Feds Might Withdraw Lawsuit Over Louisiana Plant’s Toxic Emissions
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration sued Japanese firm Denka in 2023 after the EPA determined the plant was releasing unsafe levels of chloroprene. Also: A look at President Donald Trump’s speech tonight to Congress, Trump’s NIH and FDA nominees, and the media’s exclusion from a health conference.
Top HHS Spokesperson Thomas Corry Resigns Over Measles Dispute
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Corry handed in his resignation after just two weeks on the job as the assistant secretary for public affairs, Politico reported. Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren takes RFK Jr. to task regarding his vaccine policies.
Sutter Health Settles Lawsuit Alleging System Sought Monopoly In California
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Northern California residents and businesses accused Sutter of leveraging all-or-nothing contracts to drive up costs. Additional news is about Walgreens, UnitedHealth Group, Mayo Clinic, the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference, and more.
Carcinogens, Lead Found In Synthetic Hair Popular Among Black Women
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Consumer Reports published its study findings related to products used in braids, extensions, and other hairstyles. Other news from the intersection of race and health is on the barriers to care faced by Black pediatric patients, high maternity costs faced by Black and Hispanic patients, and more.
Ga. Senate Passes 2 Bills Restricting Gender Care For Minors, Prisoners
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
The measures advanced with some support from Democrats, AP reports. Meanwhile, a bill to restrict transgender athletes from playing in women’s and girls’ sports failed to advance in the U.S. Senate. Other news is from Florida, Arizona, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Hawaii, and California.
A Dose Of Upbeat And Inspiring News
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s stories are on the “Man with the Golden Arm”; a new bird flu detector; a stethoscope that detects heart failure early; concussion management; and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, March 4, 2025
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
We’d like to speak with personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services or its component agencies about what’s happening within the federal health bureaucracy. Please message us on Signal at (415) 519-8778 or get in touch here.
HHS Opens Up Early Retirement For Employees Amid Agency Downsizing
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Employees have 10 days to decide whether to take the voluntary early retirement. Meanwhile at the NIH, LGBTQ+ research funding has been stopped, while the Trump administration looks for ways to cut its funding for universities.
First Edition: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
March 4, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Law and Order or Bystander Safety? Police Chases Spotlight California’s Competing Priorities
By Don Thompson
March 4, 2025
KFF Health News Original
California’s governor is pressuring Oakland to allow more police pursuits as part of a crackdown on crime. But more pursuits mean a greater risk to public health, with more potential injuries and deaths among bystanders. Policies in cities including New York and San Francisco reflect divergent local priorities.
Staffing Levels At NC’s Mission Hospital Are Risky, Say Nurses, State Senator
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
On the heels of last year’s federal sanctions, North Carolina Sen. Julie Mayfield, a Democrat and a leader of Reclaim HealthCare WNC, said understaffing has once again led to “at least one other preventable death,” the Asheville Watchdog reported. But Mission spokesperson Nancy Lindell said the claims made at Friday’s news conference “are incorrect.”
Federal Judge Blocks Order To Cut Funding For Transgender Care
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King on Friday issued a preliminary injunction after previously granting a two-week restraining order on the matter, according to AP. Other states making news include Iowa, Connecticut, Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, and New York.
HHS Scrubs Public Comment On Health Rules, Rolling Back Transparency
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
Despite his pledge to “launch a new era of radical transparency,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is issuing a new rule today that effectively eliminates input from knowledgeable health care industry professionals. Reactions condemning Kennedy’s Friday announcement were swift.
Vaccines An ‘Option’ Amid Deadly Measles Outbreak, HHS Chief Says
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
“The decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote after suggesting the use of vitamin A as a treatment. Measles has no approved antiviral treatment. Studies have found the MMR vaccine is safe and effective. Meanwhile, vaccine resistance hardens in Texas as measles cases grow.
FDA, CDC Granted Exemption To Advise WHO On Shots For Next Flu Season
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
Data suggests this season’s vaccines were less effective for some children, but the composition change should address that. Meanwhile, the CDC says that although influenza activity is still elevated, this flu season appears to have peaked.
Large Employers Warn Against Hospital ‘Cost-Shifting’ To Cover Medicaid Gap
March 3, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Purchaser Business Group on Health, which represents large businesses such as Walmart, Microsoft, and Salesforce, says hospital leaders shouldn’t look to businesses to make up any potential Medicaid losses, Modern Healthcare reported.
Home Improvements Can Help People Age Independently. But Medicare Seldom Picks Up the Bill.
By Joanne Kenen
March 3, 2025
KFF Health News Original
A small program celebrated by its proponents helps people modify their homes and safely live independently as they age. But most insurers won’t pay for it, including Medicare.
