Latest news with #ScottHarris
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Giants takeaways: They are a lot like the Tigers, except for one big thing
You're not going to want to hear this, but the Tigers didn't sweep the Giants out of Detroit because they're an empirically better baseball team. They're a good team, possibly a better team overall, and certainly a better team right now, but there are more similarities than differences between the two rosters. Advertisement There's one difference that can explain an awful lot, though. We'll get to that difference, but let's get the gory details out of the way first. The Giants allowed 10 runs in a three-game series (good) but scored five (bad), and they saved their three-run offensive explosion for the only game of the series in which the Tigers scored more than three runs. Wednesday's 4-3 loss was the 11th game in a row in which the Giants scored fewer than four runs, which is tied for the 11th-longest stretch in San Francisco era history. To find the last time they did it, you'll have to go all the way back to May 2024. Most of the players in those games last season were in the Giants' starting lineup for the Tigers series. The state of the Giants' offense is 'emergency,' and there aren't any easy answers. With that out of the way, let's move to the original assertion, which is that the Giants and Tigers are more similar than different. Start with the architects of large chunks of both teams. Farhan Zaidi is still responsible for a large portion of the current Giants roster, and Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris is responsible for the bulk of the Tigers roster. Then there's a little Venn diagram where Harris is at least partially responsible for some of the Giants' moves, back from his days as their GM. It's not much of a stretch to think that there's some Giants DNA in some of the Tigers' moves, too, with Harris almost certainly learning some of the transactional dark arts from his mentor. That's notable, but it's far from the end of the similarities. The Tigers are led by one of the few traditional aces left in baseball, Tarik Skubal, who is a steady, durable strike thrower of the highest order. The Giants are one of the only teams in baseball with a pitcher of the same genre (Logan Webb). They're both the tips of their respective teams' run-prevention spear, and both teams have pitching staffs that can help their teams win, even when their lineups aren't scoring much. Advertisement Neither team is built to out-slug their opponents. The Tigers have 65 home runs on the season, whereas the Giants have 55. Both are respectable numbers, especially given their respective ballparks, but they're unambiguously pitching-first teams when everything is working right. They're not going to run wild on their opponents, either. The Tigers are one of only three teams in baseball with fewer stolen bases than the Giants. Both teams have been good at finding pitchers in the later rounds of the draft, including their aces, and both teams have been good at finding diamonds in the rough, to the degree that Zach McKinstry even looks like it could be an anagram of 'Mike Yastrzemski.' There are other minor similarities, but the point isn't to list them all to the point of being tedious. The point is to explain the most glaring difference between them. It's why one team has the best record in baseball, and the other team couldn't hold on to the best record in baseball. It's like the old Clinton-era catchphrase about the economy, but repurposed for baseball teams: It's the first-round picks, stupid. Heliot Ramos had three of the Giants' 10 hits on Wednesday, including a two-run home run. His offensive resurgence over the last month has been a huge reason why the Giants are merely scuffling to string wins together, rather than suffering through a stretch that's bad enough to undo everything from the first three weeks of the season. They might pull off that last part eventually — don't count them out! — but for now, Ramos has been one of their most important players. He was a first-round pick, and he's hitting like one. Ramos was also drafted in 2017, which was quite a while ago. That's the year that Apple released the iPhone 8, Nintendo released the Switch and Ty Blach led the Giants in starts, with 34. Ramos has been the Giants' most productive first-round pick since Joe Panik in 2011, an island in a sea of unknown futures and disappointing careers. The other Giants' first-rounder to succeed with the team was Patrick Bailey, but you can use the verb 'succeed' to be in the past tense, if you're cynical. In the eighth inning of Wednesday's game, with runners on second and third with nobody out, Bailey popped out on the first pitch, dropping his OPS to .489. Still, if you're using Bailey as an example of the Giants' first-round failures, you're doing the exercise wrong. He's still established himself as an everyday player with clear major-league skills, even if his bat is light years behind his Gold Glove right now. He's one of the