Latest news with #HealthandHumanServicesDepartment
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
‘Most serious' kind of plague kills Arizona resident, health officials say
An Arizona resident has died from the 'most serious' form of the plague, health officials said. The person tested positive for pneumonic plague July 11 in Coconino County, the Health and Human Services Department said in a news release. Pneumonic plague is a 'severe lung infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium,' health officials said. It's the first reported death related to this form of the plague in Coconino County since 2007, officials said. That year, the person was infected after coming into contact with a dead animal with the disease, officials said. Health officials said it's rare for humans to get the plague as there are about seven cases in the U.S. every year. Because of this, the risk of exposure for the public is low, officials said. People are most commonly infected with three types of the plague: pneumonic, bubonic and septicemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Someone can get pneumonic plague when the bacteria spreads to the lungs while a person is infected with bubonic or septicemic plague, the federal agency said It can also be transmitted when a person inhales the droplets from a sick person or animal. 'Pneumonic plague is the most serious form of the disease and is the only form of plague that can be spread from person to person,' the agency said.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Easing cannabis restrictions would set back the ‘Golden Age' . . . and boost China
President Donald Trump is facing a pivotal decision: whether to ease national restrictions on marijuana, a policy shift he hinted at during his 2024 campaign. President Donald Trump is facing a pivotal decision: whether to ease national restrictions on marijuana, a policy shift he hinted at during his 2024 campaign. But a major federal bust this week in Massachusetts — where the FBI arrested seven Chinese nationals connected with a multimillion-dollar pot-growing conspiracy — shows why loosening the rules would be a soft-power disaster. First, some context. Advertisement The federal government, under the Controlled Substances Act, uses a five-part schedule to classify various drugs and other potentially addictive items. Drugs with no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse get listed on Schedule I. That's where marijuana is now placed — right where it belongs. FDA-approved marijuana-based medications are rightly classified on lower schedules. Advertisement Raw weed, however, has no accepted medical use (whatever may be claimed in states that have legalized it), and addiction rates are around 30% and rising, with younger people hit hard. That didn't concern President Joe Biden's Health and Human Services Department, which recommended moving cannabis to Schedule III, the list of drugs with an accepted medical use and a lower risk of abuse. Now celebrities, star athletes and some MAGA influencers are pushing Trump to follow the Biden-era recommendation. But this president — who correctly grasps the multifaceted strategic threat China poses to the United States — should reject their urgings. Advertisement Look at this week's Justice Department charges. Federal law enforcement on Tuesday rolled up a network of marijuana grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine, allegedly run by Chinese nationals and staffed with illegal immigrants pressed into what amounts to indentured servitude. The operations generated millions of dollars in profits, which the growers sank into assets like jewelry, cars and real estate that expanded their criminal enterprise. Chinese criminals played a major role in the US fentanyl crisis by manufacturing the drug's precursor chemicals and selling them to Mexican cartels. Trump slammed China with a 20% tariff over that very fact. Advertisement Marijuana is looking like another big-time business unit for Beijing. But it gets worse: China's communist government appears to have significant links with these criminal weed enterprises. Two Chinese nationals charged with running an illegal grow operation in Maine in 2023 had deep links to the Sijiu Association, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit reportedly connected to China's New York consulate and to the United Front Work Department — the branch of the CCP's Central Committee that handles influence operations abroad. Another report in 2024 tracked the connections of Zhu Di, one of China's top US diplomats, to an Oklahoma cultural association that Sooner State authorities investigated for its links to the illicit weed business. It's beyond clear that Beijing smells the skunky funk of a tactical play against the United States rising from the red-hot marijuana trade. That's what makes rescheduling weed such a risk. Moving marijuana to Schedule III would supercharge the pot market, letting canna-businesses take regular deductions — including on advertising — at tax time, and easing their access to banking and credit. In other words, it would be a major step towards commercially normalizing Big Weed, and a massive boost for Chinese organized criminals with apparent CCP connections. Advertisement Worse — as New York has seen firsthand — far from eliminating the drug dealers, a juiced-up legal weed market leads to a bigger illegal market. Post-legalization in the Empire State, New York City alone contains an estimated 3,600 illegal pot stores, dwarfing the mere dozens of legal ones. California