlow and Heijmans, 3/26)

NPR: Pete Marocco Dismantled USAID -- And Will Set The Agenda For Future Foreign Aid
Within the span of seven weeks, the Trump administration delivered major blows that left the 64-year-old United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in shreds. The quick and sweeping actions that decimated the agency and dismantled the bulk of its $40 billion foreign aid programs had the hallmarks of a relatively unknown member of the new Trump administration: Pete Marocco. (Tanis, 3/25)

Also —

AP: Transgender Americans Aim To Block Trump's Passport Policy Change
When Ash Lazarus Orr went to renew his passport in early January, the transgender organizer figured it would be relatively routine. But more than two months on, Orr is waiting to get a new passport with a name change and a sex designation reflecting who he is. The delay has prevented him from traveling overseas to receive gender-affirming care this month in Ireland since he refuses to get a passport that lists an “inaccurate sex designation.” (Casey and Ngowi, 3/25)

KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Jackie Fortiér reads this week’s news: Recent firings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could make it harder to control infectious disease outbreaks, and hoarding disorder can be especially dangerous for older people. Sam Whitehead reads this week’s news: Trump voters may favor government regulation to cut health care costs, and health workers are being trained on the law to deal with possible raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in health care settings. (3/25)

AP: 5 High-Level CDC Officials Are Leaving In The Latest Turmoil For The Public Health Agency
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was rocked by five high-level departures on Tuesday in the latest turmoil for the nation’s top public health agency. The departures were announced at a meeting of agency senior leaders. The Atlanta-based CDC has two dozen centers and offices. The heads of five of them are stepping down, and that follows three other departures in recent weeks. This means close to a third of the agency’s top management is leaving or left recently. (Stobbe, 3/25)

NBC News: CDC Is Pulling Back $11B In Covid Funding Sent To Health Departments Across The U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pulling back $11.4 billion in funds allocated in response to the pandemic to state and community health departments, nongovernment organizations and international recipients, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Tuesday. "The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago," HHS Director of Communications Andrew Nixon said in a statement. (Zadrozny, 3/25)

The Washington Post: EPA Knew It Wrongfully Canceled Dozens Of Environmental Grants, Documents Show
Trump officials knew their legal justification for terminating dozens of Environmental Protection Agency grants was flawed, according to documents and internal emails reviewed by The Washington Post. Since President Donald Trump took office, the EPA has targeted billions of dollars in grants authorized by the Biden administration. This month, the agency announced the cancellation of an additional 400 grants, totaling $1.7 billion, many of which were meant to improve air and water quality and strengthen resilience to natural disasters. (Ajasa, 3/24)

The New York Times: In A Shift, More Republicans Want Government Investment In Children
Democrats have long looked to the government to support their families through public programs and spending. Increasingly, Republicans want the same. The details of how they want the government to help vary. But the growing bipartisan agreement reflects a belief among parents that American families are in crisis and something has to change. (Miller, 3/24)

On drugs and devices —

Modern Healthcare: CMS Ramping Up Price Transparency Rule Enforcement
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has taken more enforcement actions in the first two months against health systems for not complying with price transparency rules than in all of 2024, but the size of the penalties is dropping. CMS issued seven notices of monetary penalties during January and February, compared with three for all of 2024. In late February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order bolstering oversight of price transparency requirements that were enacted in 2021. (Broderick, 3/25)

Becker's Hospital Review: FDA Green-Lit Company's Blood Vessel Despite Staff Concerns
The FDA approved Humacyte’s lab-grown blood vessel Symvess despite internal warnings from agency scientists about its safety and efficacy, The New York Times reported March 24. The decision, made in December without a public review, has sparked criticism from medical experts and former FDA officials. (Murphy, 3/25)

NPR: Fentanyl Is A Top Threat To The U.S, According To Trump Administration
Fentanyl and international drug gangs responsible for smuggling the deadly street drug rank among the top threats to U.S. national security. That's according to an assessment delivered on Tuesday by top Trump administration officials to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Cartels were largely responsible for the deaths of more than 54,000 U.S. citizens from synthetic opioids" during the 12-month period that ended in October 2024, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said during opening remarks. (Mann, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: FDA Warns Dexcom Over G6, G7 Continuous Glucose Monitor Testing
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released a warning letter that it sent to medical device company Dexcom on March 4 citing quality issues at the facilities responsible for testing its G6 and G7 continuous glucose monitors. Agency investigators observed the violations, including inadequate process monitoring and test validation, when they inspected the company’s facilities in San Diego from Oct. 21 through Nov. 7, and Mesa, Arizona, June 10-14. (Dubinsky, 3/25)