examples of a first-round pick that's gone right for the Giants. You can decide for yourself if Joey Bart belongs in that category (he's essentially tied with Bailey in WAR this season, if you were thinking about picking that fight again). Advertisement The Tigers, on the other hand, are in first place because of the contributions of Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, two top-five picks in recent drafts. It wasn't long ago that Torkelson was considered a cautionary tale, but youth was on his side, and he's finally developing into the player he was expected to be. Greene didn't have the same developmental hiccups, moving from a No. 5 pick in 2019 out of high school to a superstar in short order. It was a remarkably deep draft that year, with several regulars and award contenders already established in the majors. Only one player taken in the top 10 of that draft hasn't appeared in the majors yet. You get one guess as to which team drafted him. The Giants would have less of a need for the Tigers' other first-round picks who are helping them out, right-handed starters Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize, but it's still worth noting the disparity in value they're getting out of their first-rounders. Mize would have been in the Giants' rotation right now, if not for a Pablo Sandoval walk-off home run, which is another entry for the 'If it wasn't for my horse …' files. The Giants have Ramos thriving and Bailey trying to get his swing back, but that's it for their own first-round picks. They're still a remarkably homegrown team — with the fourth-most homegrown players on their active roster, tied with the … Tigers, of course. But a lot of their homegrown players are development successes from the middle to lower rounds of the draft. Their burgeoning young rotation is built on impressive later-round picks like Webb, Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp. Their bullpen has two of their only international amateur free agent successes since Juan Marichal, with once and future closer Camilo Doval and Randy Rodríguez. That extra push, that extra oomph, that could get the Giants to that next level is the one that teams typically find with their first-round picks. Every era of Giants baseball can be defined by their first-round successes and failures, from the 'You Gotta Like These Kids!' teams that turned Will Clark and Matt Williams into a pennant, to the Barry Bonds teams that were seemingly just one player away from getting a championship out of the best hitter of all-time. Every team in the championship era had several first-round picks leading the way, and the first one in 2010 had three of them in the rotation and one behind the plate. Even the Dodgers aren't anything without their first-round picks. Without Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager and Will Smith, they don't turn into the same kind of juggernaut that can tempt Shohei Ohtani. One of the biggest reasons they're not out to a 10-game lead in the NL West this season is because they've hit a similar dry patch since drafting Smith in 2016. There's still hope. Maybe not necessarily for this season, but beyond. Bryce Eldridge is still a marvel, and James Tibbs III is having a monster May. Bailey has hit in the majors before, so it's not entirely outlandish to hope he can do it again. Right now, though, the Giants are missing that special oomph that comes from an unambiguously talented top prospect giving his team way more value than his signing bonus cost them. It's the difference between a team that's somewhere between average and good (the 2025 Giants) and a team that's somewhere between good and great (the 2025 Giants). It's one of the reasons the Giants just got swept, and considering the glacial nature of the development of most prospects, it's unlikely to get fixed soon. (Top photo of Greene: Duane Burleson / Getty Images)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers designate Kenta Maeda for assignment, bring up Tyler Owens
ANAHEIM, CA. — The Detroit Tigers bullpen has turned into a revolving door − with comings, goings and more to come − trying to find the right combination "to help us win." The Tigers designated 37-year-old right-handed reliever Kenta Maeda for assignment May 1, while recalling Tyler Owens. Advertisement In addition, reliever Andrew Chafin, who did not make the Opening Day roster and was pitching for Triple-A Toledo, signed with the Washington Nationals. More: Kenta Maeda threw a pitch so bad for Detroit Tigers it didn't even get tracked by Statcast Finally, reliever Beau Brieske has joined the Tigers in Anaheim, although he won't be eligible to return from the 15-day injured list until May 3. President of baseball operations Scott Harris and Hinch told Maeda on May 1 at the team hotel in Anaheim. 'It's tough, because when he was good, he really helped us,' Hinch said. 