May 15 Watch 5:44 What’s behind the significant drop in opioid overdose deaths By John Yang, Mike Fritz, Azhar Merchant Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. plunged last year to their lowest level since 2019, according to the CDC. In 2024, nationwide overdose deaths fell by nearly 30,000 from the year before, a drop of about 27 percent. There were… Continue watching
May 12 What to know about food poisoning illnesses caused by listeria By Associated Press A listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks has sickened at least 10 people in the U.S. Continue reading
Apr 16 Watch 7:16 What research reveals about the rise in autism diagnoses and why vaccines aren’t the cause By Ali Rogin, Frank Carlson Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to find out what's driving the country's rise in autism spectrum disorder after a new CDC report said that rate had continued to climb. There are reports that the CDC plans to study… Continue watching
Apr 16 Watch 5:11 ‘Good science takes time’: Researcher skeptical autism cause will be found by September By Stephanie Sy, Mary Fecteau, Frank Carlson In a news conference on the rise in autism spectrum disorder, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made no mention of vaccines and instead emphasized the government’s plans to study potential environmental factors. To help put Kennedy's pledge in context,… Continue watching
Apr 02 Watch 8:35 Important HHS services ‘will grind to a halt’ with cuts, former Secretary Sebelius says By Amna Nawaz, Courtney Norris There’s growing concern over massive cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services as Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to reduce the agency workforce by 25 percent. Geoff Bennett discussed the Trump administration's cuts with Kathleen Sebelius, the… Continue watching
Apr 01 Watch 4:13 Mass firings begin at government health agencies, including FDA, CDC and NIH By Geoff Bennett, Courtney Norris The Trump Administration began terminating thousands of staff and purging some of the top leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services. It included several key agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and… Continue watching
Apr 01 Mass layoffs begin at HHS agencies responsible for research, tracking disease and regulating food By Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press The cuts include researchers, scientists, doctors, support staff and senior leaders, leaving the federal government without many of the key experts who have long guided U.S. decisions on medical research, drug approvals and other issues. Continue reading
Mar 27 Health and Human Services to lay off 10,000 workers, close agencies in major restructuring By Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Public health experts warn a major overhaul and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could have untold consequences for millions of people across the country. Continue reading
Mar 26 Watch 6:10 CDC the latest federal agency to face leadership shakeup and cuts By Geoff Bennett, Azhar Merchant President Trump has put into place a very different team than his predecessors when it comes to public health and research. The CDC is very much in the thick of it. Five senior leaders at the CDC have announced their… Continue watching
Mar 26 Trump to nominate acting CDC director for permanent position, White House official says By Seung Min Kim, Amanda Seitz, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Trump abruptly withdrew the nomination of his first pick, David Weldon, earlier this month. Continue reading