Federal health workers terrified after ‘DEI' website publishes list of ‘targets'
Federal health workers are expressing fear and alarm after a website called 'DEI Watch List' published the photos, names and public information of a number of workers across health agencies, describing them as 'targets.'
It's unclear when the website, which lists mostly Black employees who work in agencies primarily within the Department of Health and Human Services, first appeared.
'Offenses' for the workers listed on the website include working on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, donating to Democrats and using pronouns in their bios.
The website, a government worker said, is being circulated among multiple private group chats of federal health workers across agencies, as well as through social media links.
The site also reached Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, who learned about it Tuesday evening when a federal health worker sent it to him.
'This is a scare tactic to try to intimidate people who are trying to do their work and do it admirably,' Benjamin said. 'It's clear racism.'
A government worker said they found out theirs was among the names on the website Tuesday afternoon after a former co-worker sent them the link on social media.
'It's unnerving,' said the person, who requested anonymity because of safety concerns. 'My name and my picture is there, and in 2025, it's very simple to Google and look up someone's home address and all kinds of things that potentially put me at risk.'
'I don't know what the intention of the list is for,' the person said. 'It's just kind of a scary place to be.'
The site lists workers' salaries along with what it describes as 'DEI offenses,' including political donations, screenshots of social media posts, snippets from websites describing their work, or being a part of a DEI initiative that has been scrubbed from a federal website.
Benjamin suggested the acts of online harassment are criminal. 'Law enforcement should look into them.'
A person who isn't on the list but works at a federal health agency called the website 'psychological warfare.' The link, this person said, is being circulated in their private group chat of federal health workers, causing some to 'freak out.'
It's hard to gauge, the worker said, whether it's a legitimate threat. 'I don't know anything about the organization doing this or their parent association. People are just paranoid right now.'
A note at the bottom of the website says, 'A project of the American Accountability Foundation.' That group is a conservative watchdog group.
It's not the first time the group has created a list of 'DEI targets.' In December, it sent Pete Hegseth, then the nominee for defense secretary, a list of names of people in the military whom it deemed too focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, the New York Post reported at the time.
Neither the American Accountability Foundation nor HHS immediately responded to requests for comment.
The website comes after a bruising two weeks for public health workers. Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they have received 'threatening' memos from the Department of Health and Human Services directing them to terminate any activities, jobs and research with any connection to diversity, equity and inclusion — and turn in co-workers who don't adhere to the orders. HHS oversees federal health agencies, including the CDC and the National Institutes of Health.
'The tone is aggressive. It's threatening consequences if we are not obedient. It's asking us to report co-workers who aren't complying,' said a CDC physician who wasn't authorized to speak to reporters. 'There's a lot of fear and panic.'
NBC News reviewed one of the memos, which directed employees to 'review all agency position descriptions and send a notification to all employees whose position description involves inculcating or promoting gender ideology that they are being placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately.'
The result, staffers said, is paranoia.
'I know of people who have been put on administrative leave for perceived infractions related to these ambiguous memos. People are thinking if I put one foot wrong, I'm just going to be fired,' another CDC physician said.
In one case, a potluck luncheon among co-workers was hastily canceled for fear it would be seen as a way to promote cultural diversity.
Despite the harassment, public health employees said they remain committed to their work.
'If I leave, who's going to replace me?' a CDC physician said. 'If nobody replaces me and enough of us leave, then who's going to be doing the public health work?'
