CDC Archives - Page 6 of 28

The State of Federal Health Agencies Is Uncertain

Episode 387

March 6, 2025

The Supreme Court opined for the first time that Trump administration officials may be exceeding their authority to reshape the federal government by refusing to honor completed contracts, even as lower-court judges started blocking efforts to fire workers, freeze funding, and cancel ongoing contracts. Meanwhile, public health officials are alarmed at the Department of Health and Human Services’ public handling of Texas’ widening measles outbreak, particularly the secretary’s less-than-full endorsement of vaccines. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Stephanie Armour of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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CDC Firings Undermine Public Health Work Far Beyond Washington

The Trump administration’s sudden firings have gutted training programs across the nation that bolstered state and local public health departments.

By Rachana Pradhan

March 5, 2025

Trump Froze Out Project 2025 in His Campaign. Now Its Blueprint Is His Health Care Playbook.

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump distanced himself from the conservative governing plan after Democratic attacks. But now it’s increasingly viewed as a blueprint for his administration’s plans for federal health programs.

By Stephanie Armour

Feb. 24, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Medicaid in the Crosshairs, Maybe

Episode 385

Feb. 20, 2025

President Donald Trump has said he won’t support major cuts to the Medicaid health insurance program for people with low incomes, but he has endorsed a House budget plan that calls for major cuts, leaving the program’s future in doubt. Meanwhile, thousands of workers at the Department of Health and Human Services were fired over the holiday weekend, from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with possibly more cuts to come.

Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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A photo of a nurse talking to a patient in a hospital waiting room.

Urgent CDC Data and Analyses on Influenza and Bird Flu Go Missing as Outbreaks Escalate

Delays in urgent CDC analyses of seasonal flu and bird flu, and the agency’s silence, will harm Americans as outbreaks escalate, doctors and public health experts warn.

By Amy Maxmen

Feb. 14, 2025

A black and white cat gingerly approaches a bowl of milk or cream.

House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health

The current strain of bird flu is spreading from wildlife and livestock to house cats. To keep pets healthy, many virologists and veterinarians say, house cats shouldn’t eat raw food and should be kept indoors. Despite no known cases of H5N1 transmission between cats and people, some public health agencies and virologists are warning cat owners to be mindful of the theoretical risks to the health of humans in their households if a pet gets sick.

By Sarah Boden

Feb. 10, 2025

A black and white photograph from 1952 that shows four lab technicians, two men and two women, working at a table with science equipment.

Trump Administration’s Halt of CDC’s Weekly Scientific Report Stalls Bird Flu Studies

An unprecedented freeze on the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report sparks new concerns about political meddling in science.

By Amy Maxmen

Jan. 30, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Creating Chaos at HHS

Episode 381

Jan. 23, 2025

President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted “budget reconciliation” process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump’s agenda.

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A close up photo of an unidentifiable toddler sitting in his mother's lap while a doctor puts a band-aid on his arm after receiving a vaccination.

Childhood Vaccination Rates, a Rare Health Bright Spot in Struggling States, Are Slipping

Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia — states with some of the worst health outcomes — also have some of the highest childhood vaccination rates. But doctors and health officials worry a rising tide of vaccine skepticism is causing those public health bright spots to dim.

By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead

Jan. 16, 2025

A photo of a construction worker posing for a photo at a construction site.

Beyond Hard Hats: Mental Struggles Become the Deadliest Construction Industry Danger

The physical hazards of construction work have long been a focus of safety professionals. Yet attention on the psychosocial hazards is relatively new, with suicide and substance use soaring among male construction workers. Mitigating those risks requires more than hard hats, safety vests, and protective goggles.

By Katja Ridderbusch

Jan. 14, 2025

A pile of medical syringes on wooden background.

Syringe Exchange Fears Hobble Fight Against West Virginia HIV Outbreak

Health workers and researchers say an HIV outbreak in West Virginia that three years ago was called “the most concerning” in the U.S. continues to spread after state and local officials restricted syringe service programs.

By Taylor Sisk

Jan. 3, 2025

How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic

Exclusive reporting reveals how the United States lost track of a virus that could cause the next pandemic. Problems like the sluggish pace of federal action, deference to industry, and neglect for the safety of low-wage workers put the country at risk of another health emergency.

By Amy Maxmen

Dec. 20, 2024

Trump’s Picks for Top Health Jobs Not Just Team of Rivals but ‘Team of Opponents’

The president-elect’s choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and CDC, hold positions on issues including abortion and vaccination that are often at odds.

By Stephanie Armour and Julie Rovner

Dec. 17, 2024

What the Health? From KFF Health News

A Colorful Cast Could Lead Key Health Agencies

Episode 375

Dec. 5, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump has made his choices to fill some top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. They include controversial figures who were vocal critics of the Biden administration’s handling of the covid pandemic and have proposed sweeping changes to the agencies they would lead. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard its first two health-related cases of the term, challenging a Tennessee law barring transgender medical care for minors and, separately, challenging the FDA’s handling of e-cigarettes. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University and Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Bram Sable-Smith, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-Washington Post Well+Being “Bill of the Month” feature, about an emergency room bill for a visit that didn’t get past the waiting room.

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A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. being interviewed on Fox News.

KFF Health News & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Does Fluoride Cause Cancer, IQ Loss, and More? Fact-Checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Claims

Research has generally shown that drinking fluoridated water at the recommended levels is safe and beneficial for oral health, especially in children. But many people feel that more research is needed to better understand whether and when health risks kick in.

By Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact

Nov. 18, 2024

A still from a broadcast of Céline Gounder on CBS News and a still image of President-elect Donald Trump shaking hands with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The chyron reads "Dr. Gounder on RFK Jr. pick and potential impact."

What To Know About RFK Jr.’s Stances on Key Health Issues and What He Could Do at HHS

By Céline Gounder

Nov. 15, 2024

A photo of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaking at a podium.

Scientists Fear What’s Next for Public Health if RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ‘Go Wild’

As federal health scientists await a potential takeover by RFK Jr. and other medical skeptics in the second Trump administration, some are preparing résumés or retirement papers.

By Arthur Allen

Nov. 14, 2024

A digital illustration of a hand putting a piece on paper into a ballet box. The box has a Rod of Asclepius on it, signifying the topic of health.

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

Health care has ebbed and surged as an election issue throughout the presidential campaign. Here are the ways some of the most consequential changes in health policies could hinge on whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.

By Arthur Allen, Phil Galewitz, Julie Rovner, and Daniel Chang

Nov. 1, 2024

Systemic Sickness

Black Americans Still Suffer Worse Health. Here’s Why There’s So Little Progress.

The United States has made almost no progress in closing racial health disparities despite promises, research shows. The government, some critics argue, is often the underlying culprit.

By Fred Clasen-Kelly and Renuka Rayasam

Oct. 28, 2024

A woman wearing a full-body, white protective suit stands in a field holding an insulated plastic box.

Exclusive: Emails Reveal How Health Departments Struggle To Track Human Cases of Bird Flu

Emails show how health officials struggle to track the bird flu, partly in deference to the agricultural industry. As a result, researchers don’t know how often farmworkers are being infected — and could miss alarming signals.

By Amy Maxmen

Oct. 25, 2024

Trump 2.0

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