Latest news with #CélineGounder
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
How climate change is increasing complication risks for pregnant women
Early season heat waves gripping the Central and Southern United States are bringing attention to the health dangers of high temperatures during pregnancy. While extreme heat can be dangerous for anybody, pregnant women are particularly at risk — and according to a report released last week, climate change is making things worse. The analysis, from the nonprofit Climate Central, found that climate change nearly doubled the average number of "pregnancy heat-risk days" — extremely hot days linked to an increased risk of preterm birth — in the U.S. from 2020 to 2024. "These are the days when pregnant women are at increased risk for a number of different complications — so heat stroke, heat exhaustion," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings Plus" Tuesday. "If you have these kinds of symptoms in a pregnant woman, it's even more concerning, because you can have other complications like preterm birth." Heat can have such an impact because pregnancy puts major stress on the heart. "You're more likely to get dehydrated during pregnancy. You have an increase in your blood volume during pregnancy, and so being dehydrated, being exposed to extra heat, you're working that much harder to keep yourself and your baby cool," Gounder said. While it's important to be aware of temperatures throughout an entire pregnancy, Gounder said it's especially important during the third trimester, which can be hardest on the body. It's also when the risk of extreme heat causes the most number of complications, she added. Finding ways to stay cool should also be top of mind, Gounder said, especially as resources related to heat safety are being cut. "You're going to have to stay on top of this a whole lot more, because some of the surveillance that was being done by NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), by the CDC, is now being cut by the Trump administration," Gounder said. "That is part of their job — to do the surveillance and let people know and to have those cooling centers open and ready to welcome people." In February, more than 800 employees were dismissed from NOAA, the nation's primary hub for weather and climate information that is considered the authority on forecasting, storm tracking and climate monitoring. The job cuts were part of a federal cost-cutting initiative by the Trump administration and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Also under the DOGE initiative were cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including large agencies like the CDC, the nation's public health agency, which is responsible for protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats, tracking health trends and developing health and safety guidelines. To help stay cool, Gounder suggests not over exerting yourself on hot days, finding a shady place to take breaks when outside and seeking spaces like a public library if you need to cool down further. Sara Moniuszko Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch. contributed to this report.
CBS News
11-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Trump heads to Walter Reed for annual physical exam
President Trump is undergoing an annual physical at Walter Reed Hospital on Friday, the first physical of his second term. Mr. Trump, who at 78 is the oldest president to be sworn in for a new term, had his last known comprehensive examination in September 2023 . He released only limited details from that visit. Mr. Trump's schedule predicts he will be at Walter Reed for four hours and 45 minutes. Presidential physicals are time-consuming, and typically include a battery of tests and checks. "The basic thing they're going to be doing are vital signs, your heart, lung, abdominal exam that you're used to getting at the doctor's office," said CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder. "Basic labs like your cholesterol, your blood sugar, maybe kidney and liver tests. And then if there is a prior medical history of risk factor or some other issue, maybe an EKG, a chest X-ray, ultrasound, echocardiogram, that sort of thing." But Gounder noted there's another element to it as well. "A presidential physical is not your typical physical exam," she said. "I think it makes more sense to think about this as a curated medical PR event, really intended to reassure the public that the president is able to perform his duties." In November 2023, Mr. Trump posted a letter from his doctor of osteopathic medicine, Bruce Aronwald, summarizing his September checkup. The letter said Mr. Trump's "overall health is excellent," and his "physical exams were well within the normal range and his cognitive exams were exceptional." But the letter did not offer any specifics such as Mr. Trump's vital signs or any medications he was taking. After Mr. Trump's ear was struck by a bullet at a campaign rally in Butler , Pennsylvania, last July, Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson — a doctor who was Trump's physician during his first term — posted a memo about the president's health. Jackson said he reviewed Mr. Trump's hospital records and that he was "doing extremely well" after the assassination attempt. Mr. Trump has said he isn't suffering from any long-term health effects from the shooting, and his ear has since healed. The last annual physical Mr. Trump underwent as president was in June 2020. A summary of the physical released by the White House at the time said he weighed 244 pounds, and his blood pressure was 121 over 79.
