Tag

Health Policy

All articles tagged with #health policy

health1 hour ago•4 min saved

Emergency rule cuts AIDS drug aid, affecting thousands in Florida

Florida’s Department of Health issued an emergency rule narrowing the AIDS Drug Assistance Program eligibility from 400% to 130% of the federal poverty level, cutting about 12,000 low-income HIV/AIDS patients off affordable medications starting March 1 as a lawsuit over the changes proceeds. The move bypasses standard rulemaking, drawing criticism that it’s budget-driven and could worsen transmission and drug resistance; some Medicare-insured patients remain eligible up to 400% FPL, and the program’s health-insurance component is being eliminated.

via Tampa Bay Times|

#aids #drug-assistance-program #emergency-rule

health1 day ago•4 min saved

England requires same-day urgent GP appointments under new contract clause

The government will include a contract clause forcing GPs in England to guarantee same-day urgent appointments, backed by about £500m extra funding to recruit more doctors. From April, practices must meet the target in 90% of urgent cases (with a 10% allowance). Urgent means cases needing same-day treatment or at risk of deterioration. Reactions vary: the BMA warns of unrealistic expectations amid stretched services, Healthwatch England sees potential improvements, and this forms part of broader NHS primary-care reforms including online booking for non-urgent cases.

via BBC|

#gp-services #health #health-policy

health1 day ago•6 min saved

Founding USPSTF Members Warn of Threat to Preventive-Services Panel

Veteran members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force warn that HHS under Secretary RFK Jr. could undermine or dismantle the panel, potentially replacing its members, slashing its budget, or rewriting rules of evidence to revise or rescind recommendations, threatening coverage of A- and B-grade preventive services and eroding trust in evidence-based guidance; with several members' terms expired and four draft guidelines pending, the panel's future remains unclear.

via MedPage Today|

#evidence-based-medicine #health #health-policy

health2 days ago•2 min saved

Pharma lobbying tightens its grip on the FDA as Trump politics enter the agency

STAT reports that the Trump administration is injecting political priorities into the FDA, signaling a shift from its historically insulated stance. Pharma lobbyists, advisers, and FDA insiders describe more routine interactions about agency decisions, a norm that critics say increases industry influence. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to root out such influence, but sources say the system is now more receptive to political and industry pressures.

via statnews.com|

#fda #health #health-policy

health-policy2 days ago•3 min saved

FDA Unveils Plausible Mechanism Framework to Accelerate Tailored Therapies for Ultra-Rare Diseases

The FDA issued a draft guidance outlining a Plausible Mechanism Framework to accelerate approvals of genome-editing and RNA-based, individualized therapies that target the root causes of ultra-rare diseases, allowing smaller, robust studies and the use of master protocols. Sponsors must demonstrate the therapy addresses the specific disease mechanism, rely on well-characterized natural history data, and show target engagement or editing; public comments are due within 60 days.

via fda.gov|

#fda #genome-editing #health-policy

health-policy5 days ago•2 min saved

FDA chief vows tighter safety review of antidepressants in pregnancy and RSV protections for infants

In her first staff address, FDA’s top drug regulator Tracy Beth Høeg pledges tougher safety monitoring of antidepressants used in pregnancy and RSV monoclonal antibodies for infants, signaling a broader push to reexamine oversight and encouraging staff to question norms.

via statnews.com|

#antidepressants #fda #health-policy

health-policy6 days ago•5 min saved

NIH Chief Steps into CDC Role, Sparking Concerns About RFK Jr. Agenda

Jay Bhattacharya, the NIH director, was named acting head of the CDC—the fourth leader in a year—raising concerns that his close ties to RFK Jr. could push a vaccine-skeptic agenda and consolidate control over U.S. health policy as both agencies trim grants and reshape policy.