Stat: Net Prices For Drugs Inched Up In The Fourth Quarter After Falling A Year Ago
The net prices that health plans paid for medicines — after subtracting rebates, discounts, and fees — rose a modest 0.4% in last year’s fourth quarter, but that compared unfavorably with a 3% decline in the same period a year earlier, according to the latest data from SSR Health, a research firm that tracks the pharmaceutical industry and its pricing trends. (Silverman, 3/25)

The Hill: Cuban ‘Hopeful’ About Trump Administration Lowering Prescription Drug Prices
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban in an interview with The Hill said he is hopeful the Trump administration will move to lower prescription drug prices. Cuban has criticized President Trump in the past and campaigned last year with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, then the vice president. But he’s hopeful the government under Trump will work to lower prices through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Health and Human Services Department (HHS). (Manchester, 3/25)

On veterans health —

Military.Com: Veterans Fear Trump Administration Plans To Privatize VA Health Care
Over six decades, Mark Foreman has turned to the Department of Veterans Affairs to recover from the consequences of a bullet wound to the hip sustained fighting as a Marine in Vietnam. It took endlessly long, infectious days for him to get out of deep, cavernous mountains after getting shot, three weeks straight of surgeries in Japan, and years of medical care to try to move on from his wound. Foreman was only 20 when he suffered the injury that would end his military career, and he was discharged after two years of service in 1968. Ever since, the VA has been providing the medical care he needs, as well as helping with the cost of art school that led to a career as a teacher. (Wu, 3/25)

NPR: Veterans Will Be Hurt By Trump’s Back-To-Office Order For VA Therapists, Sources Say
As the Department of Veterans Affairs calls staff working in telehealth into offices across the country, a widespread concern about lack of space has emerged. The change will compromise medical ethics and patients' privacy, clinicians and advocates at multiple VA locations told NPR. Telehealth has become common in recent years among medical professionals — especially for mental health therapists — and the VA hired many clinicians on a remote basis. The practice allowed the VA to expand its reach of mental health services into rural areas. (Riddle, 3/25)

Regarding federal workers —

KFF Health News: ‘I Am Going Through Hell’: Job Loss, Mental Health, And The Fate Of Federal Workers
The National Institutes of Health employee said she knew things would be difficult for federal workers after Donald Trump was elected. But she never imagined it would be like this. Focused on Alzheimer’s and other dementia research, the worker is among thousands who abruptly lost their jobs in the Trump administration’s federal workforce purge. The way she was terminated — in February through a boilerplate notice alleging poor performance, something she pointedly said was “not true” — made her feel she was “losing hope in humans.” (Pradhan and Pattani, 3/26)

KVPR: Federal Workers Ordered Back To Office Find Shortages Of Desks, Wi-Fi And Toilet Paper
Earlier this month, a Department of Agriculture employee who works remotely was given a list of possible locations for their upcoming mandatory return to office. One location was described as a "storage unit." Confused, the employee drove to the address, which turned out to be, in fact, a storage facility. When the employee asked the facility's owner why it might show up on a list of federal office spaces, the owner laughed and told the employee that the federal government does rent a unit there — to store a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service boat. It doesn't have heat, windows or power. (Bond and McLaughlin, 3/26)

The New York Times: For Some Measles Patients, Vitamin A Remedy Supported By RFK Jr. Leaves Them More Ill
Doctors in West Texas are seeing measles patients whose illnesses have been complicated by an alternative therapy endorsed by vaccine skeptics including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary. ... One of those supplements is cod liver oil containing vitamin A, which Mr. Kennedy has promoted as a near miraculous cure for measles. Physicians at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, say they’ve now treated a handful of unvaccinated children who were given so much vitamin A that they had signs of liver damage. (Rosenbluth, 3/25)

NPR: With Measles On The Rise, What We Can Learn From Past Epidemics
Reports of measles cases in 18 states so far are alerting people to a potential new, but also old, threat of contagion. As the U.S. health system grapples with new outbreaks and the risk of old diseases making a comeback, we're looking to the past to inform how people in marginalized communities can prepare themselves for how the current administration might handle an epidemic. On this episode, a conversation with historian and author Edna Bonhomme, about her latest book A History of the World in Six Plagues. (Parker, Lopez, Trelles, Mortada, Stein, Cala, Kung, Demby and Williams, 3/26)

