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Stay Well
breaking health news & updates
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Trump Wants to Pull the U.S. Out of the World Health Organization Again | |
President Donald Trump used one of the flurry of executive actions that he issued on his first day back in the White House to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the second time in less than five years—a move many scientists fear could roll back decadeslong gains made in fighting diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Experts have also cautioned that withdrawing from the organization could weaken the world’s defenses against new outbreaks capable of triggering pandemics.
His move calls for pausing the future transfer of U.S. government funds to the organization, recalling and reassigning federal personnel and contractors working with WHO, and calls on officials to “identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by” WHO.
This isn’t the first time Trump has tried to sever ties with WHO. In July 2020, several months after WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic and as cases surged globally, Trump’s administration officially notified U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the U.S. was planning to pull out of WHO, suspending funding to the agency. East Bay Times Read more
| “A U.S. withdrawal from WHO would make the world far less healthy and safe.” -- Lawrence Gostin, director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Global Health Law at Georgetown University | |
U.S. Pays $590M to Moderna to Speed Up Development of Bird Flu Vaccine
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it will award $590 million to Moderna to accelerate the development of influenza vaccines, including to protect against bird flu. "Accelerating the development of new vaccines will allow us to stay ahead and ensure that Americans have the tools they need to stay safe," outgoing HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement last week.
The money will go to Moderna, the Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical company that previously developed a COVID-19 vaccine. Since 2023, Moderna has been working to create a "pandemic influenza vaccine" that would help protect against certain viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu.
The new funds build on the $176 million that HHS gave to Moderna last July. On Friday, Moderna said the additional funding will help pay for late-stage development, licensure of the vaccines and expanding clinical studies for additional subtypes of pandemic influenza to prevent other potential public health emergencies.
The public health risk remains low, but HHS Secretary Becerra said bird flu variants have proven to be unpredictable, which is why the virus is a top priority for the federal government. NPR Read more
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SF’s Public Health Chief Steps Down as New Mayor Daniel Lurie Reshapes City Hall
Dr. Grant Colfax, the San Francisco public health director who helped steer the city’s response to COVID-19 and the fentanyl epidemic, is resigning after almost six years on the job. Colfax is the second city department head to step down since Mayor Daniel Lurie was elected in November and the first to do so since Lurie took office. SF Chronicle Read more
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Mayor Daniel Lurie Proposes New Fentanyl Law, Visits Troubled SF Street
Hours before he introduced legislation to accelerate San Francisco’s response to fentanyl use and homelessness, Mayor Daniel Lurie took an impromptu walk down Sixth Street, one of the most troubled corridors in the city. Lurie is betting that his newly proposed ordinance—the opening political gambit of his administration—can help. Overall, Lurie’s legislation is consistent with the outline he presented in his inauguration speech when he said he would advance a proposal to speed up city contracting for services related to addiction, mental illness, and homeless shelters. SF Chronicle Read more
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Experts Warn of A ‘Quad-Demic’ As Flu, RSV, COVID-19, Norovirus Converge in CA
After the holiday season and an uptick in travel, California faces a rise in respiratory illnesses, prompting health experts to talk of a “quad-demic.” The term refers to the simultaneous spread of four major viruses: COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and norovirus. While distinct in their effects, their combined impact could strain healthcare systems and disrupt daily life. As of Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that acute respiratory illnesses remain at high levels nationwide. Flu activity, in particular, is elevated, with COVID-19 cases low but rising in many areas and RSV peaking in several regions. However, the sharp increase in norovirus – a highly contagious stomach bug – has become one of the most worrisome trends. SF Chronicle Read more
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Kennedy Sought to Stop Covid Vaccinations 6 Months After Rollout
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice to lead the nation’s health agencies, formally asked the Food and Drug Administration to revoke the authorization of all Covid vaccines during a deadly phase of the pandemic when thousands of Americans were still dying every week. Kennedy filed a petition with the FDA in May 2021 demanding that officials rescind authorization for the shots and refrain from approving any COVID-19 vaccine in the future. NY Times Read more
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COVID-19 Doesn't Worsen Multiple Sclerosis, Study Says
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been concerned that a COVID-19 infection could cause the symptoms of their nerve disease to become even worse. But a new study should offer some solace – COVID doesn’t appear to worsen MS, researchers reported Dec. 23, 2024 in the journal Neurology. U.S. News & World Report Read more
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State/National/International News | | |
