RFK Jr. Flips Position on CDC Chief; $440,000 Breast Surgery; House Member Dies

Note that some links may require registration or subscription.

Erica Schwartz, MD, MPH, will be able to independently make vaccine decisions if confirmed as CDC director, Health Secretary Robert ‌F. Kennedy Jr. told Senators on Wednesday, a day after telling House lawmakers he could not commit to allowing Schwartz to implement vaccine guidance without interference. (Reuters, New York Times)

More than two-thirds of people believe at least one unproven claim, such as “fluoride in water is harmful” or “raw milk is healthier than pasteurized” milk, an international survey found. (Nature)

The American Medical Association urged Congress to implement stricter regulations for artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, as their use grows for mental health care.

The U.K. passed a bill that will put cigarettes out of reach for future generations, with anyone born in 2009 or later barred from buying them. (AP)

A plastic surgeon raked in $440,000 for a single breast reduction surgery — the “No Surprises Act” may be to blame. (New York Times)

An investigational gene therapy restored hearing in 90% of trial participants born with autosomal recessive deafness 9 caused by OTOF mutations. (Nature)

Oral semaglutide (Ozempic) significantly reduced blood glucose in a phase III trial of adolescents with type 2 diabetes, said Novo Nordisk.

The FDA expanded the approval for dupilumab (Dupixent) in chronic spontaneous urticaria to include children ages 2 to 11 years, Sanofi and Regeneron announced.

Use of medication for opioid use disorder increased among Medicaid beneficiaries in nearly every state from 2019 to 2023, suggesting improved access. (JAMA Network Open)

Some patients are being forced off their GLP-1 medication after losing insurance coverage. (NPR)

A mother’s pursuit of a “free birth” nearly turned fatal. The movement rejects medical intervention during pregnancy or delivery. (New York Times)

Are “healthy” snacks actually any better for you? (STAT)

A right-leaning think tank is pushing for a crackdown on federal financing for hospitals, citing inefficiency and rising costs. (Axios)

Faced with federal funding cuts, a Pittsburgh-based researcher opted to relocate to China. (90.5 WESA)

A chemical leak at a West Virginia silver recovery business killed two people and sent about 30 others to hospitals, including one in serious condition. (AP)

Family members of the Louisiana woman whose husband shot and killed eight children, some hers, initially kept the news from her, fearing it could trigger Takotsubo cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome. (USA Today)

Longtime Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) died at age 80, the fifth House member of the 119th Congress to die. No cause of death was given. (New York Post)

Darrell Sheets of “Storage Wars,” died at age 67 from an apparent suicide. (People)