Trump Chooses White House Health Adviser Heidi Overton to Take Charge of the FDA
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Heidi Overton, a senior White House health-policy adviser and physician, to become the next commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, placing a trusted administration figure in line to lead one of the country’s most consequential public-health agencies. Overton’s nomination comes during a turbulent period for the FDA, […]
U.S. Prescription Drug Prices Post Their Biggest Decline in More Than Six Decades
Prescription drug prices in the United States have recorded their sharpest annual decline in more than 60 years, offering a rare sign of relief for consumers facing persistently high healthcare costs. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, prescription drug prices fell 3.1% during the 12 months ending in July 2026, the largest annual decline […]
Florida Moves to Eliminate All Vaccine Mandates in Historic Public Health Shift
Florida has announced plans to become the first U.S. state to eliminate all government vaccine mandates, marking one of the most significant changes to state vaccination policy in decades. Governor Ron DeSantis and State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said the initiative is intended to expand individual and parental choice by removing legal requirements that […]
Senate Delays Vote on Erica Schwartz’s Nomination to Lead the CDC
A U.S. Senate committee has postponed a vote on whether to advance Dr. Erica Schwartz’s nomination to become director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, delaying a closely watched decision about the future leadership of the nation’s principal public-health agency. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee had planned to consider her […]
FDA Review Finds U.S. Infant Formula Safe After Testing for Heavy Metals and Other Contaminants
A new federal analysis has found that the U.S. infant formula supply appears safe after extensive testing for heavy metals, pesticides, and other potential contaminants. Food and Drug Administration reviewed more than 300 samples of commercial infant formula collected between 2023 and 2025 and found either undetectable or very low levels of the substances it […]
Health Insurers Jump After Medicare Advantage Rates Rise More Than Expected for 2027
Shares of major U.S. health insurers rose sharply after the federal government announced a larger-than-expected increase in Medicare Advantage payment rates for 2027, easing fears that the industry would face another year of margin pressure. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it would raise payments to private insurers offering Medicare Advantage plans by […]
Hospitals, Insurers and AI Collide in the Fight Over Billing Disputes and Claim Denials
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the newest weapon in one of U.S. healthcare’s oldest conflicts: how much hospitals charge and how much insurers will actually pay. Hospitals are deploying AI to optimize medical coding and documentation so they can capture higher reimbursements, while insurers are using AI to scrutinize claims, flag questionable services, and deny […]
After Race-Based Kidney Formula Ends, Black Patients Get More Transplants and Shorter Waits
A long-standing inequity in U.S. kidney transplantation is beginning to narrow for Black patients. The improvement follows policy changes that removed race from clinical formulas used to estimate kidney function—formulas that for decades tended to overestimate kidney health in Black patients, delaying diagnosis, referral, and ultimately access to transplant waiting lists. Researchers reported in JAMA […]
U.S. Tops $1B for Research Into Safer Farm Practices as Debate Over Glyphosate Intensifies
The U.S. government says it is expanding research funding aimed at reshaping how American farms protect crops and manage pests, pushing total federal investment in “new and sustainable” farm practices to more than $1 billion. The administration is adding $200 million in new support as part of a broader push to reduce reliance on pesticides […]
Big Food Pivots to “Smaller, Cleaner, Higher-Protein” as GLP-1 Drugs Reshape American Eating
Major packaged-food and beverage companies are rapidly retooling products and marketing as appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs spread through the U.S., changing what—and how much—people buy. It’s a shift from “wait and see” to “act now,” with companies emphasizing shorter ingredient lists, smaller pack sizes, and more protein- and fiber-forward foods designed to keep consumers fuller longer. […]