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Newsom Wants to Give California Families with Newborns a Three-Month Diaper Supply
Families welcoming new babies could soon be coming home from the hospital with free diapers if an initiative within Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal passes. The diaper initiative would set aside up to $7.4 million in this year’s budget and $12.5 million the following year to provide a three-month supply of diapers to families of newborns, regardless of income. The program aims to provide an estimated 40 million diapers this year and 80 million next year. SF Chronicle Read more
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FDA Will No Longer Allow Use of Red Dye No. 3 in Food, Drugs
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has amended its color additive regulations to no longer allow the use of Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs. FD&C Red No. 3 is primarily used in candy, cakes and cupcakes, cookies, frozen desserts, and frostings and icings, as well as in certain ingested drugs, to give them a bright, cherry-red color. U.S. News & World Report Read more
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California Bans Poultry, Cattle Shows at Bay Area Fairs Due to Bird Flu Outbreak
California has enacted a ban on all poultry and dairy cattle exhibitions at fairs and shows in response to the spread of H5N1 bird flu, according to the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The ban, issued in a notice by State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones, will remain in place “until further notice.” Officials have confirmed bird flu cases at 65 dairy farms in the state over the past 30 days. SF Chronicle Read more
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Cancer Deaths Are Declining, But Diagnoses Are Rising Especially Among Younger Women
The American Cancer Society's annual survey found that mortality from the disease declined rapidly, by 34%, between 1991 and 2022. But at the same time, for reasons little understood, more young and middle-aged women are getting the disease. NPR Read more
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The Companies Paying Hospitals to Hand Over Patient Data to Train AI
Artificial intelligence models are ever-hungry black boxes that need boatloads of bits and bytes from a wide stream of real-world data in order to produce insights about patients and their care. To satisfy this need, several companies have popped up to buy patient data from hospitals and sell it to those wanting to train AI or do research. Health data company Truveta, which normally traffics data like patient immunizations, social determinations of health, lab tests, and pharmacy and insurance claims, announced that it will be starting a new Truveta Genome Project to create a massive database of genetic information from 10 million patients over the next five years to pair with their health record data. Companies including Avandra, Gradient Health, Segmed, and Protege offer de-identified patient images to companies and researchers. STAT News Read more
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Parkinson's Discovery Suggests We Could Already Have an FDA-Approved Treatment
Researchers have discovered how a cell surface protein called Aplp1 can play a role in spreading material responsible for Parkinson's disease from cell-to-cell in the brain. Promisingly, an FDA-approved cancer drug that targets another protein called Lag3 – which interacts with Aplp1 – blocks the spread in mice, suggesting a potential therapy may already exist. Science Alert Read more
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How the LA Fires Could Exacerbate California’s Homelessness Crisis
As multiple wildfires continue to incinerate homes and displace tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles County, experts worry about the long-term effects the fires will have on the state’s already dire homelessness crisis. In other parts of California burned by past wildfires, communities are still dealing with the fallout years later. People who had too little or no insurance on their homes, or who rented, sometimes end up on the street when their home burns and they can’t find another place to live. But it’s not just people whose homes burn down that feel the pain. Renters in undamaged buildings get evicted because their landlord raises rents to take advantage of refugees’ desperation — or because the landlord lost another home in the fire and needs to move into their rental unit. CalMatters Read more
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For Homeless Seniors, Getting into Stable Housing Takes a Village — And a Lot of Luck
A dramatic increase in the number of homeless seniors nationwide is overwhelming services for unhoused people. By 2022, there were about 250,000 people over 55 who were unhoused. About half of this population are homeless for the first time. KFF Health News Read more
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Veteran Homelessness Reaches Record Low, Decreasing By 7.5% Since 2023
The data show that on a single night in January 2024, there were 32,882 veterans who experienced homelessness in the U.S. This is a record low in veteran homelessness since measurement began in 2009, and a 7.5% decrease since 2023. Overall, the data show an 11.7% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness since 2020 and a 55.6% reduction since 2010. VA News Read more
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Retirement, Mental Health, and Alcohol Use: What They Have in Common
Retirement is meant to be a person’s chance to take it easy and enjoy life. But for many, it’s a quick route to depression and boozing, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 10 in the journal Aging and Mental Health. Retirees are more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression than folks who are still working. What's more, heavy drinking might be making their symptoms worse, researchers found. U.S. & World Report Read more
