Anti-vaccine group that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. founded files suit against him over vaccine safety task force
'Our first priority will ALWAYS be children's health. Sec. Kennedy has FAILED 'to establish a task force dedicated to making childhood vaccines safer, as mandated by federal law,' so we WILL be holding him accountable,' Children's Health Defense said Tuesday in a post on X.
The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 directs the HHS secretary to establish a task force consisting of the director of the National Institutes of Health, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The NIH director is designated as chair.
According to an article posted Monday on Children's Health Defense's news site, in the years since the act was passed, no HHS secretary – including Kennedy – has ever reported to Congress on steps taken to make vaccines safer.
'This is part of the 1986 act itself,' Children's Health Defense CEO Mary Holland said in the article. 'That no secretary has done so since the passage of this law is a blow to the rule of law. I hope and trust that the current secretary will fulfill his obligation to Congress's mandate.'
The organization says attorney Ray Flores, its senior outside counsel, filed the lawsuit on its behalf. Kennedy filed a similar case in 2018 after a Freedom of Information Act request failed to produce any of the reports that are supposed to be filed under the Act.
HHS has not responded to CNN's request for comment about the new lawsuit.
'Even if it does not include the people in the [National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act], there are multiple federal committees that routinely look at vaccine safety and how to make vaccines safer. It's something that gets a lot of attention,' Dorit Reiss, a professor of law at UC Law San Francisco, told CNN in an email.
'This looks performative, and it may give Kennedy cover for convening this task force that he may already want to convene. It may well be collusion,' she wrote. 'To me, this looks like a way to give political cover to something the Secretary may want to do anyway (and can do without anything). The government has answers to this lawsuit, but may not want to.'
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Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
Yes, You Should Brush Your Teeth For 2 Minutes, Twice A Day. Here's Why.
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Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers To help you make the most of your two-minute toothbrushing sessions—and learn why we should brush at this cadence in the first place—I spoke to three dental experts to get their advice: Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, Morton Amsterdam dean and professor of the division of restorative dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania; Jennifer Cullen, clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and director of the division of dental hygiene; and Matthew Messina, DDS, associate professor, clinical and clinic director at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, and ADA spokesperson. These experts shared their insights on how to brush most effectively, and why brushing teeth is important, to help you stay motivated. Here are the tips and techniques they recommend. Multiple clinical studies show that brushing for two minutes is key to removing plaque so you can keep your teeth and gums healthy. 'There's clinical studies that have shown two minutes of brushing to be highly effective in reducing [tooth] decay,' says Dr. Wolff. A key reason for the two-minute mandate is so you can actually reach the surface of every tooth in the mouth with your brush, and tackle all of the plaque on your teeth. Cullen explained that there are multiple layers of plaque on teeth, and that the longer you brush, the better you can get to the bottom-most, stickiest layers. The experts I spoke with maintained that thoroughly brushing the surface of every tooth takes time: You want to make sure you get the cheek and tongue surface and the back and front of each one. Wolff advises softly placing the bristles right at the gumline to start brushing. How can you ensure you're getting each tooth? 'Brush methodically, not randomly,' says Wolff. Approaching each quadrant of the mouth in 30-second intervals can help you hit all the areas of your mouth, too. Some of the best electric toothbrushes we've tested, like the Oral-B iO Deep Clean + Protect, our pick for the best smart electric toothbrush, and the Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige, our pick for best splurge electric toothbrush, not only buzz at 30-second intervals to move you along but also have apps that track your brushing to show you any spots you're missing. Let Fluoride Do Its Job The other crucial reason to brush for two minutes twice a day is to let the fluoride in toothpaste take effect to help prevent tooth decay. Cullen notes that hygienists and dentists recommend that people use some sort of fluoridated toothpaste, and that 'there is evidence for the benefits of that increased duration with respect to fluoride delivery.' The experts I spoke to said that fluoride is key to protecting tooth enamel, and that longer exposure to fluoride makes it harder for bacteria to build back up on the tooth. 'It's actually making the enamel less soluble to acids,' says Wolff. Many of the best electric toothbrushes have timers to track your brushing. Some, like the Oral-B iO Deep Clean + Protect, display time clearly on the brush's LED interface and offer cartoon faces (ranging from a frown to starry-eyed smile) to indicate where you stand with your time goal. This brush also works with an app to help you track time, and uses a buzzer in 30-second increments to cue you to move around your mouth. Other brushes use an automatic shutoff feature, or similar buzzing notifications, to let you know when you've reached your full two minutes. Timers And Apps There are multiple ways to time your brushing. Cullen suggests a sand timer for kids or patients with special needs. Dr. Messina recommends using a timer on your phone. He also notes there are apps that are especially helpful for kids to guide them to brush around their mouth over the course of two minutes. Break It Up By Quadrant To break up the two minutes, you can also count for 30 seconds while brushing each quadrant of your mouth, if you don't have an electric toothbrush that does this automatically. This can help keep track of time while making sure you're getting to every tooth. Sing A Song Both Cullen and Messina suggest one way to track your time is to either sing or play a favorite song that lasts around two minutes. This can help gamify your brushing—and make it more enjoyable, a technique that can be especially helpful for kids. Be Gentle Though it's important to be thorough while brushing, experts advise against brushing too hard. 'You don't want to wear the teeth away by scrubbing like this is a floor,' says Wolff. Brushing too hard can actually damage your teeth and gums. To avoid that, opt for a brush with soft bristles. Many electric toothbrushes also have pressure sensors to indicate if you're brushing too aggressively, or if you're hitting the sweet spot. 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Sometimes electric toothbrushes can help people brush more effectively, but other assistive devices, like a universal cuff, can also help with holding a toothbrush independently. Cullen also said that caregivers may need to give patients breaks or adjust the location for brushing. 'If you're a caregiver, maybe you're doing it at the kitchen table,' she says. 'Maybe you're able to brush for 60 seconds and that person needs a break.' Check in with your hygienist, dentist and care team for the most relevant advice for your needs. Some Brushing Is Better Than None Building new habits like brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day takes time, and starting a new routine can be intimidating. Messina notes that some patients can feel overwhelmed by the guilt of not brushing enough, and encourages people to do the best they can. 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Forbes
