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The CIA now believes that COVID-19 most likely originated from a lab, but cited “low confidence” in its new assessment. (AP)
A Department of Labor investigation on insurance coverage of mental health care revealed broad noncompliance and an “alarming” rate of ghost networks. (ProPublica)
Acute respiratory illness causing people to seek healthcare is at a high level across the U.S., the CDC said.
The Trump administration tapped Sara Brenner, MD, MPH, to serve as FDA’s acting commissioner, Matthew Memoli, MD, to serve as acting NIH director, and Jeff Wu, MBA, as acting administrator at CMS.
FDA scrubbed its initiative to increase clinical trial diversity from its website after the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. (Reuters via MSN)
Experts predict the communications freeze across HHS and FDA could delay some drug approvals. (Endpoints News)
Over at NIH, scientists are having trouble purchasing supplies for their studies after the communications freeze. (CNN)
Apparently in violation of federal law, Trump terminated the HHS inspector general and at least 14 other inspectors general. (Washington Post)
Trump’s new Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped a case against Texas doctor Eithan Haim, MD, who had been charged with leaking transgender care data. (Texas Tribune)
DOJ also issued an order to curtail prosecutions of anti-abortion protestors who blocked access to reproductive health centers. (AP)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisors are fighting amongst themselves over how far he should go to with targeting childhood vaccines. (Politico)
Meanwhile, Kennedy was conspicuously absent at a recent meeting to discuss pandemic preparedness. (Washington Post)
Kansas is dealing with an “unprecedented” outbreak of tuberculosis, with 66 cases recorded so far. (The Independent)
Among pediatric and young adults with cancer, living in historically redlined neighborhoods at the time of diagnosis was linked with higher mortality. (Cancer)
The FDA approved a monthly maintenance dosing of intravenous lecanemab (Leqembi) for early Alzheimer’s disease, drugmakers Eisai and Biogen announced.
Loretta Ford, NP, who co-founded the profession of nurse practitioners, died at age 104. (Washington Post)
The world’s only person with a gene-edited pig kidney is thriving 2 months after the transplant. (AP)
The Trump administration reinstated the so-called global gag rule, which prohibits foreign aid to any group outside the U.S. that provides abortion services or counseling. (NPR)
And the administration paused funding for PEPFAR, the nation’s global HIV program, after a Trump executive order called for a 90-day review of all foreign aid programs. (CBS News)
All 43 monkeys that fled a South Carolina testing and breeding farm after a caretaker left several doors open in November, have been recovered. (The Post and Courier)
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