CBS News
10-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Diabetes during pregnancy linked to higher rates of ADHD, autism in children, study says
Having diabetes during pregnancy is linked to higher rates of ADHD , autism and other neurocognitive issues in children, according to new research. The meta-analysis, published earlier this week in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology , analyzed over 56 million pregnancies across more than 200 studies. Researchers found children born to women who had diabetes during pregnancy were 28% more likely to have a neuro-developmental issue than those whose mothers didn't have the disease. The risk was heightened by both gestational diabetes , which can develop during pregnancy, and pre-existing Type 2 diabetes , according to the study. "We know that high blood sugar levels during pregnancy can cause other neurological issues," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings" Thursday. "What's probably happening is a combination of the blood sugar levels themselves, but also how that triggers inflammation, other hormonal changes, how it turns certain genes on and off during fetal development." It also increases the risk of having a baby who is more overweight at the time of birth, which means the delivery itself can be more complicated, Gounder added. If you're looking to start a family but have diabetes or another medical condition, Gounder says it's recommended to hold off getting pregnant until those conditions are under control. The people behind forming guidelines like these to keep mothers and their children safe have recently faced cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Trump administration . "This relates to some of the cuts we've recently seen at the CDC. One of the cuts was the people in the Maternal and Child Health Division," she said. "The people in that division were developing guidelines for contraception for women who had underlying medical issues, were medically complicated." For those women, regular birth control pills and other common methods may not be the right thing, Gounder explained, highlighting the importance of that work.
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
What artificial food dye bans mean for your health and fridge
Growing concerns about the health effects of food dyes have led to a new West Virginia law banning seven artificial food dyes – but what does this mean for those in other states? And where else are bans in place? Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, told "CBS Mornings Plus" Wednesday that the impact of West Virginia's move is yet to be seen. "If this had been California or New York or Texas, that is a different thing, because then you're really having such a big impact on the market. Do manufacturers want to make something different for one state like California versus the rest of the country?" she said. "West Virginia is pretty small, so it's hard to know if this is really just going to mean certain foods just won't be sold in West Virginia, as opposed to separate products being developed for West Virginia." Nationally, at least 30 color additives are approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in food and drinks, including nine artificial dyes. Those nine require batch certification, meaning the FDA analyzes a sample from each batch of the additive to check if it meets certain requirements before it can be used. The West Virginia ban is the most sweeping state level food dye regulation in the U.S. and includes: Starting Aug. 1, these dies will not be in school meals in the state. Starting in January 2028, the dyes, along with preservatives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben, will not be allowed in any foods, beverages or over-the-counter drugs sold in the state. While you may not know these dyes by name, they can show up in your foods. Red No. 40, for example, can be found in salami, Yellow No. 6 in chicken bullion and Blue No. 1 in canned peas. Gounder noted that states can follow what's known as the precautionary principle, "which is basically, 'better safe than sorry'" to ban food additives. The FDA, however, needs to go through a scientific process and show evidence of a risk first. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey cited Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "Make American Healthy Again" campaign in a statement released March 24 about the ban. "West Virginia ranks at the bottom of many public health metrics, which is why there's no better place to lead the Make America Healthy Again mission," he said. "By eliminating harmful chemicals from our food, we're taking steps toward improving the health of our residents and protecting our children from significant long-term health and learning challenges." Gounder also acknowledged Kennedy's influence. "It's interesting because this is actually kind of importing European-style regulation to what is a very red, conservative state — so not what you would think of, but I think this is the influence of MAHA," she said. "Frankly, people on both sides of the aisle are really supportive of being healthier in this respect." In 2023, California became the first state in the U.S. to issue a ban of Red No. 3 as well as potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben. The ban starts in 2027. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also signed legislation , taking effect in 2028, that bans schools from serving or selling food and drinks with Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6. Several other states have introduced varying levels of bans or regulations on color additives, according to the Environmental Working Group , which advocates for changing industry health standards. In January, the FDA announced its decision to revoke the authorization for one dye, Red No. 3, to be added to foods, after evidence showed a link between the dye and cancer in laboratory animals. Red 3, which is made of petroleum, is what gives a bright cherry-red color to a lot of foods and candies. It has already been banned in cosmetics and topical medications since 1990. Companies are working to update their products to comply with the FDA's decision. They have until Jan. 15, 2027, to stop using the dye, the agency said. Hundreds of food