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Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Does honey really do anything to ease hay fever symptoms? I tried it for a week and grilled experts to find out
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAY fever season has well and truly arrived. And with a staggering 16million Brits affected, it's no wonder we are always on the lookout for a miracle cure. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Some people swear by honey as a natural hay fever remedy, but does it really work? Credit: Getty A growing number of TikTok influencers - and some family members - claim local honey is the wonder hack guaranteed to ease your itchy eyes and runny nose. And a quick social media or Google search brings up dozens of posts claiming that a spoonful is all it takes to provide the relief you need. The theory is that local honey contains small amounts of pollen from nearby plants, and by consuming it, your immune system becomes accustomed to the pollen, reducing sensitivity and the severity of reactions over time. But is there any scientific research to back up the claims? Sadly, GP Dr Helen Wall says the evidence is 'slim'. 'Some small studies and anecdotal reports suggest that locally sourced, unprocessed honey might reduce symptoms,' she tells Sun Health. 'It is based on the idea that it could act like a natural desensitisation process. 'Desensitisation is a therapy that can be used to cure allergies by slowly introducing the allergen in small amounts so the immune system can get used to it. 'But controlled clinical trials are lacking and systematic reviews do not support honey as an effective treatment for hay fever.' Despite what you may hear, honey does not work like an antihistamine. When your hay fever symptoms could really be signs of cancer 'Antihistamines are medications that block histamine receptors which then prevent the release of a chemical called histamine, which is released when your body thinks it has come across a threat,' Dr Wall says. 'It is meant to be a protective mechanism, but in people with allergies, histamine is triggered unhelpfully and this is what causes allergy symptoms. 'Honey does not block histamine receptors so it doesn't work in the same way as many medications would.' And if you stop taking your usual medicine, you may find your symptoms worsen. 'If someone relies solely on honey, they may suffer from poorly controlled hay fever which can impair sleep, concentration and quality of life,' Dr Wall says. 'It often builds up over time, so getting on top of it early can be beneficial. 'I recommend starting antihistamines and steroid sprays four weeks before hay fever starts in those known to suffer. 'In people with allergic asthma, untreated hay fever can worsen respiratory symptoms and trigger asthma.' Some patients will swear by local honey, and I don't doubt their experience, but medically I can't explain it nor recommend it Dr Sophie Farooque Dr Sophie Farooque, a consultant allergist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and one of the UK's leading allergy experts, says that while local honey may be 'delicious' and soothe a scratchy throat, there is little scientific evidence that it will reduce symptoms. 'The theory that honey may help stems from the idea that pollens contained in honey will desensitise you,' she says. 'However the pollen in honey is from flowers and not from the pollen that causes hay fever, which is from tree, grass and weed pollens.' 4 Many of us are plagued by constant sneezing when the pollen count is high Credit: Getty A 2002 study by the University of Connecticut compared taking a tablespoon of locally produced, unfiltered honey with a tablespoon of nationally produced pasteurised honey, and honey flavoured corn syrup (the placebo) in patients with hay fever. None of the three groups noticed a reduction in the symptoms. Further research in Malaysia evaluated 40 patients with hay fever and divided them into two groups. Half ate honey and half did not. 'Those who consumed the honey noticed a very slight reduction in symptoms compared to those that didn't, but participants had to eat a jar a week every day for months and the pollen in Malaysian honey will be different to the UK,' Dr Farooque adds. 'Some patients will swear by local honey, and I don't doubt their experience, but medically I can't explain it nor recommend it. 'There isn't good data and scientifically, it doesn't make sense. 'If patients want to go drug-free then saline rinses have far stronger evidence and I often suggest these. 'Of course eat honey for pleasure, but not in the belief that by doing so you are desensitising yourself and reversing the common immunological processes that cause seasonal allergies. It's a myth.' Hay fever first aid kit Analyse your symptoms and find the best medication kit for you... Antihistamines Antihistamines (cetirizine or loratadine) work by blocking histamine in the body, which is released when the body detects something it thinks is harmful. Histamine causes blood vessels to expand and the skin to swell, but in people with hay fever, also causes an allergic reaction. That's the watering eyes, blocked nose, rashes and so on. Max Wiseberg, airborne allergens expert and creator of HayMax, says that many antihistamines are available on prescription, such as Telfast, which you can see your GP for or get through an online doctor, such as LloydsPharmacy. Telfast, and other prescription-only antihistamine tablets, work in the same way as over-the-counter antihistamines, but are stronger and intended to help with more severe symptoms. 