The Bioethics Observatory and its websites consolidate their global expansion By Bioethics Observatory Published On: January 16th, 2026

https://bioethicsobservatory.org/2026/01/the-bioethics-observatory-and-its-websites-consolidate-their-global-expansion/48332/ The Bioethics Observatory of the Catholic University of Valencia has reaffirmed its digital leadership during the 2024-2025 period, registering sustained growth on both its main website in Spanish and its international version, Bioethics Observatory. Together, the two platforms have more than 235,000 active users, confirming the growing interest in rigorous bioethical analysis worldwide.

The Bioethics Observatory will analyze the ethical challenges of synthetic biology at an international congress By Bioethics Observatory Published On: February 9th, 2026

The Bioethics Observatory will analyze the ethical challenges of synthetic biology at an international congress By Bioethics Observatory Published On: February 9th, 2026 https://bioethicsobservatory.org/2026/02/the-bioethics-observatory-will-analyze-the-ethical-challenges-of-synthetic-biology-at-an-international-congress/48397/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet On April 20, 2026, the congress “Synthetic Biology and the Human Future: Possibilities, Limits, and Bioethical Challenges,” organized by the Bioethics Observatory, will take place. This event seeks to address the new ethical frontiers that arise from the current capacity to create and transform life through biotechnological advances.

MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: The Hill: New York Judge Extends Block On Federal Cuts To Social Service Funds In Democratic-Led States ++++ ++++ +

MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The Hill: New York Judge Extends Block On Federal Cuts To Social Service Funds In Democratic-Led States https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5727806-judge-block-funding-freeze-social-services-programs-democratic-states/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8eRuG7mrAZWp8bnolH3C4VdJrB1SsmL4pZiC0euisrKdb_31xQx6hUlAsdnKaVjnnrJHFhd1IYiOIz87Mb69-cwmlo9w&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email A New York judge on Friday extended a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from slashing funds to social service programs in five Democrat-led states. U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick made his ruling at the request of Minnesota, California, Illinois, New York and Colorado. The states receive more than $10 billion a year from the federal government for its programs, which help with child care and family assistance. New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) praised the ruling in a statement, saying the “illegal funding freeze would have caused severe chaos in the lives of some of the most vulnerable families in our state.” (Mancini, 2/7) The Hill: Trump Official Mehmet Oz Alleges Maine 'Looks A Lot Like' Minnesota's Social Services Fraud https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5728249-trump-oz-allege-maine-fraud/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8IKpQACixSk_qNx8pyK64CIiRsL2upKt3aqMykn45U0nNsVXDxyNk_EEM1CQR32J591yJMhldTCh3N4TFbfLB1SGfBXQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The Trump administration’s top Medicare official has suggested that alleged fraud in Maine’s social services programs may be on par with the welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz said there is “another big crisis” concerning alleged social services fraud in Maine during an appearance on John Catsimatidis’s “The Cats Roundtable” radio show. “It turns out that Maine looks a lot like Minnesota,” Oz said in the interview, which aired Sunday morning. (Davis, 2/8) NPR: Trump’s HHS Lauds Plastic Surgeons’ Statement On Care For Transgender Minors https://www.npr.org/2026/02/08/nx-s1-5705304/transgender-minors-gender-affirming-care-plastic-surgery?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-85XQfhCZSo578NmCXpOai7yj9yQpPzpPmR6Qm6X0aXuBKvSxbR1OA7Rfj-vUpmcGTXEiTu3UUFSBL-YtQttd-o_HW7vw&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The Trump administration celebrated a recent statement from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which recommends that doctors delay gender-related surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old. "Today marks another victory for biological truth in the Trump administration," wrote Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Jim O'Neill said in a press release. "The American Society of Plastic Surgeons has set the scientific and medical standard for all provider groups to follow." (Simmons-Duffin, 2/8) Politico: HUD Headquarters Move Draws Legal, Funding Scrutiny https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/08/legal-funding-concerns-loom-over-huds-relocation-to-virginia-00768637?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9R7WAt0kyCl9POKqqjnINKjkG8sQo_Vlx2DHRg3fORLQtbJ4WEVT3zomDSllBKzq9PRLcumACA9kNzS7aglxGTeTVFZg&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The Department of Housing and Urban Development has started its long-awaited, multistage relocation of Washington-based staff to Alexandria, Virginia, even as questions swirl over the move’s legality, cost and congressional oversight. (Dumay, 2/8) Stat: NIH Grant Reviewers Fear Schedule F Status Will Politicize Their Jobs https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/nih-grant-reviewers-schedule-f-designation-politicizes-science/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_rumNXJePGZ--DoM05cNRXg0yYz6ndX2R0yDZcLUYRfFBNJG9RPSFr5sotZuD7QMvSbuClFbcfCr2Zi3Ik97-EtBhGDA&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The Trump administration is moving forward with a personnel rule that critics say will subject a broader swath of the federal workforce to political pressure, raising concerns that the change could deter accomplished scientists from joining the federal workforce and give political appointees greater influence over grant decisions. (Oza, 2/6) Politico: Trump Cut Science Funding. Small Businesses Are Paying The Price. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/08/trump-cut-science-funding-now-small-businesses-are-paying-the-price-00765051?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_tuStUS_3AAazBwHQ5XjA5yjbK4Y4Fvad2ntmJUIoddSaZsnrPiNiyQM40pq7fGrQybx2tf9dIjoah8taUTCm0T18EAQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Melinda Holland started last year with high hopes for her business. Instead, 2025 ended with the company’s first layoffs in 40 years. That’s due largely to the policies of one man: President Donald Trump. The cuts his administration made last year to federal science programs undercut a key piece of Holland’s business, a small technology company named Wildlife Computers. Her company, based in Washington state, makes the data-collecting tags that scientists use to track animals in the field. (Harvey, 2/8) The Washington Post: Why Dr. Oz Wants Americans To Delay Retirement And Help The Economy https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/02/08/dr-mehmet-oz-delay-retirement/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-98n8S2rsfnzPFPzMEzxMufW9JJJIfAjkmKoWqhVc6JgR8VZALxPCnzndAwMLXDng_IymQ_OHtu4wfqIg7wWE7A5B8NoQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is working to persuade Americans that they should postpone retirement for one year. The question is whether they’ll buy it. He has repeatedly said delaying retirement — a fraught decision for millions, especially lower earners who have undersaved for it — marks physical vigor, and could help grow the economy or reduce the national debt. (Winfield Cunningham, 2/8) Politico: MAHA And Mike Tyson Want You To ‘Eat Real Food’ During The Super Bowl https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/06/rfk-jr-maha-mike-tyson-super-bowl-ad-00769278?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--MTyJTPQKTDdOdyAC59Du2_BASYGSmzy-pbTpM_S2s9C1EGuCxUfuiaXfeVIcJDm3fVtp2GvVR8OnCTx4olU1G6zXhiQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s allies are airing an ad during the Super Bowl featuring Mike Tyson boosting the Make America Healthy Again campaign, giving Kennedy another high-profile perch as allies look for ways to bolster his MAHA movement. The ad, paid for by the nonprofit MAHA Center, highlights new dietary guidelines announced by the Health and Human Services secretary in January and urges viewers to “eat real food,” borrowing a line regularly used by Kennedy about his nutrition recommendations. (Pellish, 2/6) Politico: How Oura Ring Won Over Washington https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/09/oura-ring-lobbying-rfk-maha-washington-00770320?nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nname=playbook&nrid=00000157-9a2f-de5f-a77f-fb3f1a030000 It turns out there is a way for a foreign company to make it in Donald Trump’s Washington. Oura rings are on fingers from the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, tracking everything from sleep quality to fertility. Their Finnish maker’s success stems from design savvy and good timing, but also shrewd attention to the way politics works in the capital. (Chu, 2/9)

