Latest news with #BethOller
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
There's a war brewing between medical groups and RFK Jr. It's about to explode.
Dr. Beth Oller is no stranger to answering questions about COVID-19 and flu shots. As a family physician in Stockton, Kansas, she has fielded questions over the years about vaccine safety and effectiveness. But lately there are new questions that stump her: Can I get the shot this fall, and will my insurance cover it? 'I legitimately don't know, and that's why it's so confusing,' said Oller, who is also a clinical instructor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. Though Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has changed guidance recommending the COVID-19 shot for healthy people, medical groups representing doctors have publicly rejected those changes. RFK Jr. and ultra-processed foods: What does it mean for your diet? The back-and-forth between the department and the nation's top doctors is creating confusion and sowing distrust among patients and providers, said Dr. Stephen Patrick, chair of health policy and management at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. As new developments emerge, policies affecting patients and their health care hang in the balance. "At the root level, these actions affect people and children,' Patrick said. 'Each of these things are linked to what we do (as doctors) and often linked to what states do and what insurance companies do, and that's where a lot of these things can be worrisome.' What has happened so far? In the span of just a few months, Kennedy has made monumental changes to a long-standing system that crafts health policy and recommendations. In June, he fired an entire vaccine panel and hired eight new members, including some vaccine skeptics. In its first meeting later that month, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to remove a controversial ingredient that had been largely phased out of influenza vaccines. On July 9, Kennedy postponed another health committee meeting hosted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, sparking concerns that he may be planning to fire task force members. Medical groups pushed back immediately. The American Academy of Pediatrics refused to attend the ACIP meeting. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced it was no longer accepting federal funding. And the American Medical Association sent Kennedy a letter urging him to retain the preventive services task force's original members. Several organizations have sued Kennedy over HHS guidance that no longer recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that broke with expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process. The Health and Human Services Department also announced Aug. 5 that it was winding down development activities for mRNA, the vaccine technology behind the COVID-19 shot, according to a video posted on X. Liaisons that represented these professional organizations were banned July 31 from ACIP work groups that would typically assist with vaccine reviews and craft recommendation language, according to media reports. What does this all mean? Although many of the policies have yet to take effect, 'all the noise' in Washington has already affected Americans, Patrick said. A new survey from Emory University shows how most of the policy decisions haven't been widely popular and sowed more distrust and doubt in health systems. About 85% of Americans who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election reported decreased trust from the ACIP firings, while only 34% of those who voted for President Donald Trump reported increased trust, according to the survey published Aug. 6. Similarly, about 65% of Harris voters reported decreased trust because of the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation changes, while only 35% of Trump voters reported increased trust. About half of Trump voters reported that ACIP and vaccine changes did not affect their trust. So, while many of the changes from HHS were made in the name of improving trust and reducing bias, it seems to have had the opposite effect, Patrick said. 'Many of these changes are not rooted in evidence and not rooted in public support, either, and that's worrisome,' he said. Otter urges patients to continue depending on their family doctors for trusted information. She keeps up with the developing news and tries to parse out the 'squabbling' and 'infighting' to help her patients make the best decisions for their health. 'That's the best we can do as medical organizations,' she said. 'Push out there what the truth is and keep encouraging patients when there are things that are confusing.' Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr.'s HHS and medical groups are at war. It's getting messy.
USA Today
06-08-2025
- Health
- USA Today
There's a war brewing between medical groups and RFK Jr. It's about to explode.
Dr. Beth Oller is no stranger to answering questions about COVID-19 and flu shots. As a family physician in Stockton, Kansas, she's fielded many questions over the years about vaccine safety and effectiveness. But lately, there are new questions that stump her: Can I get the shot this fall and will my insurance cover it? 'I legitimately don't know and that's why it's so confusing,' said Oller, who is also a clinical instructor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. While Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. changed guidance recommending the COVID-19 shot for healthy people, medical groups representing doctors have publicly rejected those changes. RFK Jr. and ultra-processed foods: What does it mean for your diet? The constant back-and-forth between the department and the nation's top doctors is creating confusion and sowing distrust among patients and providers, said Dr. Stephen Patrick, chair of health policy and management at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. As new developments emerge, policies impacting patients and their healthcare hang in the balance. "At the root level, these actions affect people and children,' Patrick said. 'Each of these things are linked to what we do (as doctors) and often linked to what states do and what insurance companies do and that's where a lot of these things can be worrisome.' What has happened so far? In the span of just a few months, Kennedy has made monumental changes to a longstanding system that crafts health policy and recommendations. In June, the Health Secretary fired an entire vaccine panel and hired eight new members, including some vaccine skeptics. In its first meeting later that month, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to remove a controversial ingredient that was largely phased out of influenza vaccines. On July 9, Kennedy also postponed another health committee meeting hosted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), sparking concerns that the Health Secretary may be planning to fire task force members. Medical groups pushed back immediately. The American Academy of Pediatrics refused to attend the ACIP meeting. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced it was no longer accepting federal funding. And the American Medical Association sent Kennedy a letter urging the Health Secretary to retain the USPSTF's original members. Several organizations have also sued Kennedy over HHS guidance that no longer recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that broke with previous expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process. The Health Department announced on August 5 that it was winding down development activities for mRNA, the vaccine technology behind the COVID-19 shot, according to a video posted on X. Liaisons that represented these professional organizations were banned on July 31 from ACIP work groups that would typically assist with vaccine reviews and craft recommendation language, according to media reports. What does this all mean? Although many of the policies have yet to take effect, 'all the noise' in Washington has already impacted Americans, Patrick said. A new survey from Emory University shows how most of the policy decisions haven't been widely popular and sowed more distrust and doubt in health systems. About 85% of Americans who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election reported decreased trust from the ACIP firings, while only 34% of those who voted for President Donald Trump reported increased trust, according to the survey published August 6. Similarly, about 65% of Harris voters reported decreased trust due to the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation changes, while only 35% of Trump voters reported increased trust. About half of Trump voters reported that ACIP and vaccine changes did not affect their trust. So, while many of the changes from HHS were made in the name of improving trust and reducing bias, it seems to have had the opposite effect, Patrick said. 'Many of these changes are not rooted in evidence and not rooted in public support, either, and that's worrisome,' he said. Otter urges patients to continue depending on their family doctors for trusted information. She keeps up with the developing news and tries to parse out the 'squabbling' and 'infighting' to help her patients make the best decisions for their health. 'That's the best we can do as medical organizations,' she said. 'Push out there what the truth is and keep encouraging patients when there are things that are confusing.' Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@
Axios
27-06-2025
- Health
- Axios
Women drive Arkansas GLP-1 weight-loss surge
Women are being prescribed GLP-1 weight-loss drugs at higher rates than men, new data shows. Why it matters: This is another cultural moment when women, especially those approaching menopause, are paying more for their well-being. Between the lines: GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are usually covered by insurance when used to treat Type 2 diabetes — but many doctors also prescribe them off-label for overweight and obesity, which often isn't covered. Zoom in: In Arkansas, women have been prescribed GLP-1 drugs at higher rates than men since 2020, and the rate of women prescribed the drug has more rapidly increased, according to 2024 data from FAIR Health. The fine print: The data reflects insured adults who received medical care nationally, but doesn't include people buying non-FDA-approved versions of the drugs from compounding pharmacies. The big picture: Nationally, 18.6% of women prescribed GLP-1 drugs received them for weight loss (and not diabetes) — double the rate of men, at 9.3% — according to FAIR Health. Women between 40 and 64 have been the top recipients of GLP-1 prescriptions since 2019. For men, the top users in most years have been seniors. What we're hearing:"In my experience, thus far, it's been entirely women" — many of them approaching menopause — who ask to be on GLP-1 drugs to lose weight, says family physician Beth Oller, who practices in rural Kansas. At a certain age, "the things you used to do for weight loss aren't cutting it anymore," says Oller, who's 45 and tells Axios she has firsthand experience with this.
Axios
25-06-2025
- Health
- Axios
Women approaching menopause drive GLP-1 boom
Women are being prescribed GLP-1 weight-loss drugs at higher rates than men, new data shows. Why it matters: This is another cultural moment when women, especially those approaching menopause, are paying more for their well-being. Between the lines: GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are usually covered by insurance when used to treat Type 2 diabetes — but many doctors also prescribe them off-label for overweight and obesity, which often isn't covered. By the numbers: Women have been prescribed GLP-1 drugs at higher rates than men since 2021, according to 2024 data from FAIR Health. The fine print: The data reflects insured adults who received medical care nationally, but doesn't include people buying non-FDA-approved versions of the drugs from compounding pharmacies. Zoom in: 18.6% of women prescribed GLP-1 drugs received them for weight loss (and not diabetes) — double the rate of men, at 9.3% — according to FAIR Health. Women between 40 and 64 have been the top recipients of GLP-1 prescriptions since 2019. For men, the top users in most years have been seniors. What we're hearing:"In my experience, thus far, it's been entirely women" — many of them approaching menopause — who ask to be on GLP-1 drugs to lose weight, says family physician Beth Oller, who practices in rural Kansas. At a certain age, "the things you used to do for weight loss aren't cutting it anymore," says Oller, who's 45 and tells Axios she has firsthand experience with this.
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
When do babies begin teething? Here's what medical experts say.
When do babies begin teething? Here's what medical experts say. Show Caption Hide Caption Find out what baby names are declining in popularity for 2025 BabyCenter revealed a list of the baby names that are declining in popularity for 2025. Your baby is drooling. Like, even more than usual. They're grabbing anything they can reach to rub on their gums. They're irritable. Maybe they even have a low-grade fever. Baby's first tooth could be right around the corner. But the teething process doesn't arrive at the same time for every child. If you're worried that your child isn't teething at the right time, fear not — Dr. Beth Oller tells USA TODAY that at 10 months, one of her twin children had five teeth and the other had just gotten his first. "Teething can vary greatly," Oller says. Here's the truth (the tooth, if you will) medical experts want you to know about babies and teething. When do babies get teeth? The short answer is that the time when babies start teething can be wildly different between different children. While Oller notes that most babies get their first teeth between 6 and 10 months, Johns Hopkins Medicine says that teething can occur anywhere between 3 months and 3 years. And the "first teeth to erupt are usually the bottom two teeth," Oller says. Did you see? How to teach your child to behave, play well with others and overcome pandemic awkwardness What causes late teething for babies? If you're concerned about your child being a late bloomer in the teething department, pediatric experts say it's usually not cause for panic. "I recommend to patients that if no teeth have erupted by 12 months they should visit a dentist," Oller says. "However, some dental professionals will recommend waiting for a visit if no teeth by 18 months." Good question: Babies get a lot of vaccines before they turn 2. Is it safe to spread them out instead? Possible reasons for delayed teething, per Healthline, can include premature birth or a low birth weight, malnutrition, syndromes including Down syndrome and developmental or endocrine disorders. Delays usually don't cause major issues, but could cause complications with chewing, speaking or making certain facial gestures. But in most cases, experts say the answer is just simply that your baby's teeth haven't come in yet, and will soon.