and Michigan have seen a similar trend. That's yet another way rescheduling would hand an unforced victory to China, which is already elbow-deep in illegal weed operations stateside. The worst part is that there's no domestic benefit to this tradeoff. Advertisement If weed goes on Schedule III, it will do nothing except help addiction profiteers get rich — and damage public health irreparably, even as a flood of new data confirms that marijuana is as bad as it gets for users' mental and physical well-being. Heart disease, schizophrenia, dementia, even tooth rot: Weed truly is the drug that does it all. Yes, the American public seems to be waking up. Every state considering recreational marijuana at the ballot box in 2024 rejected it. Advertisement But Trump should remember that Beijing will exploit any and every policy misstep we make to the utmost. That's as true of spy balloons as it is of public-health policies with nothing but negative domestic implications. Rescheduling marijuana would put Americans last, at home and abroad — and usher in the very opposite of the Golden Age the president has so memorably promised. Kevin Sabet is president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former White House drug policy adviser.
NBC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- NBC News
Judge temporarily pauses Trump administration's Planned Parenthood funding ban
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from barring Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood under a provision of Republicans' sweeping tax and spending package. Massachusetts U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued the temporary restraining order, directing the Health and Human Services Department to "take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes" to Planned Parenthood. The order will remain in effect for 14 days, and the judge will hear arguments on July 21 on whether to grant a longer pause on a provision of the administration's "big, beautiful bill," which President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday. "We're grateful that the court acted swiftly to block this unconstitutional law attacking Planned Parenthood providers and patients," Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah said in a joint statement. "Already, in states across the country, providers and health center staff have been forced to turn away patients who use Medicaid to get basic sexual and reproductive health care because President Trump and his backers in Congress passed a law to block them from going to Planned Parenthood," the statement said. "There are no other providers who can fill the gap if the 'defunding' of Planned Parenthood is allowed to stand. The fight is just beginning, and we look forward to our day in court." The provision bans state Medicaid funding to healthcare groups "primarily engaged" in family planning services, reproductive health, and related medical care, including abortions, for one year. Federal law prohibits healthcare providers from using federal Medicaid funds for abortions, unless the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother or is a result of rape or incest. While the provision of the 'big beautiful bill" doesn't directly name Planned Parenthood, the group alleged in their lawsuit on Monday that it's "a naked attempt to leverage the government's spending power to attack and penalize Planned Parenthood and impermissibly single it out for unfavorable treatment." The group claimed that the law violates its equal protection rights and retaliates against its protected speech. In its lawsuit, Planned Parenthood said the law would have "catastrophic" consequences on the organization and its local affiliates around the country, which also provide non-abortion services like contraception, and screenings for cancer and sexually transmitted infections. "Many Planned Parenthood Members will be required to lay off staff and curtail services, with serious adverse consequences for the many patients served at those centers even if they do not use Medicaid to access services," the lawsuit read. "Worse still, Members may be forced to shutter a substantial number of their health centers nationwide, many of which are in rural or underserved areas without alternative providers." As a result of the one-year funding ban, Planned Parenthood said 200 of its health centers are at risk of closure, and over one million patients could lose access to care. More than 90% of the clinics at risk are located in states where abortion is still legal, the group said. The Department of Justice declined to comment on the ruling and has yet to file any court documents in the case. Katie Daniel, the legal affairs director and policy counsel for SBA Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion advocacy group, lambasted Planned Parenthood's lawsuit. 'Planned Parenthood's desperation is showing as they run to the courts again to fix a crisis of their own making. Life is winning and the nation's abortion giant won't be missed as their long decline continues,' Daniel said.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. grilled by Congress over health spending cuts, vaccine overhaul