The New York Times: Washington Bends To RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA’ Agenda On Measles, Baby Formula And French Fries
Babies are not ordinarily a fixture of closed-door White House meetings. But when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, convened a group of women this month for a discussion on nutrition and other topics, a healthy-eating activist who calls herself “the Food Babe” was stunned to see President Trump’s press secretary with her 8-month-old on her lap. (Gay Stolberg, 3/25)

Where measles is spreading —

CBS News: Measles Case Confirmed In Person Who Rode Amtrak Train To Washington, D.C., Health Officials Say
A person with a confirmed measles infection may have exposed Amtrak passengers on a train to Washington, D.C., earlier this month, officials at the D.C. Department of Health said. Health officials said Monday in a statement that the agency "was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who visited multiple locations in D.C. while contagious." Others who were at the same locations — an Amtrak train, a D.C. train station and an urgent care center — could potentially have been exposed at those times. (Mae Czachor, 3/25)

CBS News: 2 Measles Cases Confirmed In Western Pennsylvania
There are confirmed cases of measles on the western side of Pennsylvania. According to multiple reports, the Erie County Department of Health confirmed two cases. The Allegheny County Health Department says there haven't been any reported cases in the Pittsburgh area. County data says since 2016, there have been eight cases in the county. Most were in 2019 when there were seven cases. The other case was in 2018. (Hoffman, 3/25)

ABC News: Texas Measles Outbreak Grows To 327 Cases With 18 Confirmed Infections Over Last 5 Days: Officials
The measles outbreak in western Texas is continuing to grow with 18 cases confirmed over the last five days, bringing the total to 327 cases, according to new data published Tuesday. Nearly all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). At least 40 people have been hospitalized so far. Just two cases have occurred in people fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the data. (Kekatos, 3/25)

The New York Times: Measles In The U.S.: Latest Maps And Cases
As new cases are reported, our maps and illustrations show the spread of the virus and how infections can run through a community. (3/25)

On vaccines —

ABC News: Measles Vaccinations Are Increasing In Some Areas Hit Hard By Cases: Officials
Measles vaccination rates appear to be increasing in some areas of the U.S. that have been affected by outbreaks this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that people receive two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine -- the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says. (Kekatos, 3/25)

NBC News: Measles Vaccine: Can Young Children Get An Early Dose Of The MMR Shot?
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics say that, in the case of an outbreak or international travel, children as young as 6 months can get a dose of the vaccine, and children under 4 years old who have gotten one dose can get their second one earlier. All doses must be separated by at least four weeks. (Fattah, Kopf and Ikeda, 3/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: Measles Vaccination Rates For Calif. Kindergartners Dipped Last Year
Measles vaccination rates among California kindergartners fell slightly in the 2023-24 school year but remained above 95% — the level considered high enough for community immunity — according to an annual kindergarten immunization report announced this week by the state public health department. The report was released amid a growing measles outbreak in West Texas that is expected to last for months and has prompted Bay Area health officials to urge residents to get vaccinated against the highly contagious virus. (Ho, 3/25)

The Washington Post: Should You Get A Measles Booster? What To Know As Cases Rise In More States. 
The answer depends on when you were born, your vaccine records and whether you plan to travel internationally. (Amenabar, 3/24)

On covid, bird flu, and HIV —

San Francisco Chronicle: Women Are At Much Higher Risk Of Long COVID Than Men. Why?
Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, long COVID — one of the most mysterious and debilitating consequences of the virus — remains with us, and is disproportionately affecting women. An estimated 15 million to 20 million Americans have had long COVID, which is defined as having symptoms that last more than three months, often including fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath. (Ho, 3/25)

St. Louis Public Radio: Bird Flu Is Affecting Many Different Species. Here's Why
Avian influenza has been circulating for centuries. What concerns epidemiologists about the latest iteration of the virus is its remarkable ability to spread across multiple animal species, including humans. “It's spilled over into not just bird species, but so many different mammal species — from marine mammals along shorelines to dairy cattle that are part of our food source,” said Dr. Sharon Deem, wildlife veterinarian and epidemiologist. “It should be on all our minds right now.” (Woodbury, 3/25)