ON CAPITOL HILL: Axios: Limits On Care Denials In Medicare Stall In Congress Again ++++

ON CAPITOL HILL Axios: Limits On Care Denials In Medicare Stall In Congress Again https://www.axios.com/2026/02/09/medicare-denials-limits-stall-congress?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9FmIpRGVVTHNCrfSLMEMYV36F5oHN3L0J5KhvgXivkJvQRhjzg0XRxogfC-cY2-SU1Zlbzz6xBgd7h7QaDLNd9XzdGHQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Long-running efforts to limit health plans' ability to deny or delay physician-ordered care are on hold again, despite mounting congressional frustration with insurers. By leaving a measure addressing so-called prior authorization reviews out of the bipartisan health package last week, lawmakers may have lost the chance to address a major source of aggravation for patients and doctors before the midterms. (Sullivan, 2/9) Modern Healthcare: Congress Signals Toward More PBM Reform, Targets GPO Subsidiaries https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-regulation/mh-congress-pbm-reform-gpo-subsidiaries/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--wqfpohXCxzSBR4WCByGXCW61GpmznFRkt-GDgqa8UJKllU0u7OGlmr9suXzD3UcP77w1QYZCaTNLtlHlxR0gMt4T3Jw&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Congress may have just passed sweeping legislation targeting compensation and transparency in the pharmacy benefit manager sector, but numerous lawmakers say that’s just a start. Exactly what comes next — and what will still be relevant once the main provisions of the new law take effect in 2028 — is not clear, but some legislators took aim at the largest PBMs’ group purchasing organizations, singling them out in hearings with top health insurance executives last month. (McAuliff, 2/6) CIDRAP: US Allocates $5.9 Billion For Global HIV Programs In Spending Bill https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/hivaids/us-allocates-59-billion-global-hiv-programs-spending-bill?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tZBGAm3HBLJLzq3JRGKN-xXuff6RJna1YFSSvmDnFWoAveAx1Mp7PQ_T4ZDucjMiIUSNXziiywTnb5UQj6F6Tagwo2A&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email This week, President Donald Trump signed into law a $5.9 billion spending package aimed at supporting the global response to HIV/AIDS and global public health. The signing of the appropriations bill was hailed by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as providing life-saving support for millions of people across the globe. (Bergeson, 2/6) Fierce Healthcare: Virtual Diabetes Prevention Programs Secure Medicare Coverage https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/digital-health/virtual-diabetes-prevention-programs-secure-medicare-coverage?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_1UDJV3JtBhiSpxFfpuVD4PlM0kFzgwIlRcUpgvH9ODxcA3Degqc_dUTaNjZ6C4fpTxw4hNSlvdsfj5nP7ClMGKNdK2w&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email In the $1.2 trillion budget package signed Tuesday, a little-known healthcare provision was reauthorized that will allow millions of people on Medicare to access diabetes prevention education online. (Beavins, 2/6)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY: Fierce Healthcare: MultiCare Pays $3.7M To Settle Unnecessary Surgery Allegations +++ +++ +