'Get your prescription in advance of the season so you have your medication in time to start taking it at the right time,' he says. 'Some are best taken at least one month before the hay fever season starts." Nasal sprays A nasal spray can be effective in controlling congestion and stuffiness. Pharmacists can advise on nasal sprays (sodium cromoglicate, ipratropium bromide or decongestant), and eye drops, too. Nasal sprays can also help with other symptoms of hay fever 'because the medicine is targeted directly to the nose, which is where the vast majority of allergens enter the body', Max says. Independent pharmacist Rita Ghelani says: 'Try Xlear nasal spray, which contains xylitol, and has anti-bacterial properties and keeps the nasal lining moist. 'If symptoms are more severe, then try an anti-inflammatory nasal spray – sometimes referred to as a steroid nasal spray – which can take a few days to work. 'Start with one that contains beclomethasone, which is used twice a day, in the morning and at night.' Rita also advises cleaning the nose with a saline nasal spray before a steroid spray, saying: 'It will remove sticky mucus from the nasal passage, thus improving the effectiveness of the medication.' Eye drops If itchy eyes are your primary concern, Rita says: 'Try using sodium cromoglicate eye drops. "These make the eyes less sensitive to allergens such as pollen and reduce irritation. "They need to be used four times a day to keep the levels of the active ingredient high enough to be effective. "Keep using them even if symptoms improve. 'Using a good eye drop to lubricate the eyes may also help with dry eyes during the summer months.' While it might not help with your hay fever sniffles, honey does of course have other health benefits. Researchers at the University of Oxford found it can effectively relieve cough and cold symptoms. It also contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals, which are anti-inflammatory and contain cancer-fighting antioxidants. But that doesn't mean it's good for everyone, as it's also very high in sugar. Dietitian Emma Shafqat said one tablespoon contains around 6g, so she recommends consuming it 'in moderation'. Excess sugar intake can contribute to tooth decay, weight gain and blood sugar spikes, so people with diabetes should take particular care. Emma added that honey should not be given to children under the age of one as there is a risk of botulism - a rare but serious condition where the body's nerves are attacked by a toxin. MY TEST 4 The Sun's Lynsey Hope tested local honey for a week Credit: Supplied HAVING suffered from hay fever since I was a teenager, I was keen to put this theory to the test. While the evidence is scant, lots of people swear by honey so I was hopeful it might have some effect. First of all, I had to work out how much to take. Researchers recommend around 1g per kilogram of body weight daily. For a person weighing 80kg, this is four tablespoons a day. I weigh about 60kg so that means around 2.8 tbsp. That's quite a lot and I was concerned about the extra sugar in my diet. But if it could stop the itchy eyes and sneezing, I was happy to give it a go! I bought a jar of Kentish honey from a farm shop near me. It wasn't cheap, costing a whopping £8.45. I started taking some in the morning with breakfast and stopped taking my antihistamines. Quercetin is a flavonoid found in apples, onions and berries. It has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine-like effects Dr Helen Wall I definitely loved having it in my porridge, but I'm not sure it had any effect. The pollen count was exceptionally high on the week of the test and my itchy eyes and sneezing continued as normal. I struggled to sleep because of it too and after seven days, I had to go back on the antihistamines as I looked as though I'd been crying. I admit to being disappointed. I'd far rather have taken honey to ease my symptoms than medication. But it just didn't do the job. 4 Scientists say local honey likely won't help treat your itchy eyes Credit: Getty DO ANY NATURAL REMEDIES WORK? SO honey doesn't work, but what else can you try? Nasal irrigation is the 'strongest contender' for a natural hay fever remedy, according to Dr Wall. She says a saline rinse may flush out allergens and reduce congestion. As a treatment, it is safe and low risk. But there are other options to try. 'Quercetin is a flavonoid found in apples, onions and berries,' Helen says. 'It has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine-like effects. 'Again there is limited evidence in humans but there have been some positive results in reducing nasal symptoms in particular, and these are foods which are good for you anyway.' Some studies have also found spirulina (blue-green algae) may work as a treatment. It's thought to reduce allergic rhinitis symptoms and it's an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant. A 2018 Chinese study also recommended acupuncture as an effective treatment, particularly for nasal congestion and sneezing.