'When he struggled, we really didn't get him back on track.' Advertisement The Tigers signed Maeda to a two-year, $24 million contract on Nov. 28, 2023. He struggled as a starter in 2024 before ending the season in the bullpen. He made the 2025 Opening Day roster, moving to the bullpen fulltime, but he was used in low leverage situations. He pitched in seven games and had a 7.88 ERA. Kenta Maeda of the Detroit Tigers reacts in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 29, 2025 in Houston. 'It's a frustrating end to his time here,' Hinch said. 'He was disappointed that he just didn't get on track and didn't contribute.' While the Tigers have helped rehab several veteran pitchers, including Jack Flaherty, they were unable to get Maeda on track. 'It was a frustrating time for him,' Hinch said. 'We couldn't get him on track, and he couldn't get himself on track, and that is a bad combo.' Advertisement Owens, a 24-year-old reliever, pitched in 12 games for Triple-A Toledo, striking out 11 and walking nine. 'We do want to create opportunity for the young players and young pitchers,' Hinch said. 'We're really excited about Tyler and some of the adjustments that we asked him to work on from the beginning of the season, specifically this last week.' The Tigers acquired Owens on July 28, 2024, in the Carson Kelly trade to the Texas Rangers. 'He's got a good arm,' Hinch said. 'He's a good-looking prospect pitcher, and this is the next challenge for him. When we acquired him last year. I heard a lot about his aggressiveness. Advertisement "I heard a lot about his pitches and his mix and his high-end velo. And then we got a chance to know him in the spring, and he was very advanced in the reliever mode, of being in attack mode, being somebody that comes in and challenges hitters.' But he struggled to throw strikes this spring. But he made some adjustments over the last few weeks. More: Javier Báez has recaptured some of the magic for Detroit Tigers 'When he got his delivery under control in Triple-A these last couple of weeks, he started to get better feel for his pitches,' Hinch said. 'He started to throw more strikes. "He got off to a really slow start. As he's turning the corner, we feel like he's somebody who can be dynamic in the pen and get lefties out, get righties out, provided that his execution is there. I would think he can help us win.' Advertisement And that is key. The Tigers were using Maeda in low-leverage situations, refusing to pitch him in games that he might lose a lead. 'When I say this about all the guys that we bring up, we don't want a gap in our in our pen, where we feel like we can't use somebody or we feel like we want to stay away from somebody,' Hinch said. Hinch was not certain what the Tigers would do when Brieske is eligible to return. 'We'll see how that all plays out,' Hinch said. 'We have to worry about today's game and tomorrow's game and get after it the best we can to win before we can even consider what to do with Beau.' Advertisement Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@ Follow him on X @seideljeff. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers designate Kenta Maeda for assignment, call up Tyler Owens
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Altimmune Inc (ALT) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Financial Strength and Strategic Developments
Cash Position: Ended Q1 2025 with $150 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, up from $132 million at year-end 2024. ATM Facility: Raised $35 million net in Q1 2025, with an additional $16 million since April 1. Credit Facility: Entered into a $100 million credit facility with Hercules Capital, with $15 million funding at closing and additional tranches available. R&D Expenses: $15.8 million for Q1 2025, down from $21.5 million in Q1 2024. G&A Expenses: $6 million for Q1 2025, up from $5.3 million in Q1 2024. Net Loss: $19.6 million or $0.26 per share for Q1 2025, compared to $24.4 million or $0.34 per share in Q1 2024. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with ALT. Release Date: May 13, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Altimmune Inc (NASDAQ:ALT) is optimistic about the upcoming readout of their IMPACT Phase 2b NASH trial, expecting to achieve key efficacy and safety objectives. The company has entered into a $100 million credit facility with Hercules Capital, enhancing financial flexibility for the development of pemvidutide. Altimmune Inc (NASDAQ:ALT) is expanding its clinical trials to include alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol liver disease (ALD), addressing significant unmet medical needs. The company reported a strong cash position, ending the first quarter with $150 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. Altimmune Inc (NASDAQ:ALT) is preparing for a Phase 3 trial in NASH, with plans to hold an end of Phase 2 meeting with the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company faces risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements. R&D expenses decreased from $21.5 million in Q1 2024 to $15.8 million in Q1 2025, which might indicate reduced investment in research and development. Net loss for the first