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Good morning. As we’ve noted, it’s the season for having ice cream daily. But an unexpected spider encounter during an uphill bike ride reminded me that it’s also the season for finding spiders on my bike. (I park it next to a shrub.)
Impact of Vaccine and Covid Backlash on Ebola Efforts
In 2020, the NIH supported a network of 10 centers dedicated to emerging infectious diseases. These centers lost their funding last year when the Trump administration cut grants as part of broader reductions related to Covid-19 and pandemic readiness. This year, a significant Ebola outbreak has occurred in Central Africa.
Although these centers were not directly involved in frontline responses like the CDC or USAID, researchers involved say the funding cuts have weakened important international relationships and hindered collaborations on dangerous diseases like Ebola. For more details on the current situation and future outlook, see STAT’s Anil Oza’s report.
Unexpected Developments in Medicaid Work Requirements
On Monday, new guidance was released providing detailed insights into changes in Medicaid work requirements, affecting nearly 70 million people. STAT’s team of reporters reviewed the nearly 400-page document and consulted with Medicaid leaders and advocates to assess the potential impact of these changes.
In straightforward terms: “It’s not going to work,” according to Harvard economist Benjamin Sommers. The discussion largely centers on exemptions for medical frailty, a complex two-step process requiring individuals to demonstrate a serious medical condition that impairs their ability to work. More insights on the implications are available from a team of reporters.
Calls for Policy Changes on Ultra-Processed Foods
A recent survey of 2,000 adults found strong bipartisan agreement that ultra-processed foods are addictive and significantly contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Despite this consensus, top researchers assert that the government is not adequately addressing the food industry’s role in producing these products. The survey findings and expert policy recommendations are part of a special edition of the American Journal of Public Health, published today.
Contributors emphasize one main message for lawmakers, as articulated by scholar Marion Nestle: “Do policy!” STAT’s Sarah Todd explores the expert recommendations for future government action.
Hantavirus Update
According to a recent post on X by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, it has been a month since the last hantavirus-related death was reported. He noted, “The situation is stable, and the global risk remains low.”
Additionally, HHS contacted American cruise ship passengers quarantining in Nebraska, inviting them to share photos of their in-room activities in a “fun and completely optional opportunity.” This initiative, shared by Inside Medicine’s Jeremy Faust, is described by Faust as “some free government propaganda.”
Positive News on Deaths of Despair
In the United States, deaths from suicide, overdose, and alcohol saw a decline in 2024, marking a hopeful change after years of increases. Notably, drug overdose deaths decreased by 26% from 2023. Provisional estimates from the CDC suggest nearly 80,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2024, a significant drop from over 100,000 in 2022 at the peak of the opioid crisis. “That is more than 80 American lives saved every single day,” said Allison Arwady, the recently departed director of the CDC Injury Center, on Tuesday.
While combined rates of suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related deaths remain above pre-pandemic levels, they decreased in 2024. Suicide deaths fell by 3%, and deaths from alcohol-related causes, such as poisoning and liver disease, decreased by 4%. This data excludes other alcohol-attributable causes like violence or car crashes, which make alcohol more deadly than opioids in the U.S.
Arwady highlighted the years of effort and investment needed to improve overdose death statistics during a press conference hosted by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, which published the data analysis. She stressed the importance of continued efforts to reduce suicide and alcohol deaths, especially amid potential public health funding cuts.
“A decade ago, we didn’t have any of this. We were barely counting drug overdoses,” Arwady remarked. “This is not a partisan issue, this is not a political issue.” — Isabella Cueto
Military’s Potential Role in Eating Disorders
The U.S. boasts the world’s strongest military, yet the Trump administration is pushing for even greater physical fitness among its members. Last fall, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared there would be no “fat troops” or “fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon.” In January, the military enforced a strict waist-to-height body composition standard, regardless of a troop’s specific role.
Paula Chesley, a yoga instructor at a clinic for individuals with eating disorders, including service members and veterans, is concerned that this approach might intensify the pressures leading to eating disorders among military personnel. She shares insights from her work with male military clients.
(In related developments, a federal appeals court in D.C. ruled Monday that “animus-filled reasons” motivated the administration’s ban on transgender individuals in the military. Chris Geidner, a lawyer and author of the LawDork blog, analyzed the decision and its possible effects.)
What We’re Reading
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I didn’t want weight loss to be the thing that cured me. It did anyway, Vogue
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Courts may deliver the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest win, Washington Post
- Senior NIH scientist, research fellow charged with bringing deactivated mpox virus into U.S., AP
- Sleuths say Thermo Fisher doctored data to sell antibodies, Chemical & Engineering News
- Listen: The Amish way of health care, STAT