NBC News
2 days ago
- NBC News
How RFK Jr. is quickly changing U.S. health agencies
WASHINGTON — In just a few short months, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has begun to transform U.S. health policy: shrinking staff at health agencies, restructuring the focus of some regulators and researchers, changing Covid vaccine regulations and reshaping the mission of his department to focus more on alternative medicine. The directives are all part of the same issue set that drove a slice of health-conscious, left-leaning Americans to eventually vote for a Republican president whose favorite meal is from McDonald's, Trump and Kennedy catered to a type of voter who has grown distrustful of America's health care establishment — but possibly fomented a new type of distrust in federal health policy along the way. Bernadine Francis, a lifelong Democrat who backed Joe Biden for president in 2020 before supporting Donald Trump in 2024, told NBC News in an interview that she approves of Kennedy's efforts so far, despite his 'hands being tied' by entrenched forces in the administration and in Congress. 'From what I have seen so far with what RFK has been trying to do,' she said, 'I am really, really proud of what he's doing.' Francis is among the voters who left the Democratic Party and voted for Trump because 'nothing else mattered' apart from public health, which they — like Kennedy — felt was going in the wrong direction. Concerns about chemicals in food and toxins in the environment, long championed by Democrats, has become a galvanizing issue to a key portion of Trump's Republican Party, complete with an oversaturation of information that in some cases hasn't been proven. It's wrapped up, as well, in concerns about the Covid vaccine, which was accelerated under Trump, administered under Biden and weaponized by anti-vaccine activists like Kennedy amid lockdowns and firings in the wake of the devastating pandemic. 'We knew in order to get RFK in there so he can help with the situation that we have in the health industry, we knew we had to do this,' said Francis, a retired Washington, D.C., public school administrator, who said she left her 'beloved' career because she had refused the vaccine. 'It seemed to me, as soon as [Biden] became president, the vaccine was mandated, and that was when I lost all hope in the Democrats,' Francis told NBC News, referring to vaccination mandates put in place by the Biden administration for a large portion of the federal workforce during the height of the pandemic. There are not currently any federal Covid vaccine mandates. There have been 1,228,393 confirmed Covid deaths in the United States since the start of the pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How RFK Jr.'s picks are changing public health agencies Dr. Marty Makary, Kennedy's hand-picked commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and a John Hopkins scientist and researcher, told NBC News in an interview that he wants to transform the agency, which he said faced 'corruption' over influence from the pharmaceutical and food industries. 'I mean, you look at the food pyramid, it was not based on what's best for you, it was based on what companies wanted you to buy,' he said, referring to the 1992 and later iterations of official government nutritional guidance. He said there would be 'entirely new nutrition guidance' released later this year, as soon as this summer. He praised the FDA's mission of research and regulation, saying the agency is 'incredibly well-oiled, and we've got the trains running on time.' He also highlighted the 75-page 'Make America Healthy Again' commission report — which focused on ultraprocessed foods and toxins in the environment — as having set 'the agenda for research' at the FDA, HHS and agencies overseeing social safety net programs such as Medicare and food stamps moving forward. (The MAHA report initially cited some studies that didn't exist, a mistake that Kennedy adviser Calley Means said was a 'great disservice' to their mission.) 'I think there's a lot we're going to learn. For example, the microbiome, which gets attention in the MAHA report, needs to be on the map. We don't even talk about it in our medical circles,' Makary said. 'The microbiome, food is medicine, the immune response that happens when chemicals that don't appear in nature go down our GI tract.' Pressed on other areas of the administration, like the Environmental Protection Agency, making decisions that run counter to the pro-regulatory ideas presented in the MAHA report, Makary said he can 'only comment on the FDA' where they are 'committed to Secretary Kennedy's vision.' But Kennedy's public health agenda goes beyond looking at the food supply and chemicals. Recently, Kennedy said in a video posted on X last month that the Covid vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a change in CDC guidance that skipped the normal public review period. Days later, after critics questioned the decision and raised concerns over a lack of public data behind the move, the administration updated its guidance again, urging parents to consult with their doctors instead. Pressed about the confusion and whether Americans are now trading one side of public distrust in the health system for another, Makary defended Kennedy, who has been criticized for spreading misinformation. 