The latest Senate debate over a Trump health appointment kicks off Wednesday with a less polarizing nominee than some of the president's previous picks — but that doesn't mean controversies around vaccines and public health are over.
Why it matters: Former deputy surgeon general Erica Schwartz will have to convince lawmakers she has a vision to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but can still work with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who clashed with the last full-time CDC director over vaccine policy changes.
A growing diarrhea outbreak has put fresh produce under scrutiny as investigators continue to search for the source of the crisis.
Why it matters: Investigators still haven't identified a common contamination source for the cyclosporiasis outbreak, limiting the guidance health officials can give consumers as the outbreak grows.
Taking GLP-1 drugs didn't materially improve diabetic patients' mental health, job or marriage prospects, a new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds.
Why it matters: While the drugs' health benefits are well documented, there's been much less study of whether they improve other parts of people's lives.
Health insurers have spent the past year touting how they've cut pre-treatment review claims, but new data suggests that hasn't eliminated hurdles for patients and doctors.
The big picture: By only approving some, but not all, doctor-ordered care, health plans still can force physicians to revise treatment plans, delay procedures or leave patients paying more out of pocket.
Despite a decades-long decline in U.S. fertility rates, a corridor of central Plains states — including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas — continues to post higher rates than the rest of the country on average.
Why it matters: The national fertility decline isn't uniform, with a mix of demographic, economic and cultural factors at play.
