Trump Issues Gag Order for CDC, FDA; Stalled Hearing for RFK Jr.; Sex After Cancer

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The Trump administration instructed federal health agencies — HHS, CDC, FDA, NIH — to pause all external communications, including weekly scientific reports, health advisories, data updates, and other information. (CNN)

Meanwhile, the HHS website scrubbed search results for the word “abortion,” and ReproductiveRights.gov — a site the Biden administration launched after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — is now a broken link. (NPR)

The U.S. also ordered federal diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to shut down by Wednesday night, with staff placed on paid administrative leave by 5 p.m. (New York Times)

Here’s why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing for HHS secretary has stalled. (U.S. News & Word Report)

Meanwhile, endocrinologist Dorothy Fink, MD, was tapped to serve as interim HHS secretary. (Washington Post)

Sylvia Trent-Adams, MD, the president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, resigned after an investigation revealed the center used corpses for medical research without consent. (NBC News)

A brain implant allowed a paralyzed man to fly a virtual drone as he imagined moving his fingers. (Nature Medicine)

Most Americans monitor their heart with smartwatches but few share the captured data with their doctor, survey data from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found.

Women treated for opioid use disorder were less likely to be prescribed birth control than others. (JAMA Internal Medicine)

Patients said they wished doctors would discuss sex after cancer. (NPR)

Here’s why it’s hard to use artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose cancer. (MIT Technology Review)

The FDA cleared the first-in-class TriVerity test for patients with suspected acute bacterial or viral infection or sepsis, Inflammatix announced.

And the agency warned Sanofi over “significant” problems, including contamination, at a Massachusetts manufacturing plant.

In more Trump administration news, Germany will try to persuade the U.S. to remain in the World Health Organization, its health minister said. (Politico)

Former Georgia Rep. Doug Collins (R), Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, said healthcare delivery for veterans needs to change for the agency to stay relevant. (Military Times)

This is what Trump and his nominees need to know about the FDA, three former officials advised. (STAT)

The health tech industry appeared relieved that Trump revoked an executive order from Biden aimed at regulating AI companies. (Politico)

Trump granted a “full and unconditional” pardon to Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for running an underground market for drug dealers and others using bitcoin. (The Guardian)

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