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Change control, release management and a deep understanding of current operations, especially when replacing legacy systems, are essential before customizing. Building depth late risks delays and failure! - Trisha Swift, Mula Integrative Health & Wellness 8. Maintaining HIPAA Compliance With Digital Content One challenge healthcare startups face when scaling tech is managing digital content while staying HIPAA-compliant. Hospitals need more than stock photos and shared drives—they expect secure, role-based access to branded visuals that convey authenticity and protect patient privacy. Without a digital asset management strategy, startups risk falling short on compliance, credibility and growth. - Andrew Fingerman, PhotoShelter 9. Ensuring Consistent Performance And Compliance Across Disparate Systems Healthcare startups often struggle to scale because hospital environments vary widely in terms of infrastructure, workflows and data systems. 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Yahoo
5 hours ago
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GE HealthCare launches new advanced digital X-ray system to enable access and increase efficiency in high throughput settings
Definium™ Pace Select ET, a new floor-mounted digital X-ray system, enables access to affordable, high-quality medical imaging technology while easing workflow burdens in high-volume environments This new X-ray system, designed to act as a personal assistant for technologists, provides automation of in-room workflows and motorization of manual, repetitive tasks to increase throughput and reduce technologist learning curve CHICAGO, July 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC), today announced commercial availability of an advanced floor-mounted digital X-ray system, Definium™ Pace Select ET1, designed to deliver high-image quality and optimize efficiency in highly demanding environments while enhancing access and affordability. X-ray exams often serve as the entry point to diagnostic imaging, accounting for 60% of all imaging studies conducted, resulting in an ever-increasing workload for radiologists and technologists2 3. This increased demand, combined with acute staffing challenges where 80% of healthcare organizations are short-staffed and radiology technologists have the highest vacancies3, high burnout levels and work-related injuries, creates critical barriers to providing timely, effective diagnostic imaging for patients in need of X-ray imaging. GE HealthCare's new Definium Pace Select ET solves for many of these challenges by automating manual, repetitive steps and helping to reduce physical strain. The system leverages AI to ensure accurate patient positioning and consistent image quality across various clinical conditions while streamlining the technologist workflow to maximize the patient experience and throughput. "Burdened with the stress and pressure to keep radiology departments running smoothly and profitably, we aim to empower technologists with a system that consistently makes the first image count," said Sharad Sharma, Global General Manager, X-ray, at GE HealthCare. "With its advanced digital capabilities and automation, Definium Pace Select ET allows technologists of all experience levels to deliver consistent high-quality images to serve the full range of anatomies and patient populations." Easy-to-use features allow technologists to focus on patient care Building on the trusted Definium platform from GE HealthCare, the Definium Pace Select ET system brings advanced automation and workflow features to a flexible, floor-mounted system with elevating table, in-room exam control, and common user interface to assist technologists. "This launch reinforces our commitment to provide accessible, efficient, and high-quality care for patients, while alleviating stress from the technologist's workday by minimizing repetitive tasks and automating steps," said Jyoti Gupta, PhD, President & CEO of Women's Health and X-ray at GE HealthCare. "We remain dedicated to advancing our technology through transformative digital and AI-enabled capabilities that will remove barriers to timely and effective diagnostic imaging for any patient in need of X-ray imaging." The Definium Pace Select ET system brings the same high image quality typically seen in more expensive overhead tube suspension (OTS) systems to the affordability focused floor-mounted market. Designed and developed with extensive customer feedback, the system brings: Advanced automation to reduce workflow steps and physically demanding movements for technologists, potentially minimizing work-related injuries. Image variability reduction through the AI-enabled Helix™ Advanced Image Processing to provide consistent high-quality images. Prevention of errors before they occur through automated positioning, protocol selection, patient size (body habitus), and collimation via the Intelligent Workflow Suite, and a quality check prior to radiation exposure. To learn more about the new X-ray system, visit About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. GE HealthCare is a trusted partner and leading global healthcare solutions provider, innovating medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and integrated, cloud-first AI-enabled solutions, services and data analytics. We aim to make hospitals and health systems more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 125 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient's journey across care pathways. Together, our Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care from screening and diagnosis to therapy and monitoring. We are a $19.7 billion business with approximately 53,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits. GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2025 Fortune World's Most Admired Companies™. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Insights for the latest news, or visit our website for more information. _______________________________ 1 510(k) cleared. Not CE marked. Cannot be placed on the market or put into service or used with human beings until it has been made to comply with CE marking and/or regulatory approval. Not all features available in all markets. 2 MV 2019 X-ray CR / DR Market Outlook Report) page 9, 37 3 Pearson, Dave. "Radiology techs in especially high demand as 85% of hospitals seek 'allied' health workers", 23 Oct. 22. View source version on Contacts GE HealthCare Media Contact: Katie ScrivanoM +1 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