quarter of 2025 was $19.6 million, indicating ongoing financial challenges. The company is still in the process of rereading biopsies for the IMPACT trial, which could affect the timeline and outcomes. There is uncertainty regarding the placebo response rate in the IMPACT trial, which could impact the trial's success. Q: Can you provide commentary on the distribution of F2 and F3 in the Phase 2b population and how representative it is compared to other successful Phase 2b studies? A: We are in the final stages of rereading the biopsies, so we can't provide precise numbers yet. However, the demographics, including age, sex, F2/F3 distribution, and other characteristics, are very similar to other studies, making our data meaningful and comparable. - Scott Harris, Chief Medical Officer Q: What is the ideal patient population for pemvidutide in MASH, and are there any partnership opportunities being considered? A: We are targeting MASH with obesity, as 80-90% of MASH patients are obese. Pemvidutide addresses both obesity and liver fibrosis, offering a comprehensive treatment. Regarding partnerships, we are open to discussions but are prepared to move forward with Phase 3 development independently. - Vipin Garg, Chief Executive Officer Q: How are discontinuations being handled in the study, and what is the expected placebo response range? A: Discontinuations are being managed well, and we are pleased with the data so far. Placebo responses have varied widely in past trials, but with our methodology, we expect to see a placebo response rate between 7% and 13%. - Scott Harris, Chief Medical Officer Q: How important is weight loss in the study, and what weight loss should be expected compared to semaglutide? A: Weight loss is crucial, especially for patients with obesity and cardiovascular risks. We expect clinically significant weight loss similar to semaglutide, which showed about 10% weight loss at 72 weeks. Our 24-week results should be comparable, providing a complete solution for MASH. - Scott Harris, Chief Medical Officer Q: What are the plans for Phase 3, and how might the development timeline be shortened? A: We are considering using a higher dose in Phase 3 for better weight loss and potentially having a six-month endpoint to accelerate the timeline. We plan to discuss these options with the FDA in the fourth quarter. - Scott Harris, Chief Medical Officer For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
New York Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Tigers mailbag Part 2: Could the Tigers get aggressive at the trade deadline?
DETROIT — It is May, and the 22-13 Detroit Tigers have the best record in the American League. The team's run differential of plus-63 is the best in baseball as of Monday morning, a sign that much of what they are doing could be quite real. Next up? The Tigers face the Colorado Rockies, who have only won six games all season. The vibes are high, hence the influx of questions about the Tigers being buyers at the trade deadline for the first time in a long, long time. Here's Part 2 of our Tigers mailbag. Check back on Part 1 for questions about what the roster will look like after Matt Vierling and others return from the IL. Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length. Cody: It sure feels like the Tigers need to address a few positions to give them the best possible chance of going deep into the postseason. Has there been any indication that (president of baseball operations) Scott Harris is thinking the same way, and will he make a significant trade? — Jan W. The truth is that it's still a little early to forecast what might happen at the trade deadline. But I got several variations of this question, so we might as well have some fun and speculate. If the Tigers are still playing this well — or if they are at all in contention — they seem to be in a good position to be real buyers. I don't necessarily think Harris wants to part with any meaningful young talent. But the Tigers have enough depth at the upper and lower levels to have some maneuverability. As for what the Tigers could pursue? This isn't shaping up to be a trade deadline packed with prime sluggers. Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara and White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. project as the biggest trade candidates right now. I don't see either as a fit for the Tigers. The left side of the infield still seems like the Tigers' biggest need. If Javier Báez and Zach McKinstry are still playing at otherworldly levels in July, that calculus could change. I do, however, remain interested in Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette as a potential deadline upgrade for Detroit. After a real down year last season, Bichette has shown some signs of life so far. He is hitting .288 with a 102 OPS+ but has yet to get going in the power department, hitting only one home run. His bat speed is down, but his contact rate is up so far this season, which are things to watch. And for as much as Bichette is regarded as a good