Trump Policies at Odds With ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Push
By Stephanie Armour
On the surface, President Donald Trump embraced the MAHA movement with a pledge to end the nation’s high rates of chronic disease. But the broader Trump agenda may prove to be the biggest barrier this effort confronts.
Watch: How the FDA Opens the Door to Risky Chemicals in America’s Food Supply
By David Hilzenrath and Hannah Norman and Oona Zenda
To a great extent, the FDA leaves it to food companies to determine whether their ingredients and additives are safe. Some chemicals and additives are tied to health risks while others are absent from product labels. Watch this video explainer to learn more.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, May 6, 2025
KP Mental Health Workers Tentatively Agree To End Strike: Approximately 2,400 mental health workers have ended a strike that began Oct. 21, 2024, after reaching a tentative labor contract with Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente. Read more from Becker’s Hospital Review, The San Diego Union-Tribune, and Capital & Main.
At Social Security, These Are the Days of the Living Dead
By Darius Tahir
In recent weeks, Social Security has been plagued by problems related to technology, system errors, and even the marking of living people as dead.
Despite Historic Indictment, Doctors Will Keep Mailing Abortion Pills Across State Lines
By Rosemary Westwood, WWNO
When a New York physician was indicted for shipping abortion medications to a woman in Louisiana, it stoked fear across the network of doctors and medical clinics who engage in similar work. But some physicians vowed not to stop.
HIV Testing and Outreach Falter as Trump Funding Cuts Sweep the South
By Amy Maxmen
A disruption in federal funds has jeopardized HIV testing and outreach in Mississippi, and researchers warn of a resurgence of the epidemic in the South.
Daily Edition for Monday, May 5, 2025
Soil Testing Shows High Levels Of Toxic Substances After LA Wildfires: The federal government decided not to test the soil of L.A.'s burn areas for hazardous substances. The Los Angeles Times launched its own investigation and found high levels of lead and other heavy metals. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
An Arm and a Leg: Why ‘The Pitt’ Is Our Fave New Drama
By Dan Weissmann
An emergency room doctor says what the TV show “The Pitt” gets right about hospitals, including why they’re so crowded and the bills so high.
Trump Team’s $500 Million Bet on Old Vaccine Technology Puzzles Scientists
By Arthur Allen
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS said an enormous, noncompetitive flu vaccine development grant to two favored NIH leaders would ensure “transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness.” But their vaccine is in early stages, relies on old technology, and is just one of scores of similar efforts.
Alabama Can’t Prosecute Groups Helping Patients Get Abortions Elsewhere, Judge Rules
By Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom
Although most abortions remain illegal in Alabama, a judge’s decision in early April allows doctors and advocacy groups to tell patients about abortion options in other states, and help with travel and other costs.
