The FDA said yesterday it still thinks Taylor Farms lettuce is behind the surge of illnesses in the cyclosporiasis outbreak, even after it pulled back test results linking the produce to the parasitic disease.

The big picture: Tracking the source of the gastrointestinal illness has been challenging for health officials, while news of a false positive risks confusing consumers about which recalled products to avoid.

• The outbreak has also refocused attention on Trump administration cuts to public health programs that, among other things, stopped required tracking for cyclosporiasis as of July 2025.
• Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico in connection with the outbreak.

The latest: Taylor Farms said yesterday that the FDA had "made a mistake" with a "false positive" over the weekend on a sample of its lettuce originating in central Mexico that wasn't part of the recall.

• But the FDA said on X the false positive "DOES NOT change the basis for FDA's ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data" linking Taylor Farms lettuce to the outbreak.
• Beyond tracing the supply chain of lettuce, FDA staff have begun testing samples of produce coming across the U.S. border, AP reported.
• The CDC is still advising people to avoid recalled products — including at Taco Bell, which says it has removed the affected lettuce from its restaurants.

Between the lines: Cyclospora is particularly hard to track due to the short shelf life of fresh produce and the lengthy incubation period before symptoms show up.

• "Test results are difficult to obtain, and most of the time, our traceback and epidemiologic information are what allows us to determine the source of the outbreak," acting deputy commissioner for food Donald Prater told reporters yesterday.
• Acting FDA commissioner Kyle Diamantas stressed yesterday that the investigation is ongoing, "including into other potential sources and commodities for other clusters of illnesses."

What we're watching: Foot traffic is plunging at Taco Bell and other lettuce-selling food chains amid all the headlines.

• Meanwhile, cases continue to mount, with more than 6,100 now reported in Michigan alone.

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The administration formally laid the groundwork yesterday to weigh immigrants' use of programs like Medicaid and CHIP in determining whether they should get permanent residency.

Why it matters: The policy shift could discourage immigrant families from seeking health coverage if it could put their legal status at risk, public health groups warn.

• That could increase emergency room use, raise the cost of uncompensated care and widen health disparities, according to health policy experts.

Driving the news: The Department of Homeland Security published a new version of a "public charge" policy, which was expanded during President Trump's first term and then rolled back during the Biden years.

• It overrides previous policies that limited which public benefits could disqualify immigrants from getting a green card, instead leaving decisions to the discretion of immigration officers on a case-by-case basis.
• It also clarifies that a person's receipt of means-tested public benefits like Medicaid, CHIP and SNAP can be used to determine whether green card applicants would likely rely on government support.

Between the lines: Public health and immigrant aid groups say the change could have a chilling effect.

• A KFF-New York Times survey found 11% of immigrant adults said they stopped participating in public benefit programs last year due to immigration-related concerns.

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Most people with health savings accounts are using them to pay for immediate expenses rather than saving for future costs, according to new survey results from the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research.

Why it matters: The funds can be invested for long-term growth and savings, but consumers are using them quickly as health costs rise.

Where it stands: Two-thirds of HSA holders reported using their account to pay for near-term out-of-pocket health expenses — by far the most popular use case, per the survey. HSAs are offered alongside high-deductible health plans.

• 41% of respondents said they used their HSA to reduce taxable income, and 35% said they used it to save for health expenses coming in retirement.
• EBRI and Greenwald Research surveyed 2,001 Americans ages 21 to 64 with private health insurance last fall. Health insurers and health companies funded the survey.

Zoom in: An employer's contribution to an HSA was the top reason for opening an account in 2025, per the survey.

• Taking advantage of tax benefits was the main reason cited for contributing to an HSA in the 2024 survey. But only about 40% of respondents said they opened an HSA to save on taxes last year.
• Just 31% reported opening an account to use the investment options to make more money in 2025.

🏥 A dispute over billing codes for artificial intelligence is the latest sign that nursing's resistance to AI policies is growing. (Becker's)

💵 The administration won't renew direct federal funding of community-based groups that work on HIV prevention. (Roll Call)

👀 A most-wanted fugitive who was on the run for 20 years appears to have been living a secret life as a biotech executive. (Stat)