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Online Therapy Boom Has Mainly Benefited Privileged Groups, Studies Find
The shift to teletherapy has exacerbated existing disparities. The 30% increase in psychotherapy has occurred among groups that already enjoyed more access: people in higher-income brackets, living in cities, with steady employment and more education, researchers found in a series of studies, the most recent of which was published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Among those who have not benefited from the boom, the team found, are children from low-income families, Black children and adolescents, and adults with “serious psychological distress.” NY Times Read more
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FDA Allows Standalone Use Of Nasal Spray Antidepressant Spravato (Esketamine)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded its approval of Spravato, an antidepressant nasal spray. The drug is now cleared for use as a standalone treatment for depression. Spravato is made from esketamine, one of two mirror-image molecules found in the anesthetic ketamine. It was approved in 2019 for use in adults with major depressive disorder who did not respond to at least two other antidepressants. NPR Read more
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Amid Wildfire Trauma, L.A. County Dispatches Mental Health Workers to Evacuees
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health deployed a team of mental health workers trained to comfort evacuees without retraumatizing them, including by avoiding asking questions likely to bring up painful memories. The department has also learned to better track people’s health needs and redirect those who may find massive evacuation settings uncomfortable to other shelters or interim housing. In those first days, the biggest goal is often to reduce people’s anxiety by providing them with information. California Healthline Read more
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Fentanyl Crisis/Drug Trends | | |
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DEA, HHS Finalize Rule Allowing Telehealth Drug Treatment
The Biden administration finalized a long-awaited rule laying out how some healthcare providers can prescribe gold-standard opioid use disorder treatments through telehealth. The final rule from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services allows providers who have not had an in-person visit with a patient to prescribe six months’ worth of buprenorphine through telehealth, including through audio-only visits. Afterward, to continue prescribing buprenorphine through telehealth, providers can conduct an in-person medical evaluation or continue treating the patient “via another form of telemedicine.” Roll Call Read more
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An NYC Nonprofit Has Reversed 1,700 Overdoses Since 2021. Under Trump, It Faces an Uncertain Future
Harm reduction, the approach of providing judgment-free services meant to preserve drug users’ well-being without pressuring them to stop consuming, faces an uncertain political future in 2025. Even beyond typical conservative criticisms, local officials in deep-blue cities like Philadelphia and San Francisco have blamed harm reduction for the cities’ continued drug crises and, in some cases, moved to roll back some harm reduction policies. More recently, President Trump’s return to power has alarmed supporters of harm reduction and, particularly, supervised consumption. STAT News Read more
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Ketamine Use is On the Rise in U.S.
Many more Americans are turning to ketamine for kicks, a new study reports. Recreational use of the anesthetic drug among U.S. adults increased 40% between 2021 and 2022, researchers say. That follows a nearly 82% increase in ketamine use from 2015 to 2019, results show. The more recent increase occurred mainly among young adults 26 to 34, as well as in people with a college degree, researchers found. U.S. News & World Report Read more
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U.S. Accuses Walgreens of Filling Millions of Illegitimate Prescriptions, Including for Opioids
The U.S. Justice Department is accusing Walgreens of filling millions of prescriptions in the last decade and more without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids, according to a lawsuit. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint says the drugstore chain's pharmacists filled controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags that indicated they were highly likely to be unlawful. Walgreens also systematically pressured pharmacists to fill prescriptions without taking the time to confirm their validity, according to the complaint. U.S. News & World Report Read more
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Processed Meats Don’t Just Affect Your Heart. They May Worsen Cognition
A large new study suggests that regularly eating processed red meats such as bacon, hot dogs, sausages, salami, and bologna could increase your likelihood of developing dementia and cognitive decline as you age. Health authorities have long urged people to reduce their intake of processed red meat because of its association with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes. But the new study, published in the journal Neurology, is among the first to suggest a link between cured meats and higher rates of dementia and worse cognition. Washington Post Read more
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About Eden Health District | | |
The Eden Health District Board of Directors are Chair Ed Hernandez, Roxann Lewis, Mariellen Faria, Sabrina Aranda, and Ronna Jojola Gonsalves. The Chief Executive Officer is Mark Friedman.
The Eden Health District is committed to ensuring that policy makers and community members receive accurate and timely information to help make the best policy and personal choices to meet and overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other health issues.
We welcome your feedback on our bulletin. Please contact editor Rebekah Moan.
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