CDC Releases Update on ‘Long COVID' Symptoms
In the update, the agency said that public health professionals should continue to 'promote awareness of Long COVID, help combat the stigma that patients with Long COVID encounter, and emphasize prevention of Long COVID,' while encouraging people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
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The Hill
18 minutes ago
- The Hill
Experts alarmed over mRNA research cuts
The contracts were funded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Kennedy falsely argued that the vaccines fail to effectively protect people against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and the flu, and don't work if a virus mutates. Kennedy now wants HHS to focus on vaccine platforms with 'stronger safety records.' The FDA approved two mRNA vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, and research shows that the shots prevented 14.4 million deaths during the first year they were used. Vaccines typically take years to develop, but the mRNA shots were developed in record time thanks to a massive influx of funding from the first Trump administration, dubbed Operation Warp Speed. Kennedy's moves threaten to undercut those achievements. 'It's pretty clear that the administration, or at least the secretary, has a political vendetta not just against vaccines but against mRNA in general,' said Jeff Coller, a professor of RNA biology and therapeutics at Johns Hopkins University. Kennedy, a well-known vaccine skeptic, has faced pressure from fellow anti-vaccine supporters to push mRNA vaccines off the market. He has a particular dislike for mRNA vaccines and once falsely claimed that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was the 'deadliest vaccine ever made.' Health experts warn that the move also places the U.S. behind other countries in biomedical research and sends a message to scientists to avoid work related to mRNA technology. Preliminary data show that mRNA vaccines have potential use for treating diseases like cancer. If scientists don't further explore how the technology can be used, sick Americans could miss out on breakthrough treatments. Other experts worry the decision weakens national security and could open the country up to public health emergencies caused by biological warfare. 'One of the ways to deter that from happening is to say the United States is committed to preparedness,' said Jennifer Nuzzo, a professor of epidemiology and director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health. She added that when the U.S. removes multiple protections from biological hazards, it sends a signal to its adversaries that it is 'no longer interested' in defending itself.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New CDC report shows more than half of our diets are made up of ultra-processed foods
In today's Health Alert, a new CDC report finds most kids' diets are packed with ultra-processed foods. So, what are they eating and why does it matter? Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Ultra-processed foods make up over half of Americans' calories, CDC says
Youths consume more calories from the products than adults do — nearly 62 percent compared with 53 percent, according to the new report. Studies have identified industrially produced foods as risk factors for chronic diseases shortening lifespans in the United States. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The CDC analyzed data collected from August 2021 to August 2023, and compared the results with a 10-year trend. Advertisement For those who criticize ultra-processed foods, there was one hopeful sign: People are beginning to consume fewer calories from them — a decline of 3.7 percent for youth and 3 percent for adults since 2017-2018. Kennedy has repeatedly said the nation's food supply is 'mass poisoning' this generation of children and made overhauling it one of his main priorities. A May report from the Trump administration's 'Make America Healthy Again' commission — which Kennedy chairs — identified the products as a core driver of chronic disease. A second report, aimed at offering detailed strategies for 'appropriately restructuring' the federal government's response to childhood disease, is due next week. Advertisement Ultra-processed foods are made up almost entirely of substances extracted from other foods or 'synthesized in laboratories' and typically contain many additives such as sugar, sodium, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Sandwiches (including burgers), sweet baked goods, savory snacks, and sweetened beverages were four of the top five sources of calories from ultra-processed foods among both youths and adults, according to the CDC report. The food industry has argued the demonization of ultra-processed foods oversimplifies the issue and ignores the reality of consumers' lives and their budgets. The industry has pointed to clear nutritional information as a key to helping people make healthier choices. Some nutritionists have said there's been confusion over the term that has led to the demonizing of ultra-processed products with some healthy nutrients, such as some sliced breads and yogurts. Kennedy's health agencies, along with the US Department of Agriculture, are seeking to refine the definition of 'ultra-processed.' The departments also plan to significantly revamp the nation's dietary guidelines, which are due later this year. While Kennedy's handling of vaccination policy and other issues have been controversial, his food messaging has found broader appeal as Americans struggle with weight and chronic disease. Roughly 20 percent of US children are obese, nearly four times the rate in the 1970s before the proliferation of ultra-processed foods. Among youths studied in the new CDC report, the calories from ultra-processed foods did not significantly differ based on family income. But for adults, those with the highest family income had less of their caloric intake come from such products. Jerold Mande, an adjunct professor of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said ultra-processed food is clearly making people sick. Advertisement 'The evidence is overwhelming,' said Mande, who previously served in senior food and nutrition policy positions at USDA and the Food and Drug Administration. 'What we don't know is exactly why.' A landmark study published six years ago provided some of the most compelling evidence to date that ultra-processed foods are harmful to Americans' health. Kevin Hall, a National Institutes of Health researcher who led the study, quit earlier this year, concerned about possible political interference by the Trump administration. The Department of Health and Human Services previously called Hall's fears of censorship a 'deliberate distortion of the facts.' Hall was involved in another study to identify the precise mechanisms that make such foods harmful. Meanwhile, the FDA and NIH have announced efforts aimed at accelerating nutrition research. Food companies have been accused of designing their products to be addictive and marketing them to children, including in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed last year. A March study by Hall and other researchers suggested ultra-processed foods are not addictive in the same way as certain illicit drugs. While some scientists say more research is needed, some food and addiction researchers are calling for the scientific community to recognize the addictive potential of ultra-processed foods. 'Although questions remain, recognizing addiction to ultra-processed food as a disorder — or, at minimum, as a condition in need of further study — paves the way toward improved prevention, clinical care, and policies,' four researchers, including Nora Volkow, the head of NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse, wrote last month in Nature Medicine.
