HHS reinstates more than 450 CDC employees fired in April reorganization
The US Department of Health and Human Services is reinstating more than 450 employees at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who were fired as part of a massive reorganization in April, including workers focused on HIV, lead exposure and workplace safety.
More than 200 employees had their firings rescinded at the CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention, along with 158 at the National Center for Environmental Health, an HHS spokesperson confirmed. Another 71 were brought back in the Office of the Director and two dozen more at the Global Health Center.
The reinstatements represent almost 20% of the 2,400 CDC employees who HHS said it was dismissing in a mass Reduction in Force, or RIF, in April. The cuts also affected employees across the US Food and Drug Administration, the US National Institutes of Health and the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but an HHS spokesperson said Wednesday's reinstatements applied only to employees at the CDC.
'Under Secretary Kennedy's leadership, the nation's critical public health functions remain intact and effective,' HHS Director of Communications Andrew Nixon said in a statement. 'The Trump Administration is committed to protecting essential services – whether it's supporting coal miners and firefighters through NIOSH, safeguarding public health through lead prevention, or researching and tracking the most prevalent communicable diseases.
'HHS is streamlining operations without compromising mission-critical work,' he continued. 'Enhancing the health and well-being of all Americans remains our top priority.'
The cuts had wiped out the CDC's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention and Surveillance Branch as it was in the midst of helping the city of Milwaukee address a lead exposure crisis in its public schools. The firings meant the CDC had to deny a request from the city for specialists to help.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
36 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
What RFK Jr.'s Changes to CDC Panel Mean for Vaccine Policy
By , Rachel Cohrs Zhang, and Damian Garde Save Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of health and human services, appointed eight new members of an expert panel that advises the federal government on immunization policy, including several vocal vaccine critics and one who identifies as an 'anti-vaxxer.' The appointments came days after Kennedy's dismissal on June 9 of all 17 members of the committee that advises the US government on vaccine safety and policy, saying that removing the entire panel was the only way to restore public confidence in immunizations.
Associated Press
36 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Near-record nitrate levels in Des Moines, Iowa-area rivers threaten drinking water
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Local officials warned more than half a million Iowans in the state's capital city and suburbs on Thursday that near-record level of pollutants in its rivers could make drinking water dangerous if immediate steps are not taken to reduce demand. But the officials declined to explain what they believe has caused the surge in nitrate levels, which has historically been tied to runoff from farmland draining into Des Moines-area rivers. The water utility, Central Iowa Water Works, issued a first-ever ban on lawn watering for the region after seeing the highest levels of nitrates in the river water since 2013. Federal regulations require a maximum nitrate level of 10 milligrams per liter. The current level being provided to 600,000 customers is 9, local officials said. 'If we end up in a space where we're well over that … threshold, we're really going to start worrying about our pregnant women and our children under the age of six months,' said Juliann Van Liew, public health director for Polk County. Van Liew warned that could drinking water with too-high levels of nitrate could potentially cause birth defects and a condition when an infant's blood doesn't have enough oxygen, commonly known as blue baby syndrome. Tami Madsen, executive director of Central Iowa Water Works, said it is not unusual to see an increase given Iowa's 'nitrate seasons' but noted this year has been unusually high. Still, she deferred on an explanation of what is driving the higher rates. 'Unfortunately, this is a first and this is not history that anyone should be proud of,' Madsen said of the ban on lawn watering. She urged cooperation. 'If we continue on the path we're on today, where people are still choosing to water their lawn over producing water that meets safe drinking water standards, we'll be back here to talk to you all about a violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act,' Madsen said. Officials made clear the water currently meets regulations and is safe to drink. But while the water utility works to treat the water to reduce nitrate pollutants to a safe level, Des Moines metro residents' demand is higher than the amount they are able to treat. The utility said it has been treating water for 55 days, at a cost of between $14,000 and $16,000 a day. In the past, the high cost to Des Moines and the rest of Polk County has led officials to go to farmers directly, to the statehouse and to court in a tug-of-war with the state's dominant agricultural industry. The officials have long complained that nitrates and phosphorous from farm fertilizers pour off fields, leaving rivers so polluted that even the utility's sophisticated and costly equipment can't keep up with purifying. In 2015, the utility took the issue to court to ask for the millions of dollars it was being forced to spend to filter unsafe levels from drinking water taken from the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. A judge ultimately dismissed the lawsuit against three northwest Iowa counties, ruling the issue was one for the Legislature to address. The state's Republican leaders at the time lauded the ruling, saying the lawsuit wasn't necessary to improve water quality because farmers and government subdivisions already are taking steps to ensure water quality.
WebMD
41 minutes ago
- WebMD
FDA OKs New Next-Gen Pill for Rare Lung Cancer
approved a first-of-its-kind oral pill to treat a rare type of advanced lung cancer that often spreads to the brain. The new drug, known as taletrectinib but sold as Ibtrozi, is meant for adults with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread or worsened and is linked to a faulty ROS1 gene. This targeted therapy offers new hope to about 3,000 people in the U.S. and over 1 million globally who are diagnosed each year with advanced ROS1-positive NSCLC. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer – a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. About 2% of advanced cases are ROS1-positive, which grow faster and are harder to treat. Most patients are diagnosed in their 50s, often without a history of smoking. The cancer often spreads to the brain, seen in 35% at diagnosis and nearly 50% after treatment. This makes treatment especially challenging and highlights the need for better options. The FDA's decision was based on two clinical studies of people with ROS1-positive NSCLC. One trial involved 113 people who had previously been treated with a drug similar to Ibtrozi, while the other included 157 who had not. About 85% to 90% of those new to treatment responded to Ibtrozi, and at least 63% continued to see benefits for over a year. Among those previously treated, about 52% to 62% improved, with most (up to 83%) continuing to respond for at least six months. Ibtrozi also helped shrink brain tumors in 73% of people who were new to similar treatments, and in 63% of those who had tried one before, according to a news release by Nuvation Bio, the drug's maker. "Ibtrozi's durability of response and ability to effectively penetrate the brain, coupled with a well-characterized and manageable safety profile, further addresses these critical needs for patients," said Nathan Pennell, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and an investigator of the clinical trials. Ibtrozi belongs to a class of medicines called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). It blocks the faulty ROS1 protein, helping slow cancer growth and spread. Ibtrozi is designed to reach the brain and keep the disease under control for longer. The FDA recommends 600 mg oral Ibtrozi pills once a day on an empty stomach, with no food two hours before or after taking it. Treatment continues until the cancer worsens or side effects become too serious. The most common side effects include things like nausea, diarrhea, tiredness, and dizziness. The FDA also warns about more serious risks, like liver and lung problems, heart rhythm issues, muscle pain, and possible harm to an unborn baby. People who use the drug should tell their doctor about all medications they're taking, including over-the-counter ones – especially anything for acid reflux. Women are advised not to breastfeed during treatment and for three weeks afterward. It's also important to protect your skin from the sun while taking the drug and for at least five days after stopping it.
