RFK Jr. Taps Temp Surgeon General; Who’s the U.S. Doc With Ebola? Chickenpox Parties

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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tapped health official and family medicine physician Stephanie Haridopolos, MD, to temporarily take on the surgeon general’s duties. (Bloomberg via MSN)

But the HHS leadership vacuum continues — not just at FDA and CDC, but also at NIH, where 15 out of 27 institute directorate positions remain unfilled. (STAT)

HHS has started to convert hundreds of it senior employees to a new job classification that could make it easier to fire them and replace with political appointees. (Government Executive)

The federal government’s caps on student loans — projected to affect nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare workers — are being challenged in court by 24 states and the District of Columbia. (AP)

Actor Noah Wyle — who stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch on the “The Pitt” — is expected to join lawmakers and hundreds of healthcare workers on Capitol Hill on Thursday to push for three healthcare bills. (The Hill)

Peter Stafford, MD, the American doctor who came down with Ebola while working with a Christian missionary in Congo, may have become infected while performing surgery on a patient. (Washington Post)

With 139 suspected deaths and almost 600 suspected cases, the World Health Organization said the risk of spread of the Ebola virus in Congo and Uganda is high at national and regional levels, but low at the global level. (AP)

Why Ebola is unlikely to spark a global pandemic. (Axios)

Ten Democratic senators urged Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas to reverse the agency’s decision allowing flavored e-cigarettes.

Abortion clinic protesters are eligible for the Department of Justice’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. (Politico)

The Trump administration’s wide-reaching probe into potential Medicaid fraud now includes Ohio. (AP)

Imagine a root canal — without any anesthesia. Researchers have found evidence of just that from 59,000 years ago. (New York Times)

More than three-quarters of sunscreens reviewed by the Environmental Working Group either were ineffective for sun protection or contained concerning ingredients, but the number of harmful ingredients has dropped precipitously.

A clinical trial is underway to identify a treatment for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart” syndrome. (People)

Chickenpox parties — which had been on the wane since the introduction of the varicella vaccine — are becoming more popular again. (Wired)

Salmonella concerns sparked recalls of cheese garlic croutons and tahini, according to FDA notices.

New Mexico officials are trying to get the military to clean up so-called forever chemicals on its military bases there. (New York Times)

Maryland’s Drug Affordability Board voted to put an upper payment limit on semaglutide (Ozempic), which would save the state an estimated $5.8 million per year. (Maryland Matters)