AP: HIV Soars After A Deadly War In Ethiopia's Tigray. Trump's Aid Cuts Aren't Helping
Tigray was once considered a model in the fight against HIV. Years of awareness-raising efforts had brought the region’s HIV prevalence rate to 1.4%, one of the lowest in Ethiopia. ... Today the HIV prevalence rate in Tigray is 3%, more than double the prewar average, according to local health authorities and the United Nations. ... The Trump administration’s decision to kill 83% of U.S. Agency for International Development programs globally is worsening the situation. Ethiopia has already laid off 5,000 health workers who were hired with U.S. funds to combat HIV. (Harter, 3/26)

Modern Healthcare: 9/11 Cancer Patients Say Mayo Clinic Cut Off Their Treatment
The Mayo Clinic is exiting a federal program that covers medical care for people sickened from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, according to two patients and an organization that advocates for 9/11 responders and survivors. The cancer patients had been getting treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, for years through the World Trade Center Health Program, which pays providers to treat people who contracted cancer, respiratory illnesses, injuries and other ailments during or in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. (McAuliff, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: ACOs In Shared Savings Program Wary As CMS Halts Pay Models
Accountable care organizations and healthcare providers are closely watching for changes to Medicare’s permanent value-based payment program as the Trump administration begins putting its stamp on Medicare policy. Weeks into President Donald Trump's second term, stakeholders are assessing whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is committed to the Medicare Shared Savings Program or if the agency will heed calls from conservatives to scrap or diminish the ACO initiative, which the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 playbook for the administration says should be terminated. (Early, 3/25)

Becker's Hospital Review: MD Anderson, UT Austin Partner To Accelerate Cancer Research
Houston-based University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas at Austin have launched a partnership in support of research projects designed to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survival. The partnership will function under a joint initiative called the Collaborative Accelerator for Transformative Research Endeavors, according to a March 25 news release from MD Anderson. (Gregerson, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: How Easing State Oversight Spurred A Construction 'Arms Race'
Healthcare construction has ramped up in states that repealed or narrowed certificate of need laws. Health systems have built an increasing number of inpatient and outpatient facilities in states such as Florida and South Carolina that significantly limited the scope of certificate of need laws. More states are expected to follow suit, spurring building booms and increasing competition. (Kacik, 3/25)

Pharma and tech —

Crain's Chicago Business: Walgreens Settles Illinois Medicaid Fraud Lawsuit
Walgreens Boots Alliance will pay $5 million to settle allegations that it violated U.S. and Illinois false claims statutes by improperly billing Medicaid and Medicare. The settlement, disclosed in court filings yesterday, marks the end of the dispute, which began 11 years ago when two whistleblowers claimed Walgreens’ practices violated statutes. (Davis, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: Ambient Scribes Need More Research To Prove ROI: Peterson Health
The verdict is still out on one of the most popular early use cases of artificial intelligence in healthcare. A report published Tuesday from digital health research group Peterson Health Technology Institute found many claims by ambient AI vendors need additional research. Peterson's researchers, who spoke to around 60 providers, industry experts and vendors for the report, said while there are benefits of the technology in reducing physicians' cognitive load, some vendor claims may be overstated. (Turner, 3/25)

Modern Healthcare: Navina Lands $55M From Goldman Sachs
Navina, a clinical intelligence company, closed a $55 million Series C funding round. The round was led by a division of investment bank Goldman Sachs. Other investors in the round included venture capital firms Vertex Ventures Israel, Grove Ventures and Alive Israel HealthTech Fund. The New York City-based company develops artificial intelligence tools to help providers with chart reviews, risk adjustments and data processing. Navina said in a news release it will use the capital to help the company scale. (Turner, 3/25)

Also —

Military.Com: Not Just For US Veterans: 7 Medical Breakthroughs The VA Gave To The World
When someone at the Department of Veterans Affairs messes up, it usually makes national news. When the VA is found to be either consistently more efficient than private health care or generally outperforming private hospitals, however, it generally turns fewer heads. Many might ask why it's important to notice when the VA does what it's supposed to do. With the VA facing more than 83,000 job cuts this year, it's important to remind not only veterans, but also lawmakers, health officials and the American population at large just how much the country -- and the world -- benefits from the work of the department's doctors and researchers. (Stilwell, 3/25)

