A newly identified strain of bird flu, H5N9, discovered at a California duck farm, has prompted concerns about the possibility of a larger outbreak, The Washington Post reported Jan. 29.
Category: Public Health
KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: RFK Jr. in the Hot Seat
President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the vast Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faced sharp questioning from senators this week, particularly over his history of vaccine denialism. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s second week has been even more disruptive than its first, with an on-again, off-again funding freeze that left many around the country scrambling to understand what was going on. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call 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 Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.
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.
US sudden infant death rates increase 12%: Study
A recent study showed a nearly 12% rise in sudden unexpected infant deaths in the U.S. from 2020 to 2022, The New York Times reported Jan. 27.
State Department green-lights resumption of HIV medication program
The Trump administration issued a waiver to allow the continuation of lifesaving HIV medications through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief, following a recent halt to the program, The New York Times reported Jan. 28.
Led by RFK Jr., Conservatives Embrace Raw Milk. Regulators Say It’s Dangerous.
Controversy over raw milk reflects the push-pull the Trump administration faces in rolling back regulations and offering consumers more choices. For now, the CDC still recommends against consuming raw milk and the FDA bans its interstate sale.
What RFK Jr. Might Face in His Nomination Hearings This Week
Two Senate committees are expected to question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on how his disproven views of science and medicine qualify him to run the $1.7 trillion, 80,000-employee federal health system.
RSV vaccine 78% effective against infection in veterans: 5 study notes
A recent study found that the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine was highly effective in older U.S. veterans during the 2023-2024 respiratory illness season.
Funding for long-standing AIDS program at risk: 3 notes
Funding to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will halt Jan. 27, potentially interrupting the provision of antiviral medications for millions across the world, CBS News reported Jan. 26.
Healthcare groups push back on WHO exit
Healthcare groups representing physicians, nurses and infection control professionals are criticizing President Donald Trump’s plans to remove the U.S. as a member of the World Health Organization, saying the move will threaten the nation’s ability to …