'My experience with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is that he listens. He listens to myself, he listens to Jay Bhattacharya, listens to Dr. Mehmet Oz, he listens to a host of scientists that are giving him guidance,' Makary argued, referring to the director of the National Institutes of Health and the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, respectively. 'So he may have big questions, but the questions he's asking are the questions most Americans are asking.' The intersection of medicine and healthy lifestyle choices Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a breast cancer oncologist and integrative medicine doctor — a physician who combines conventional treatments with research-based alternative therapies — has tried to help her patients wade through medical misinformation they encounter online and in their social circles. Mussallem has an incredible story of personal survival: While in medical school, she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and, after conventional therapies like chemo saved her life, was diagnosed with heart failure. After undergoing a heart transplant, Mussallem ran a 26-mile marathon just one year later. 'I learned a lot in medical school, but nothing compared to what I learned being a patient,' said Mussallem, who dedicates, on average, 90 minutes each in one-on-one sessions with her patients. 'This is not about any one political choice. But we know lifestyle matters.' For example, a new study from the American Society of Clinical Oncology that finds eating food that lowers inflammation in the body may help people with advanced colon cancer survive longer. Mussallem's mission, along with her colleagues, is to elevate the modern medicine that saved her life, as well as encouraging her patients to live healthy lifestyles, including regular exercise, minimally processed foods, less screen time, more social connection and better sleep. But politics do get in the way for millions of Americans who are inundated daily with social media influencers and 'nonmedical experts,' as Mussallem puts it, who stoke fear in her patients. 'Patients come in with all these questions, fears,' she said. 'I've heard this many times from patients, that their nervous system is affected by what they're seeing happening in government.' Mussallem acknowledges that 'a lot of individuals out there' have questioned traditional medicine. For her, it isn't one or the other — it's both. 'We have to trust the conventional medicine,' she said. 'With the conventional care that marches right alongside more of an integrative modality to look at the root causes of disease, as well as to help to optimize with lifestyle, is where we need to be.'
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
Stark inequalities in cancer rates across Wales revealed
The report by Public Health Wales' Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU) found that people's housing, job, and ethnicity impact cancer incidence rates. To conduct the study, researchers linked all-Wales cancer registry data to Census data, using anonymising techniques to maintain confidentiality. The researchers then analysed the data to determine how cancer rates differed across the Welsh population based on ethnicity, housing type, and job. They found that people living in overcrowded housing had a cancer rate seven times higher than those with two or more spare rooms. Similarly, residents living in social housing had cancer rates nearly three times higher than those owning their homes outright. The study also revealed variances in cancer rates among different ethnic groups. The White population showed the highest overall cancer rates, partly due to the older age of this group. However, people from Mixed ethnic backgrounds were generally diagnosed at a later stage, which could potentially hinder cancer survival. The study also showed that Black men and Asian women were more likely to be diagnosed with prostate and breast cancer, respectively. The study shed light on the type of jobs and their connection with cancer incidence. People in lower-paid and manual jobs, such as process, plant, and machine operatives, had the highest cancer rates. They were also more likely to receive a late-stage cancer diagnosis compared to those in professional roles. Professor Dyfed Wyn Huws, director of the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, said: "This is the first time we've been able to look at unfair inequalities in cancer rates through this level of detail using individual data across the whole of the Welsh population. "It's a major step forward in understanding and reducing cancer inequalities in our society. "It has enabled us to get a much greater level of detail of the socio-demographic factors at play, by looking at individual or household measures of inequality, rather than area-level analysis. "It's a strong baseline for future work and a clear call to action to focus on where cancer and other health inequalities start." Professor Huws added that in many parts of Wales, elements crucial to health and well-being, such as healthy homes, good jobs, sufficient income, community connections, education and skills, and safe, clean environments, are either lacking or inadequate. He said: "Up to four in 10 cases of cancer are potentially preventable amongst the population of Wales as a whole. "Preventing cancer and achieving earlier diagnosis is a priority for everyone in the system." The study used linked data from the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit's national cancer registry and the 2011 Census, via Swansea University's SAIL Databank.