shortstop, he's actually been worth minus-7 defensive runs saved since the start of 2024. Would he be an upgrade for the Tigers? Let's see what the early part of summer holds before clamoring for specific moves. Health and performance could alter what the team needs in a couple of months. If the Tigers want to make a deep run into the postseason, it kinda feels like they need to bolster the bullpen with another arm. Any elite options that you can see being available? Or do you see them adding from within? — Anthony D. The Tigers have a 2.57 bullpen ERA right now. In the minor leagues, they're crafting other arms who could be useful by the end of the season. So it is worth asking: Would the Tigers want to trade for bullpen help? There's a case to be made that the answer should be no. There's also the reality that relievers can get taxed as the season goes on. In the rotation, the Tigers will have to be careful with Jackson Jobe's innings down the stretch. It wouldn't hurt to make the bullpen even better. Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals might be the top reliever on the market. Tampa's Pete Fairbanks, Cincinnati's Taylor Rogers and Washington's Kyle Finnegan could also be intriguing options. If I had to guess right now, I could see the Tigers adding a power bullpen arm. But it might be harder to find the right fit offensively. If anything, the Tigers could look to upgrade with another platoon righty if circumstances called for it. Knowing how Harris operates, I could see that being the case. Maybe the Tigers will make smaller, shrewd moves rather than one big splash. I asked a month or so ago what your appraisal on Casey Mize's ceiling was this year. Care to re-evaluate? Will Mize win 20 games this year with an ERA under 3.00? Currently on pace to beat both those. — Brian M. I've been wrong on plenty of players over the years, but I'm happy I never really sold my Casey Mize stock. Before Opening Day, I thought Mize could become a solid mid-rotation starter. That still feels like a realistic evaluation to me. Mize right now has a 2.70 ERA. He is throwing first-pitch strikes at a 70 percent rate. Some things that hurt Mize for so long — inconsistent fastball command, the disappearance of his splitter — have been resolved in striking fashion. It's still really hard to be a true frontline starter at this level. Mize is getting slightly less chase from hitters this season (a 24.9 percent rate compared to 27.3 last season). His whiff rate is a career best 27 percent, but he's still striking out less than seven batters per nine innings. Mize is greatly outperforming his 4.46 FIP. Opponents have only a .240 BABIP. So there are some signs that suggest a bit of regression could be coming. This surprised me because the eye test with Mize has been so good. If Mize can keep improving under the hood and keep the surface numbers steady, he could have the makings of a strong mid-rotation piece for the Tigers this season and beyond. I'd still want to see more strikeouts before predicting anything above that. Are Spencer Torkelson's changes/production sustainable? It seems like I'm seeing Tork Bombs hit my feed every other day or so. — Jonathan B. Kind of like the Tigers themselves, I did sell some Spencer Torkelson stock. His resurgence is a reminder of why baseball is a funny, random game, even with legions of scouts and well-researched predictive models driving every decision. Go look at Torkelson's Statcast page. Right now, much of what he's doing seems entirely sustainable. He's a better player because he finally made some real adjustments that have changed the way he covers the plate and gets the barrel to the baseball. It's also worth noting that Torkelson is only 5-for-40 over his past 12 games. There's already been some drop-off. But three of those five hits have been home runs, he's hit into some tough luck, and the underlying metrics have remained strong, with an average exit velocity above 90 mph and a 50 percent hard-hit rate. Based on Torkelson's history, I think the mental part of the game will be the biggest key for him to keep raking. I've been impressed to see him endure a couple of mini-droughts and come out on the other side still crushing the baseball. Why does A.J. Hinch insist on leading off Kerry Carpenter? McKinstry seems like the ideal leadoff batter when he is going well, like he is now. Carp should be batting behind Torkleson to give him protection. — Philip C. In the top of the sixth inning Sunday, there were two runners on base. The Angels had right-handed reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks in the game. Carpenter came to the plate. Manager Ron Washington could have turned to a left-handed reliever, and Hinch likely would have turned to a pinch-hitter. Instead, Washington took his chances with Carpenter. Carpenter hit a three-run home run that broke the game wide open. It's not conventional to have a power hitter in the leadoff spot, but Hinch has watched opponents manage around Carpenter so carefully that he's now trying to wrestle