House members on June 24 grilled Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for roughly three hours during a hearing, sparring with the Health and Human Services Department chief over a range of topics. Kennedy testified before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on the health department's 2026 budget, with House members demanding answers about funding cuts to critical programs as well as his stances on vaccine oversight, addiction recovery, emergency abortions, HIV prevention and dietary guidelines. Plus, Kennedy faced pointed questions about the plans to merge several agencies − including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences − into the new Administration for a Healthy America, AHA. Kennedy also drew praise from House Republicans as he defended his moves as necessary to attack the nation's chronic disease epidemic and slow federal health spending, Here are five key moments from Kennedy's testimony. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, cited concerns by scientists about Kennedy's leadership during his opening months as the nation's top health official. "The thing that disturbs me most is this anti-science agenda," Pallone said. Pallone said most scientists and medical professionals believe Kennedy's views on vaccines are "dangerous and not supported by scientific evidence." "I just really think people are going to die as a result of your actions and Congressional Republican actions," Pallone said. Pallone added that Kennedy hasn't responded to his questions about workforce and program cuts even though he pledged to "radical transparency." Pallone added Kennedy has refused to take public input about vaccines, including his decision to overhaul a vaccine advisory panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. Kennedy said he fired ACIP members "who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry." He later added that when he met Pallone 15 years ago, the congressman was sympathetic to people who suffered vaccine injuries. "You were the leading member of Congress on that issue," Kennedy said. "Since then, you've accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions − more than any other member of this committee." Kennedy added: "And your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP committee, which is completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions." After other committee members raised concerns about his comments, Kennedy said he retracted his words. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, asked Kennedy whether he was aware of reports that the Justice Department is investigating UnitedHealthcare over Medicare Advantage payments. "You are not aware that the Trump Department of Justice is investigating the largest insurance company in America?" Ocasio-Cortez said. Kennedy said he was not aware of any such investigation, which prompted AOC to point out he oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She then asked why his department approved more lucrative payments next fiscal year for Medicare plans administered by private insurance companies such as UnitedHealthcare. Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, questioned Kennedy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cuts to HIV research. Carter cited a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges that found deep cuts to National Institutes of Health-funded research of HIV and AIDS. Carter said one study, focusing on HIV and adolescents, was stopped due to funding cuts. Carter added that funding cuts halted HIV vaccine research. Kennedy countered that HHS has 27 departments focusing on HIV and that agency spends $7.5 billion per year. When Carter said HIV funding cuts slows momentum for life-saving research, Kennedy said, "show me one life." Carter responded, "I'm insulted that you would suggest that there aren't lives that have been lost. People are dying every day, sir." While several Democrats criticized him over the firings of federal employees and research funding cuts, Kennedy defended the moves as necessary. Several House Republicans echoed the need to direct funding in a way that better improves Americans' health. He said the U.S. is the "sickest developed nation" even though "we spend $4.5 trillion annually on health care − two to three times more per capita to comparable nations," he said. He said the budget maintains funding for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal health insurance programs for the elderly, disabled and low-income families. Although he did not address proposed Medicaid cuts in a House tax cut and spending bill that awaits a Senate vote, he said the HHS budget cuts are aimed at bureaucracy. He said the nation's spiraling spending on health care "will ransom our children to bankruptcy, servitude and disastrous health consequences." "We won't solve this problem by throwing more money at it," Kennedy said "We must spend smarter." Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, lauded Kennedy for his focus on a 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The NIH will spend $10 million to fund a five-year study on the long-term health effects of people who lived in nearby communities. During the Biden administration, Rulli said health officials denied the potential for long-term health consequences from the train derailment. Kennedy said he visited East Palestine shortly after the crash and talked with people who complained of breathing, stomach and eye problems. "I promised I would do everything I could to help them," Kennedy said, who vowed to do "honest science" over the life of the grant. "We're going to fully disclose whatever we find and let the chips fall where they may," Kennedy said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. testifies before House Health committee
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
RFK Jr. is an unserious man. But his misinformed vaccine policy will be deadly.
