Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: NIOSH Cuts Are Troubling During H5N1 Outbreak; Unfluoridated Water Has Long-Term Consequences
In a single day, 10,000 federal workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration were laid off, including 90% or more of those at the CDC鈥檚 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The office may be little-known outside of public health circles, but it is of critical importance. (Meghan F. Davis, Kirsten Koehler, Judy Bass, Julie Sorenson, and Gurumurthy Ramachandran, 4/16)
I remember when railing against the supposed evils of fluoride in drinking water was the work of a few voices clustered on the fringes of political discourse. The map shifted after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took office as the secretary of health and human services. (Zeynep Tufekci, 4/16)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 announcement last week that he will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoridation of drinking water prompted prominent medical and dental groups to denounce the decision as an affront to decades of public health doctrine. But neither they, nor the health secretary, are providing the full picture. (Leana S. Wen, 4/15)
Those who rely on higher-potency cannabis for pain聽management, PTSD, or other medical conditions will continue to struggle, despite statutory聽protections. (Lou Rinaldi, 4/15)
In 2024, as zoos were hit hard by H5N1 bird flu, big cats were particularly affected: tigers, lions, a cheetah, and a panther all died after being infected with the same virus that has caused egg prices to skyrocket. (Torie Bosch, 4/16)