them into making consequential decisions earlier in games. Carpenter has been hitting leadoff to create pressure points in the middle innings. This could force managers to turn to their bullpens early. More often, it increases the chances of Carpenter getting at least three at-bats in a game. On April 19, Hinch talked about the importance of Carpenter being the '19th batter of the game.' Sure enough, Carpenter came up for his third trip to the plate. The Royals stuck with starter Seth Lugo. Carpenter delivered with a two-out single and set up a big Torkelson home run. It's a little unconventional. I think it's also pretty smart. The sample is probably too small to make any judgment, but for what it's worth, the Tigers average 5.4 runs per game with Carpenter starting in the leadoff spot. They average 5.0 runs in every other game. Sometimes it all gets a little confusing, and sometimes there are layers I miss. But I encourage fans to study Hinch's lineups, because there's always something fascinating going on. (Top photo:)
Boston Globe
03-05-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Trump budget cuts funding for chronic disease prevention
Of the proposed cuts, she said, 'How do you reconcile that with trying to make America healthy again?' Advertisement The federal health department last month cut 2,400 jobs from the CDC, whose National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion runs on the largest budget within the agency. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Programs on lead poisoning, smoking cessation and reproductive health were jettisoned in a reorganization last month. Overall, the proposed budget would cut the CDC's funding to about $4 billion, compared with $9.2 billion in 2024. The budget blueprint makes no mention of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a $1.2 billion program. If that figure is taken into account, the cut may be even larger than Trump's proposal indicates. The agency would also lose a center focused on preventing injuries, including those caused by firearms, as well as programs for HIV surveillance and prevention, and grants to help states prepare for public health emergencies. Advertisement According to the proposed budget, the cuts are needed to eliminate 'duplicative, DEI, or simply unnecessary programs.' Congress draws up the U.S. budget, but given the Republican majority and its fealty to Trump, it is unclear how much the proposal will change. CDC officials had been told that the functions of the chronic disease center would be moved to a new agency within the health department called the Administration for a Healthy America. And the proposal released Friday appears to allocate $500 million to the health secretary in part 'to tackle nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, overreliance on medication and treatments.' But at the CDC, the chronic disease center's budget was nearly three times as large. And even if part of the chronic disease center is resuscitated in the AHA, it's unlikely that its new iteration would involve CDC scientists relocated from Atlanta. 'The actual subject-matter experts, who administer the programs, might not be there at CDC anymore,' said Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer at the Alabama Department of Public Health. 'We certainly don't have the same level of expertise in my state.' The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment. The CDC's chronic disease center ran programs aimed at preventing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. But the center has also seeded initiatives further afield, ranging from creating rural and urban hiking trails to ensuring that healthy options such as salads are offered in airports. It also promoted wellness programs in marginalized communities. Davis said her department was already reeling from cuts to programs to curb smoking and reduce lead poisoning and health disparities, as well as the rescinding of more than $11 billion that the CDC had been providing to state health departments. Advertisement 'I would take back COVID-19 in a heartbeat over what's happening right now,' Davis said. In the proposed budget, the administration suggested that the eliminated programs would be better managed by states. But state health departments already manage most chronic disease programs, and three-fourths of the CDC center's funding goes to support them. Loss of those funds 'would be devastating for us,' said Harris. Alabama has one of the highest rates of chronic diseases in the country, and about 84% of the public health department's budget comes from the CDC, Harris said. About $6 million goes to chronic disease programs, including blood pressure screening, nutrition education for diabetes and promotion of physical activity. If those funds are cut, 'I am at a loss right now to tell you where that would come from,' he added. 