Politico: Can RFK Jr. Ban Pharma TV Ads?
If you believed everything you read on social media, you’d think HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had issued a sweeping proclamation Monday morning to ban prescription drug advertising on TV. That was the chatter on social media platform X from a prominent retail trader account, prompting Prescription Pulse sources to reach out and wonder what they were missing. Turns out, it wasn’t much. “The social chatter you are hearing that HHS banned pharmaceutical advertising is not accurate,” HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told us. (Lim and Gardner, 3/25)

Bloomberg: 23andMe Says Website ‘Delays’ Resolved After Users Rushed To Delete Data
23andMe Inc. said Tuesday that it experienced website delays, after a wave of customers sought to delete their genetic data before it can be sold through a planned bankruptcy auction. A company spokesperson said the site “experienced some issues and delays due to increased traffic” on Monday, in response to Bloomberg News questions about whether users were facing issues trying to close their accounts. Those problems have since been resolved, the spokesperson said, advising users to contact customer support if they continue to encounter trouble deleting their data. (Randles, 3/25)

Fierce Healthcare: 23andMe Bankruptcy Sparks Genetic Data Privacy Concerns
23andMe’s weekend bankruptcy filing has ignited concerns among consumers who provided the company with their genetic information, and reignited discussions on data privacy among policymakers and security experts. Among the genetic testing company’s assets are the genetic information of more than 15 million customers who had used its direct-to-consumer DNA tests, about 80% of whom also opted into their use for research purposes. (Muoio, 3/25)

On food dyes, toxins, and fluoride —

Bloomberg: McCormick Removing Food Dyes With RFK Jr. Targeting Additives
McCormick & Co. is working with more food and restaurant companies to reformulate products as customers move away from ingredients like dyes targeted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We are seeing a tick-up in reformulation activity,” said Chief Executive Officer Brendan Foley on an earnings call with analysts, adding that such activity was occurring “across our customer base, but also a lot of new product activity, too.” (Court, 3/25)

ProPublica: TCE Is Highly Toxic. Republicans In Congress Want To Reverse A Ban On It
Although it was too late for him to benefit, Daniel Kinel felt relieved in December when the Environmental Protection Agency finally banned TCE. The compound, which has been used for dry cleaning, manufacturing and degreasing machines, can cause cancer, organ damage and a potentially fatal heart defect in babies, according to independent studies and the EPA. It has also been shown to greatly increase people’s chances of developing Parkinson’s disease. Kinel and three of his colleagues were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. They all worked in a law office in Rochester, New York, that sat next to a dry cleaner that had dumped TCE into the soil. (Lerner and Song, 3/26)

NPR: As Opposition To Fluoride Grows, Rural America Risks A New Surge Of Tooth Decay
In the wooded highlands of northern Arkansas, where small towns have few dentists, water officials who serve more than 20,000 people have for more than a decade openly defied state law by refusing to add fluoride to the drinking water. For its refusal, the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority has received hundreds of state fines amounting to about $130,000, which are stuffed in a cardboard box and left unpaid, said Andy Anderson, who is opposed to fluoridation and has led the water system for nearly two decades. (Kelman, 3/26)

Also —

CNN: Microplastics May Be In Chewing Gum, Study Finds
Are you keeping a mental list of all the sources of microplastics finding their way into your daily life? You may have another culprit to consider: It’s gum, according to a new pilot study that found chewing just one piece can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics into saliva. (Rogers, 3/25)

CBS News: With Allergy Season Starting Earlier And Lasting Longer, Pittsburgh Doctors Share Their Tips
If it feels like you have to grab the antihistamines and nasal sprays earlier than in years past, you're correct. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer. The data shows that over the past three decades, pollen nationwide has been up 21%. It's not expected to go down anytime soon. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children have seasonal allergies. (Hoffman, 3/25)

CNN: Millions Of Women Get Painful UTIs That Keep Coming Back. A New Kind Of Antibiotic May Help Break The Cycle
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a new type of antibiotic to treat urinary tract infections. The pill, gepotidacin, will be sold under the brand name Blujepa and is expected to be available in the second half of 2025. (Goodman, 3/25)

MedPage Today: Nerve-Sparing Technique During Prostatectomy Helps Preserve Erectile Function
A nerve-sparing technique to guide robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer eased the surgery's negative effects on erectile function, a phase III study showed. (Bassett, 3/25)

