Category: Politics
Federal Judge Deems Trump Administration’s Termination of NIH Grants Illegal
In Monday’s ruling, the judge determined that the directives that led to the grant terminations were “arbitrary and capricious” and said they had “no force and effect.” The judge’s ruling ordered the funding of the grants to be restored. It only covers grants that have been identified by the plaintiffs in the cases.
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Covering health misinformation: What journalists need to rethink
Debunking health misinformation isn’t just about correcting false claims. It’s about building trust, choosing words with care, and meeting people where they are, without compromising the facts
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‘MAGA’ Backers Like Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ — Until They Learn of Health Consequences
Nearly two-thirds of adults oppose President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” approved in May by the House of Representatives, according to a new poll.
And even Trump’s most ardent supporters like the legislation a lot less when they learn how it would cut federal spending on health programs, the poll shows.
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WA doctor among those fired in RFK Jr.’s purge of vaccine panel
Dr. Helen Chu gained attention early in the COVID-19 pandemic as her repurposed flu research project identified the first case of coronavirus spreading person-to-person in the United States.
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RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations
Public health experts decried the Kennedy’s action, pointing to his promise not to change the committee and warning that the move politicizes its work and undermines its scientific integrity.
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Measles cases are in 34 states with North Dakota now the focus
As super-contagious measles continues to spread and nears a six-year U.S. record, cases in its original epicenter of West Texas may be subsiding as hesitant residents become more concerned and willing to vaccinate, while North Dakota is a new focus with the highest rate of any state.
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US health care is rife with high costs and deep inequities, and that’s no accident
A public health historian explains how the system was shaped to serve profit and politicians
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‘Big Beautiful Bill’ dings states that offer health care to some immigrants here legally
The Republican budget bill the U.S. House approved last month includes a surprise for the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid: penalties for providing health care to some immigrants who are here legally.
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FDA will approve COVID-19 vaccine only for older adults and high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules
Although the FDA states that its new policy aims to promote greater transparency and evidenced-based decision-making, the change is controversial – in part because it circumvents the usual process for evaluating vaccine recommendations.
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Children’s health services could see trims even under scaled-back Medicaid cuts
Even as Republicans in Congress walk back their most aggressive proposal to slash federal Medicaid spending, they are weighing other options that could force states to cut services for children and other vulnerable populations.
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Measles Misinformation Is on the Rise — And Americans Are Hearing It, Survey Finds
Republicans are far more skeptical of vaccines and twice as likely (1 in 5) as Democrats (1 in 10) to believe the measles shot is worse than the disease.
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Trump’s War on Measurement Means Losing Data on Drug Use, Maternal Mortality, Climate Change and More
More children ages 1 to 4 die of drowning than any other cause of death. Nearly a quarter of adults received mental health treatment in 2023, an increase of 3.4 million from the prior year. The number of migrants from Mexico and northern Central American countries stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol was surpassed in 2022 by the number of migrants from other nations. We know these things because the federal government collects, organizes and shares the data behind them. Every year, year after year, workers in agencies that many of us have never heard of have been amassing the statistics that undergird decision-making at all levels of government and inform the judgments of business leaders, school administrators and medical providers nationwide. The survival of that data is now in doubt, as a result of the Department of Government Efficiency’s comprehensive assault on the federal bureaucracy.
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Washington Hospitals warn Legislature’s budget plans would deal them a financial hit
Washington hospitals lost $1.74 billion in 2023.
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Trump’s research cuts threaten to set off a wave of university brain drain
The University of Washington is one of the top research universities in the country. This is underscored by the amount of research dollars they get from the federal government. Federal dollars make up 55% of all university research dollars nationally. UW is No. 5 nationally in its spending of this money. That money pays for labs and people across the university, not just the School of Medicine.
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Republicans in Congress are eyeing cuts to Medicaid. But what does Medicaid actually do?
Medicaid is the single largest health payer in the nation, and is particularly important for people in poverty. Almost a fifth of people living in the United States are covered through Medicaid.
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