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY Fierce Healthcare: MultiCare Pays $3.7M To Settle Unnecessary Surgery Allegations https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/multicare-agrees-37m-settlement-over-allegations-it-knowingly-allowed-unnecessary?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--kJLpBcIJQpP_JhfLHolmJlMG9IPXgTmkEsxbUw2TliU90ca5zF6S3G8r7Q7enU15R7-pZD-mdmLZEn_shb2KOxA1YCg&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email MultiCare Health System has agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement with law enforcement to resolve allegations it ignored “numerous red flags” and knowingly permitted and billed procedures conducted by a neurosurgeon under investigation for fraudulent, medically unnecessary care. (Muoio, 2/6) Modern Healthcare: Molina Eyes Medicaid Acquisitions Amid Medicare Advantage Exit https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/mh-molina-medicaid-acquisitions-medicare-advantage/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8WnVyPobm0Wtr6Zq00a7GEBmZ1buldDsIegr3C6_5T9sWi1p5FkjWb3yA5cPDx3Q8OXQC4KpSF7GJR0XM-oFqnNMtYkA&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Molina Healthcare is looking to acquire Medicaid carriers as it exits the Medicare Advantage market. State reimbursements have fallen short of Medicaid members’ expenses, CEO Joe Zubretsky told analysts during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call Friday. The challenging funding environment, however, presents an opportunity to buy smaller insurers that lack the capital to tough out the difficult cycle, Zubretsky said. (Tepper, 2/6) Fierce Healthcare: Aetna Rolls Out New Digital Member Onboarding Experience https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/aetna-unveils-new-digital-member-onboarding-experience?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9bcwOBg9K_O2tcXUUOkM1nwjk2C3OCrMBX1l8PREG3zygjkhVcYv1xzc7UhOlwCaf-UTTMqU7tNc4lL1LkEtYGCqR70w&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Aetna is continuing to build out its digital member experience with the launch of a new onboarding program designed to ease the process. The insurer said Thursday that the platform will be available to 4 million new members during the welcome period for their enrollment. (Minemyer, 2/6) Stat: Updated CMS Data Reshapes Medicare Advantage Risk Scores https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/09/medicare-advantage-new-cms-risk-scores-target-insurer-upcoding/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--N4GUhflIE_7RIztj6frrpjOTYuBxzzuG2e_DFmmIxSaurOqUAly0NIAjFfVmXI1Ae1PAMvLlrhzDA5BbbWBCTVfwyQQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The health insurance industry was caught off guard by the federal government’s recent proposal to keep next year’s payments to Medicare Advantage plans mostly flat, and to change a controversial coding practice. But another equally significant change has flown under the radar — and is a major reason why some insurers may face big hits to revenue. (Herman, 2/9) Modern Healthcare: Epic Systems Launches AI Charting Tool In Latest EHR Market Push https://www.modernhealthcare.com/health-tech/mh-epic-systems-ai-charting-tool-ehr/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9isCegncZVrtOfJqN_oytsUtTI-_-UyC8NuN_zXuRY-8tVghL9sfz5ofERT5SkQIEGHq36-tu8ERYVonuC4NVavZI0_g&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Epic Systems made another move earlier this week to advance its artificial intelligence strategy. The large electronic health record vendor hosted an event for its customers on Wednesday, where it officially launched its AI charting tool. The customizable ambient listening feature aims to help clinicians write notes and offers guidance based on these conversations. The feature is an expansion of Art, Epic’s suite of AI for clinicians that it announced in August at the company’s user group meeting. The AI charting tool is available to customers immediately. Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, is among the early adopters. (Famakinwa, 2/6) The Baltimore Sun: Johns Hopkins University Research Staff Begin Unionization Effort https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/02/04/johns-hopkins-university-research-staff-begin-unionization-effort/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--KJzAjGr9B8WW4hMyJsLD6vkHDBPwdZ8DKpsYYO6ZWT5XY8yv47anWXzU-PVF5-M0rzKg0vQ1GqYWCehif_difWoOozw&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Johns Hopkins University research staff announced plans this week to start a union in an effort to get higher pay, transparent career paths and more job security. (Bazos, 2/4) The New York Times: Podcast: When Anesthesia Fails And The Patient Is Cut Open https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/podcasts/the-daily/anesthesia-c-sections-patient-pain.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--UKQY-Nkun4KA98-qPaO5mr0ZpPUkN_6Txbdp9ELEgT9-cWLCmAhHXWKZFAVdgUVdpYfiZ0C_gohgCnnWBeVzJTH1e2w&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Women’s pain is too often dismissed in medicine. An alarming number of women report feeling major surgery and dealing with doctors and nurses who make light of their complaints. Susan Burton, reporter and host of the podcast “The Retrievals,” shares stories from just a few of the many cases of women who felt significant pain during their C-sections. (Burton, 2/6)