CBS News: Nearly One-Third Of Americans Diagnosed With Sleep Apnea Are Not Currently Being Treated, Study Shows
New research from the National Sleep Foundation finds that nearly 90% of Americans said sleep apnea is a serious condition, but nearly one-third diagnosed are not currently being treated. "You're at increased risk for cardiovascular events, metabolic disorders, cognitive dysfunction, emotional and mental health problems," said Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of Research & Scientific Affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. (Stahl, 3/25)

MedPage Today: Surprising Findings From New Research About Dementia And Marriage
Unmarried people had a lower risk of dementia than those who were married, data from an 18-year cohort study of 24,000 older adults suggested. ... All unmarried groups also had a lower risk of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, the researchers wrote in Alzheimer's & Dementia. Findings were similar for men and women and were significant for Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. (George, 3/25)

The Washington Post: ‘Short Burst’ Of Stair Climbing Can Improve Leg Strength In Older Adults
Climbing stairs as fast as possible could be an effective way for older adults to strengthen their legs, a study suggests. It builds on past research showing that a staircase can be an effective source of exercise. Researchers in Belgium randomly assigned 46 healthy adults, ages 65 to 80, to either a leg-press machine workout or a stair-climbing exercise. The study showed that both the machine workout and climbing two flights of stairs a few times twice a week for 12 weeks led to gains in muscle power and functionality. (Amenabar, 3/25)

The New York Times: A ‘Life-Changing’ Child Care Program In New York Could Soon Collapse 
For tens of thousands of New York City families, vouchers for free or discounted child care from the city’s Administration for Children’s Services have offered a lifeline as the cost of day care for infants and toddlers has skyrocketed. Those vouchers could start disappearing in a matter of weeks unless lawmakers in Albany act quickly to fund the program before an impending budget deadline. (McFadden, 3/24)

Stat: MAHA Movement Flexing Political Muscle In Statehouses Nationwide
From cancer warning labels to soda taxes, progressive states like California and New York have long led the way on legislation meant to improve public health. Now the Make America Healthy Again movement is prompting lawmakers in more conservative states, like Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, and Utah, to join blue ones in introducing bills that aim to tackle chronic disease and other health issues. (Todd and Cueto, 3/26)

CBS News: Florida Lawmakers Target AI In Insurance Claim Denials
A Florida Senate committee has approved a bill that would prevent insurers from using artificial intelligence as the sole basis for denying claims, with the proposal saying decisions should be made by a "qualified human professional," The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee unanimously backed the proposal, which comes as other states also have looked at the use of artificial intelligence in insurance decisions. (3/25)

New Hampshire Bulletin: NH Lawmakers Look To Ban Ski, Boat Waxes Containing PFAS
Some ski, boat, and board waxes contain PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of harmful, synthetic chemicals commonly used to make products stain- and water-resistant. PFAS are linked to a number of negative health effects like some cancers, high cholesterol, reproductive and fetal development issues, and more. House Bill 167, which is making its way to the full House Wednesday, would ban such waxes containing intentionally added PFAS from sale in the state. (Sullivan, 3/25)

From California and Montana —

MedPage Today: Hospital Slammed For Not Telling Families About Patients' Deaths
Mercy San Juan Medical Center has for years transported numerous deceased patients to an off-site morgue without notifying next-of-kin, leaving anguished families searching for loved ones who seemed to just disappear. That's according to accusations in three California statements of deficiencies filed in the last 3 years. Investigators found the hospital failed to meet requirements for completing patients' death certificates within 15 hours, making sufficient attempts to notify family, and writing discharge summaries within 14 days. (Clark, 3/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: Mayor Daniel Lurie Just Overhauled S.F.’s Street Crisis Teams
Mayor Daniel Lurie is overhauling San Francisco’s street outreach teams in an attempt to better coordinate the city’s response to people in crisis on the streets. Lurie on Tuesday announced that his administration is consolidating a disparate network of city-funded teams that try to help with people who are unhoused or struggling with addiction or mental illness. Instead of nine groups under different departments and using different approaches, San Francisco will now have five “tightly knit, neighborhood-based units,” plus a sixth roving citywide team, Lurie said at a news conference. (Morris, 3/25)

KFF Health News: Montana Examines Ways To Ease Health Care Workforce Shortages
Mark Nay’s first client had lost the van she was living in and was struggling with substance use and medical conditions that had led to multiple emergency room visits. Nay helped her apply for Medicaid and food assistance and obtain copies of her birth certificate and other identification documents needed to apply for housing assistance. He also advocated for her in the housing process and in the health care system, helping her find a provider and get to appointments. (O'Connell, 3/26)