In his latest shocking attack on proven science and medicine, RFK Jr. has fired all 17 members of the CDC's vaccine advisory board. This should concern us all. It has been a little over two years since the end of the pandemic public health emergency, but it's astonishing how quickly we have moved on from the devastation wrought by COVID-19. As a front-line doctor, I cannot forget the sick, the dying and the panic from that time. Roughly 350,000 Americans died before our country created and deployed the first mRNA vaccines in December 2020. These proved to be a powerful weapon against the virus and greatly decreased the rate of death and suffering. But a new enemy emerged in parallel: misinformation and mistrust in public health and science. The backlash against what our own nation's brightest minds had produced, with evidence to back up vaccination, was astounding. Unvaccinated patients would be cursing Dr. Anthony Fauci, then the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the vaccines to my face ‒ even as they were dying on large amounts of oxygen. This legacy of distrust continues and is unfortunately being borne out in the Trump administration's policies under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., top vaccine skeptic and head of the Health and Human Services Department. In his latest shocking attack on proven science and medicine, he has fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory board. These are experts in the field of medicine, tasked with making recommendations on vaccine deployment. This should concern us all. Opinion: Please stop letting RFK Jr. make vaccine policies. His new COVID plan is deadly. RFK Jr. claims firing vaccine experts will Make America Healthy. It won't. In his reason for firing these 17 experts, Kennedy claimed that they have never denied a vaccine – which is not their job, by the way – and that they are beholden to corporate interests. Unlike other members of the administration, this has not proved to be true. Some advisory board members have even recused themselves in cases that could suggest a conflict of interest. The integrity of these professionals stands in stark contrast to Kennedy's unfounded accusations. Introducing skepticism into sound scientific recommendations without proof can have dire consequences. Just look at the recent measles outbreak in Texas among unvaccinated populations as an example. Healthy and vulnerable children are being put at risk due to misguided beliefs and shadowed skepticism by our governmental agencies about what is generally considered sound science. Look at Kennedy's endorsement of dubious science that vitamin A is an effective preventative to measles – a message that has led to cases of vitamin A poisoning in children. I'm a doctor. Trump's crusade against universities undermines the future of your health. | Opinion What is emerging is a troubling pattern of RFK Jr. and this administration spreading doubt of evidence-based public health recommendations. His motto is to 'Make America Healthy Again.' This is a pleasant sound bite, but the administration's actions and polices are doing the opposite. Cutting National Institutes of Health funding and crippling research into cancer and heart disease cures is not making us healthier. Neither is laying off critical staff at the Food and Drug Administration, especially when we are having outbreaks of salmonella and other foodborne illnesses. MAHA misinformation will cost lives. How will the proposed federal spending cuts to Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which could reduce access to the more than 70 million Americans enrolled, make us healthier? How is any of this making America healthy again? It's not. In fact, it's breeding ignorance by culling from the table the actual experts in public health, science and medicine. RFK Jr. is all about solving chronic disease, but he seems to be listening to his gut (which by the way does not have a PhD, MD or any medical background) rather than people who have knowledge in this area. It's akin to firing car safety experts because you don't believe that seat belts and airbags save lives. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. At a time when we need informed guidance, we are instead cultivating an environment where political agendas eclipse scientific truth. It is only a matter of time before we face another COVID-like health crisis. At the rate we are proceeding, we will be ill-prepared to respond. Our public health infrastructure is already frail, and with the brain drain of qualified experts being systematically replaced by unsound ideologies, we set ourselves up for extraordinary vulnerability. The stakes are too high to play this game. RFK Jr. needs to get more serious, or we need to replace him with actual experts in public health who know what they're doing. Dr. Thomas K. Lew is an assistant clinical professor of Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and an attending physician of Hospital Medicine at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley. All expressed opinions are his own. Follow him on X: @ThomasLewMD You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