brands, including products ranging from candy and fruit cups to snack chips and tomato sauce, have contained Red 3 at some point, according to databases maintained by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the nonprofit Environmental Working Group , as well as nutrition labels disclosed by food companies. At the end of 2024, the FDA said it has not formally reevaluated the safety of Red No. 40 , or Red 40 for short, in over a decade. Jim Jones , the former deputy commissioner for human foods, warned at the time their budget was too small. An FDA study published in 2016 estimated that children are exposed to Red 40 the most from drinks, frozen desserts and cereal. Databases published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and nonprofit Environmental Working Group tally thousands of foods with Red 40. Medications and cosmetics also have it. In 2011, a panel of the FDA's food advisers voted against a warning like one that authorities in Europe issued for dyes, including Red 40, that says they "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." Most of the advisers said at the time they thought studies fell short of proving causality. The agency's science board concluded in 2019 that "most children have no effects from consuming foods containing color additives, though some evidence suggested that certain children may be part of a sensitive subpopulation," an FDA spokesperson said. Gounder said there is "some evidence, at least for some kids" that these dyes can increase certain risks, including hyperactivity, sleeplessness and inattention. "So especially for those kids where that impact has been seen, and taking those foods away relieves those symptoms, for those kids, especially, it is a good thing," she said. Most calls to restrict Red 40 stem from research commissioned by British food authorities in 2007 , which linked increases of hyperactivity in children to mixtures of synthetic dyes. "If you talk to parents whose kids are sensitive to dyes, they'll tell you how difficult it is to avoid dyes and what a huge change it was for their entire household to try to get these dyes out of their kids' diets," environmental health consultant Lisa Lefferts previously told CBS News. For Red 3, the FDA has long said that it does not think evidence of it causing cancer applied to humans, but officials said their hand was forced by a law requiring the agency to pull additives that are cancerous in animals. A post on the FDA's website states, "claims that the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and in ingested drugs puts people at risk are not supported by the available scientific information." If you want to limit dye intake, experts say to pay attention to labels. "You can't look at the color. Even white foods may have synthetic dyes to make it brighter," Gounder previously said. Alexander Tin and Emily Mae Czachor contributed to this report.
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Trump administration to cut $11.4 billion in COVID funding from local health departments
Federal health officials said they are cutting $11.4 billion in COVID-19-related funds for state and local public health departments — money that was was largely used for COVID-19 testing, virus research and community health jobs. "The COVID-19 pandemic is over, and HHS will no longer waste billions of taxpayer dollars responding to a non-existent pandemic that Americans moved on from years ago," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement Tuesday. The statement said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects to recover the money beginning 30 days after termination notices, which began being sent out on Monday. The move was first reported by NBC News. "This is just one in a series of many, many cuts we're seeing across health agencies across the country," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on CBS News 24/7 on Wednesday. "This ... is money that had been going to state, local, territorial, tribal health departments across the country, and as we know, as was the case with a lot of COVID funding, it was not just supporting COVID-related programs, but many other things," she said, noting wastewater surveillance as one example of what's being lost with these cuts, which helps experts look for infectious diseases and other toxins in the water. "This has direct applications to the measles outbreak in West Texas right now. It gives us an early warning system for where there might be measles in other areas , where they need to be focusing measles vaccinations, and that program is falling victim to this," Gounder said. "And state (and) local health departments really depend on that CDC money. The CDC functions as a funnel of funding to the state and local level, and in some cases, it's 90% of their budget." Lori Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said much of the funding was set to end soon anyway. "It's ending in the next six months," she said. "There's no reason — why rescind it now? It's just cruel and unusual behavior." In a related move, more than two dozen COVID-related research grants funded by the National Institutes of Health have been canceled . Earlier this month, the Trump administration shut down ordering from , the site where Americans could have COVID-19 tests delivered to their mailboxes for no charge. Although the COVID federal public health emergency has ended, the virus is still killing Americans: 458 people per week on average have died from COVID over the past four weeks, according to CDC data . HHS wouldn't provide many details about how the federal government expects to recover the money from what it called "impacted recipients." But HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said in an email: "The $11.4 billion is undisbursed funds remaining." Freeman said her understanding is that state health departments already had the COVID money. "The funding was authorized by Congress, was appropriated by Congress, and it was out the door, basically, into the hands of the grantees" — states, she said, which decide how to distribute it locally. Under both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration, billions of dollars was allocated for COVID response through legislation, including a COVID relief bill and the American Rescue Plan Act.