Abortion legislation —

The CT Mirror: CT Weighs Telehealth Protections For Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care
A Connecticut legislative committee heard public testimony Monday on a bill that would expand the state’s existing “shield law,” which provides statutory protections for providers of abortion and gender-affirming care. (Golvala, 3/25)

Wyoming Public Radio: Abortion Providers Refile Lawsuit Challenging Two New Wyoming Laws 
A lawsuit seeking to overturn two new abortion restrictions has changed venue for the second time, moving back to Natrona County. The civil suit is targeting two laws, including HB 42, which shuttered Wyoming’s only clinic that provided procedural abortions. Wellspring Health Access has said it’s turned away patients looking for a range of services since Feb. 28. It’s also aimed at stopping another law, HB 64, which mandates women get a transvaginal ultrasound two days before receiving abortion pills. (Clements, 3/25)

AP: Kentucky Governor Vetoes GOP Abortion Bill, Says It Undermines Doctors And Endangers Pregnant Women
A Republican-backed bill touted as an attempt to bring clarity to Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban was vetoed Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who said it would do the opposite by undermining the judgment of doctors while further imperiling the lives of pregnant women in emergency situations. Beshear, an abortion-rights supporter who is seen as a potential candidate for the White House in 2028, followed the advice of abortion-rights supporters who urged the governor to reject the measure. (Schreiner, 3/26)

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The New York Times: Horace Hale Harvey III, Early Abortion Rights Advocate, Dies At 93
On July 1, 1970, one of the first independent abortion clinics in the country opened on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. New York State had just reformed its laws, allowing a woman to terminate her pregnancy in the first trimester — or at any point, if her life was at risk. All of a sudden, the state had the most liberal abortion laws in the country. Women’s Services, as the clinic was first known, was overseen by an unusual team: Horace Hale Harvey III, a medical doctor with a Ph.D. in philosophy who had been performing illegal abortions in New Orleans. (Green, 3/25)

The New York Times: The Vaccine Discourse Is Broken
When researchers report an apparent side effect or adverse outcome, they can be near certain that bad actors will twist their words to undermine their meaning. Some of those bad actors will argue that side effects mean vaccines are bad for everyone. Others will say that past assurances of safety are malicious deceptions. (Dr. James Hamblin, 3/26)

The CT Mirror: Use Evidence, Not Conspiracy Theories, To Make America's Kids Healthy
Shortly after the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new Health Secretary, the Trump Administration issued a new executive order establishing the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) Commission. A significant focus is on addressing the health of American children, including plans to investigate root causes of chronic disease and generate strategies for improvement. I’m a pediatrician and a mother of three young children, and I am concerned that the outlined plan will fail in helping our children achieve the administration’s goal of improving child health outcomes. (Lauren Palladino MD, 3/26)

Stat: The Consequences Of Dismantling The CDC’s Division Of HIV Prevention 
In 2019, President Trump stood before Congress and the American people and pledged to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030. Now, his administration is reportedly considering dismantling a program — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of HIV Prevention — necessary to achieve that goal. Taking the CDC out of the fight against HIV would be a huge mistake. (Raynard Washington and Michelle Taylor, 3/26)

Stat: 23andMe’s Astonishing Legacy For Patient Empowerment 
23andMe might have filed for bankruptcy, but the transformation it brought to health care over nearly two decades is irreversible. I’m a physician, scientist, and advocate for public health. I’ve witnessed how empowering people with knowledge about their own biology drives meaningful health decisions and actions, something millions have now experienced firsthand. (Michael Mina, 3/25)

Stat: 23andMe Bankruptcy Is Bad For Everyone
How did 23andMe go bankrupt? The same way bankruptcy was described by Ernest Hemingway in 1926: “Two ways: Gradually, and then suddenly.” (Matthew Herper, 3/24)

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The CT Mirror: Where Poverty, Mental Illness Become Crimes
March 25 marks the day seven years ago that a young gentleman, father and son named J’Allen Jones was brutally slain at the hands of corrections officers at Garner Correctional Institute. Jones’ family and StopSolitaryCT have been working hard since then to get the State of Connecticut and DOC to release the video of his beating to the public. As a former corrections nurse I can attest it is of the utmost importance that people are made aware of what happened to Jones that day because brutal, neglectful and inhumane treatment resulting in unnecessary deaths continues to occur in our correctional facilities. (Karen Conley, 3/25)