Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said Wednesday the state will sidestep "ridiculous" new Trump administration restrictions on COVID vaccines by issuing its own order.
Why it matters: The move keeps vaccines widely available in Colorado, even as federal rules narrow access for millions of Americans.
Pfizer's CEO defended the safety and efficacy of its COVID vaccine and suggested President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in its development.
Why it matters: Trump on Monday demanded that "Drug Companies justify the success of their various Covid Drugs" after having praised the shots as a "miracle" during his first term.
Telehealth startup Remedy Meds is acquiring rival Thirty Madison, in a deal valued at "north of $500 million," Remedy Meds CEO Haris Memon tells Axios.
Why it matters: The all-stock deal will create one of the largest direct-to-consumer health startups in terms of revenue, competing with Ro and Hims & Hers Health.
The governors of California, Oregon and Washington said Wednesday they would collaborate on developing their own vaccine guidelines, in response to what they called the politicization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: The newly formed West Coast Health Alliance is the first blue state public health partnership to push back against Trump administration policies.
More than 1,000 current and former federal health workers called for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s resignation Wednesday, warning he "continues to endanger the nation's health."
Why it matters: The demand is the latest evidence of a growing staff revolt against Kennedy, whose tenure has coincided with upheaval at the department that oversees the federal government's vast public health infrastructure.
House Republicans are rejecting President Trump's nearly $20 billion proposed budget cut for the National Institutes of Health in an increasingly rare show of bipartisan support for biomedical research.
Why it matters: The NIH has faced turmoil over canceled grants, staff cuts and other policy changes, but the proposal to keep funding relatively flat shows there are limits to how much House Republicans will accommodate the administration's designs for the agency.
The Trump administration agreed to restore scores of health agency webpages and datasets that went dark to comply with executive orders on diversity, equity and inclusion and gender identity, under a court settlement announced on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The information blackout shocked health providers and centered on issues like contraception and transgender health that President Trump and Republicans have repeatedly targeted. It also swept up information about HIV, at-risk youths and women's health.
The first strike of President Trump's militarized drug war took place on Tuesday with what the Pentagon called a "precision strike against a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization."
Trump said 11 members of the Tren de Aragua cartel had been killed while transporting drugs. He shared what appeared to be video of an aerial attack on a speedboat.
Why it matters: Trump has ordered a flotilla of ships off Venezuela's shores, ostensibly to stop drugs but also in hopes of sparking regime change, as Axios reported last week.
After roiling the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is poised to make more moves this month that will test how much free rein he has within the administration.
Why it matters: Republicans are counting on Kennedy and his MAHA base to deliver in the midterm elections. But more bulldozing of evidence-based public health policy could fray his support within the White House and Congress.
Republican operatives and lawmakers are increasingly anxious about how inflation could affect the GOP in the 2026 midterms, and want President Trump to take more aggressive steps to address rising prices.
Why it matters: GOP insiders and lawmakers believe the cost of drugs and consumer items — and how the White House deals with Trump's tariffs potentially turbocharging prices and creating shortages — will be key to whether the GOP keeps control of Congress next year.