'It just seems that no one really knows what to expect, and we're not really being asked for any input on that.' Minnesota's vaunted health department has already laid off 140 employees, and hundreds more may be affected if more CDC funding is lost. Cuts to chronic disease prevention will affect nursing homes, vaccine clinics and public health initiatives for Native Americans in the state. 'The actions of the federal government have left us out on a flimsy limb with no safety net below us,' said Dr. Brooke Cunningham, the state's health commissioner. Until recently, 'there seemed to be a shared understanding at the local, state and federal level that health was important to invest in,' Cunningham said. The chronic disease center's work touches American lives in many unexpected ways. Advertisement In Prairie Village, Kansas, Stephanie Barr learned about the center 15 years ago when, working as a waitress with no health insurance, she discovered a lump in her breast the size of a lemon. Through the CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, she was able to get a mammogram and an ultrasound, and staff members helped her enroll in Medicaid for treatment after a biopsy determined the lump was malignant, Barr said. 'It was caught in the nick of time,' said Barr, now 45 and cancer free. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) Since that program began in 1991, it has provided more than 16.3 million screening exams to more than 6.3 million people with no other affordable access, said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. The organization is one of 530 health associations that have signed a petition asking lawmakers to reject the proposed HHS budget, which cuts the department's discretionary spending by about one-third. The signatories said the cuts would 'effectively devastate' the nation's research and public health infrastructure. The budget also proposes dismantling disease registries and surveillance systems. 'If you don't collect the information or keep these surveillance systems going, you don't know what's happening, you don't know what the trends are,' said Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. 'You're losing all of that history,' he said. In a previous position as director of chronic diseases for Texas, Huang said he worked closely with CDC experts who successfully reduced tobacco use among Americans. 'Eliminating the Office on Smoking and Health is just craziness if you're still wanting to address chronic diseases,' he said. Advertisement Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths each year, according to the CDC. More than 1 in 10 American adults still smoke cigarettes regularly, but rates vary drastically by region, and CDC surveillance helps target cessation programs to areas where they are needed most. 'Smoking rates have come down, but if the federal government takes its foot off the gas, the tobacco companies are ready to pop back up again,' said Erika Sward, assistant vice president for advocacy for the American Lung Association. She warned that tobacco companies are constantly developing new products such as nicotine pouches, whose use by teenagers doubled last year. 'It will take a lot more money to put the genie back in the bottle,' she said. The CDC's chronic disease center works with communities and academic centers to promote effective programs, from creating quitting hotlines to reach young Iowans in rural areas to training members of Black churches in Columbia, South Carolina, to lead exercise and nutrition classes for their congregations. In rural Missouri, dozens of walking trails have been developed in the 'boot heel' in the southeastern part of the state, an area with high rates of obesity and diabetes, said Ross Brownson, a public health researcher at Washington University in St. Louis who directs the Prevention Research Center in collaboration with the CDC. 'There's strong evidence now that if you change the walkability of a community, people will get more physical activity,' Brownson said. 'There aren't going to be health clubs in rural communities, but there is nature and the ability to have walking trails, and land is relatively cheap.' Advertisement With CDC support, in Rochester, New York, people who are deaf and hard of hearing are being trained to lead exercise and wellness programs for other hearing-impaired people who can't easily participate in other gym classes. In San Diego, researchers are testing ways to protect farmworkers from exposure to ultraviolet rays and heat-related illnesses. 'Once they are up and started, they are community-driven and don't depend on the government,' said Allison Bay, who recently lost her job managing such projects at the CDC. The CDC's reorganization also eliminated lead-poisoning programs. Lead poisoning is also 'one of our greatest public health threats in the city of Cleveland,' said Dr. David Margolius, director of public health for the city. The CDC does not directly fund Cleveland's lead programs -- the funding comes from the state. 'But just having the federal expertise to call on to help lead us toward a lead-free future, I mean, yeah, that has a big impact on us,' he said. This article originally appeared in
