The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Julie Rikelman, a renowned abortion rights lawyer, to serve as a judge in the Boston-based U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in a 51-43 vote.
Why it matters: Rikelman represented the abortion clinic in the Supreme Court's Dobbs case, which resulted in the overturning of Roe v. Wade nearly a year ago.
The New York State Legislature passed a bill Tuesday to protect abortion providers against litigation from states where the practice is banned.
Why it matters: The measure is in response to laws in Republican-led states like Texas, which bans most abortions early on in pregnancy and encourages private citizens to sue those believed to be involved in obtaining an abortion, per Axios' Oriana González.
Driving the news: Arkansas was the first state to prohibit doctors from providing gender-affirming treatments to transgender youth after overriding then- Gov. Asa Hutchinson's veto of the ban in 2021.
Most adults in the U.S. should be routinely screened for anxiety even if they don’t have symptoms, a national task force recommended Tuesday.
Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a powerful group of health experts, issues a final recommendation for anxiety disorder screenings in adults ages 19 to 64.
A feud broke out on Twitter over the weekend between popular podcaster Joe Rogan and prominent vaccine researcher Peter Hotez, with the podcaster challenging the scientist to a debate about vaccinesin an online skirmish that drew fire from a few billionaires.
Why it matters: The incident — which ultimately resulted in individuals approaching the scientist outside his home — highlighted the potential risks for researchers and medical professionals using the platform, which saw a rise in hate speech after its acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk.
