Management
‘We’re flying blind’: CDC has 1 million bird flu tests ready, but experts see repeat of COVID missteps
Three months into the U.S. bird flu outbreak, only 45 people have been tested. Laboratories say their path forward has been slowed by miscommunication and uncertainty.
Management
Bird Flu tests are hard to get. So how will we know when to sound the pandemic alarm?
If the government doesn’t prepare to ramp up H5N1 bird flu testing, researchers warn, the United States could be caught off guard again by a pandemic.
Management
White House enlists doctors and hospitals to combat gun violence
Calling gun violence a “public health crisis,” the Biden administration is asking state and local health departments, health systems and hospitals to boost their data collection on emergency room visits for firearm-related injuries.
Workforce
The 'silver tsunami' is here. Is government ready?
About 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day. As the nation’s aging population continues to climb, states and the federal government are working to get plans in place to care for older adults.
Oversight
Fauci defends his work on COVID-19, says he has an ‘open mind’ on its origins
The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases explained to members of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic why guidance shifted so much during the first several months of the pandemic.
Workforce
New regulation would allow some former feds to skirt conflict-of-interest contact requirement
A rule proposed in the Federal Register would allow for former senior employees of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to have contact with HHS officials within the conflict-of-interest restriction period of one year.
Management
Senate Veterans’ Affairs chair calls for more mental health care providers in rural areas
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., asked VA Secretary Denis McDonough to increase the number of providers and ensure they are “in locations where veterans need them most.”
Management
Biden just signed the largest executive order focused on women’s health
From maternal health to menopause, federal agencies will study the health issues that emerge across a woman’s lifespan.
Oversight
Investigation finds for-profit nursing homes cut corners on safety and drain resources with financial shenanigans
The report finds that these problems are most pronounced in midsize chains that dodge public scrutiny. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says it is “unwavering in its commitment to improve safety and quality of care for the more than 1.2 million residents receiving care in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes.”
Management
FDA’s plan to ban hair relaxer chemical called too little, too late
The move comes at a time of rising alarm among researchers over the health effects of hair straighteners, products widely used by and heavily marketed to Black women.
Oversight
FDA repeatedly rejected safety claims made after recall of a CPAP but waited to alert the public, emails show
Philips Respironics received thousands of complaints about a dangerous defect in its breathing machines but kept them secret for years as stock prices soared.
Workforce
How advanced and emerging technology can help VA save lives
COMMENTARY | Veterans remain at an elevated risk of suicide. Here’s how we can fix that.
Management
How $37 billion in federal funding is being used to improve at-home caregiving
Shared first by Vice President Kamala Harris, new data on American Rescue Plan funding for home and community-based service highlights successes and underscores the need for more.
Management
VA hopeful boosted staffing can help reduce rising veteran suicides
With the number of veteran suicides climbing in 2021, the department continues to deploy resources and recruit mental health professionals to help provide care.
Management
The painful pandemic lessons Mandy Cohen carries to the CDC
Cohen has been criticized for North Carolina's failure to get COVID tests to the most vulnerable residents, during her leadership of the state's pandemic response.
Management
The NIH ices a research project. Is it self-censorship?
Even though the National Institutes of Health has had to navigate political rapids for decades, including enduring controversy over stem cell research and surveys on the sexual behavior of teens, this is a particularly fraught moment.
Workforce
FDA Head Robert Califf Battles Misinformation — Sometimes With Fuzzy Facts
Efforts to respond to or regulate misinformation are becoming a political problem.
Oversight
Preparation for pandemics and natural disasters updated in bill passed by Senate panel
Legislation would increase accountability, transparency in how federal government helps state, local governments prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.
Oversight
How a combination of covid lawsuits and media coverage keeps misinformation churning
Even as the covid-19 pandemic wanes, litigation — whether about vaccines, masks, or a range of other public health policies made during the pandemic — isn’t about to end.
Workforce