The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz for Centers for Disease Control director on Wednesday, giving the beleaguered agency its first full-time political leader in almost a year.
Why it matters: While the 51-44 vote marked a step toward refilling the depleted ranks of the Trump administration's health care leadership, it didn't fully resolve questions about whether Schwartz could steer clear of political interference.
At Axios House in Cannes, France on June 24, Eric Weisberg, global chief creative officer at Havas Health Network, sat down with executive vice president of Axios Live Kristin Burkhalter to discuss Havas' latest report on the "superaging" era.
Drawing on data from the network's prosumer research, tracking insights from 10,000 forward-thinking consumers across eight countries, Weisberg broke down how global attitudes toward growing older have transformed, turning the $33 trillion longevity economy into an engine for brands across every industry.
Senate Republicans' planned vote this week on whether to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress is the latest escalation in their attempt to right perceived COVID-era wrongs and further disempower the federal health care bureaucracy.
Why it matters: Critics fear the Senate Homeland Security Committee's efforts will deter scientific talent from taking government jobs, weakening America's public health infrastructure and ceding its dominance in biomedical innovation.
Three suspected cases of the rare tick-borne illness tularemia, also known as "rabbit fever," have been identified on Long Island, Suffolk County health officials said Monday.
Why it matters: The rare illness can be caught while mowing your lawn and comes at a time when tick-borne illnesses are sharply rising in the United States.
Big drug companies have been buying scrappy biotechs to expand their pipelines, but the potential megamerger between AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb could flip that script.
Why it matters: Combining two drug giants with overlapping portfolios could put cost efficiencies ahead of innovation.
Data: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research via Bloomberg American Health Initiative; Map: Sami Sparber/Axios
After decades of diminishing recess time, half of U.S. states now require it or other physical activity by law.
Why it matters: Yes, recess is literally child's play. But researchers, pediatricians and parents say it's crucial for young students' physical and mental health.