via The Guardian|

#bhattacharya #cdc #health-policy

politics7 days ago•3 min saved

Shirtless RFK Jr. and Kid Rock PSA Draws Laughs and Scrutiny

A USA TODAY opinion piece mocks a Department of Health and Human Services video in which Health Secretary RFK Jr. teams with Kid Rock for a shirtless workout in a wooden lodge and ends with glasses of whole milk, arguing the bizarre PSA highlights Kennedy’s controversial stances and questionable health‑policy messaging, while noting prior odd ads and public skepticism toward the department.

via USA Today|

#health-policy #kid-rock #politics

politics7 days ago•32 min saved

RFK Jr. and Kid Rock Unleash a Bizarre Health Promo Video

An opinion piece mocks Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promotional video with Kid Rock, a shirtless, over‑the‑top montage urging Americans to “GET ACTIVE + EAT REAL FOOD” and tied to Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again campaign. The piece notes the gimmicky workout scenes (including a bear prop and jeans‑clad cold plunge) reflect Kennedy’s controversial health views, such as vaccine skepticism and changes to vaccination schedules and dietary guidance, which critics say have undermined public health at HHS amid recent measles concerns.

via Yahoo|

#health-policy #kid-rock #make-america-healthy-again

opinion15 days ago•23 min saved

Rethinking Breast Cancer Screening Beyond Mammograms

A Washington Post opinion by Leana S. Wen argues that decades of breast cancer screening centered on annual mammograms may be suboptimal, highlighting new research that suggests non-mammogram tests or risk‑based approaches could reduce the reliance on mammograms while maintaining early detection.

via The Washington Post|

#breast-cancer #health-policy #mammogram

health17 days ago•67 min saved

U.S. health chief urges measles vaccination amid rising cases

A senior U.S. health official is urging Americans to get the measles vaccine as measles cases rise, stressing the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness to protect communities and curb spread.

via AP News|

#health #health-policy #measles

health-policy17 days ago•3 min saved

TrumpRx Promises the Cheapest Drugs, Yet Generics Undercut Many Offers

STAT found that TrumpRx markets deep cash discounts for about 43 brand-name drugs, but at least 18 of them have cheaper generics available on GoodRx or Cost Plus Drugs; TrumpRx only displays cash prices and does not sell medicines directly, highlighting that many savings come from generic options rather than the site’s claims.

via statnews.com|

#drug-pricing #generics #health-policy

health-policy19 days ago•4 min saved

Don't Copy Denmark: The U.S. Needs Its Own Vaccine Schedule

A STAT opinion piece argues that CDC’s newly modeled childhood vaccine schedule—which mirrors Denmark and removes vaccines like hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningitis, and varicella from routine use—risks preventable disease in American children. The author, drawing on experience in Denmark, contends the U.S. health system’s size and fragmentation require a distinct, comprehensive schedule, and warns that abandoning vaccines could lead to outbreaks and serious illnesses, despite Denmark’s centralized care. He defends the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule and urges the U.S. to lead rather than imitate foreign policies.

via statnews.com|

#denmark #health-policy #immunization

health20 days ago•1 min saved

Kennedy Stirs Controversy by Claiming Keto Could Cure Schizophrenia

Health Secretary RFK Jr. claimed the keto diet could cure schizophrenia, a statement experts say greatly overstates early research as he campaigns for real-food eating and new dietary guidelines that favor fats and proteins over carbohydrates.

via The New York Times|

#dietary-guidelines #health #health-policy

health20 days ago•4 min saved

Britain targets 75% five-year cancer survival by 2035 with faster diagnosis plan

The government unveiled a 10-year cancer strategy to lift five-year survival to 75% by 2035, focusing on earlier diagnosis and faster treatment, including an 85% 62-day referral-to-treatment target by 2029 (up from about 70%), 9.5 million more tests and scans by 2029, expanded screening (bowel and ex-smoker lung), more precision robotic surgery, expanded genetic testing for targeted therapies, and every patient getting a named local care lead with tailored support. Achieving this will require substantial staff recruitment amid current shortages in radiology and clinical oncology, and critics say stronger emphasis on prevention is also needed. Current five-year survival was around 60% in 2022, and the UK lags behind peers on several cancers.

via BBC|

#cancer #early-diagnosis #health