PHARMACEUTICALS: Stat: TrumpRx Promises Cheapest Drugs. Many Cost Less Already ++++++

PHARMACEUTICALS Stat: TrumpRx Promises Cheapest Drugs. Many Cost Less Already https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/trumprx-discount-drug-website-undercut-by-cheaper-generics/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--LSISbf8e_5Ei5tTJviGWigZW1mVFNLve1Uvy68oUOWEuyRgjzU1LAZs85NqVaivwKqwAQguFfLDcgKjoe89hiQK6--Q&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email President Trump said his administration’s new TrumpRx website will offer the cheapest prices in the world for 43 brand-name drugs, and counting. But about half of them are already available as generics, usually for much less. (Wilkerson, Parker, Cirruzzo, Chen and Payne, 2/6) The Hill: Sen. Ron Wyden Criticizes Trump's TrumpRx As Mere 'Coupon Book' https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5726644-trump-rx-senator-wyden-criticism/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9mhjhfIhQfH-d-ZQH0jMZf_8BOMfry-JBFguO0gLTAWRdWwJEz_veIrCZRq4dOOu8zvSFM5sr-tFTXP3kj_3rr_yNNsQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) blasted the direct-to-consumer (DTC) TrumpRx platform launched by the administration Thursday, denouncing it as a “glorified coupon book.” The Trump administration launched its DTC discount drug portal TrumpRx.gov Thursday evening. ... The discounts ranged from 33 percent to 93 percent for drugs treating obesity, diabetes, asthma and infertility. Administration officials said Thursday that more drugs would be added. (Choi, 2/6) Bloomberg: Lilly Inks Deal With Innovent To Speed Up Early Drug Development https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-09/lilly-inks-deal-with-innovent-to-speed-up-early-drug-development?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition Eli Lilly & Co. is paying $350 million upfront to collaborate with Chinese biotech Innovent Biologics Inc. in developing new treatments for cancer and immune disorders, a further vote of confidence for the innovation capabilities of the country’s drugmakers. Innovent could see up to $8.5 billion in milestone payments, the Suzhou-based company said in a press release Sunday. The firms didn’t specify the number of medicines included in the deal. Innovent’s Hong Kong-listed shares jumped as much as 8.6% on Monday. (Tong, 2/9) The New York Times: Hims & Hers Withdraws Knockoff Weight-Loss Pill After Regulatory Scrutiny https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/health/hims-obesity-pill-wegovy-novo-nordisk.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_IihXsK_dKzUeUsjEqZ7Hx8MqB5p3mIJ2Nik_50eiHAecJNSCkHIXK3o-f3GczVzfJGR_ki1IgtvLLWRpOjFiij3dfRA&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Hims & Hers, a major online provider of obesity medications, said on Saturday that it would stop selling a cheap knockoff version of Novo Nordisk’s new pill version of its popular weight loss drug Wegovy, bowing to pressure from federal regulators who suggested the product might be illegal. Hims had just introduced the offering on Thursday and was immediately met with sharp backlash. On Friday, the top lawyer for the Department of Health and Human Services, Mike Stuart, wrote on X that his office had referred Hims to the Justice Department for potential violations of a federal law that regulates the sale of medications. (Robbins, 2/7) MedPage Today: Use Of GLP-1 Drugs Under Scrutiny At Winter Olympics https://www.medpagetoday.com/popmedicine/cultureclinic/119770?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-810zfKaYSy7F2FfFzAU6GZT6ETBCEDmA2tpXbxCohgjiwGwjPn5UCiQHcKZ0OtlPyJ93p4AL8xWJHFZ0dF-ALEEvv4zQ&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email As the Winter Olympic Games get underway, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is monitoring an unexpected class of drugs: GLP-1 receptor agonists. An advisory group that makes recommendations about WADA's list of prohibited substances discussed the status of GLP-1 medications, and added semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) to its monitoring program, a spokesperson for WADA told MedPage Today in an email. (Henderson, 2/6) Modern Healthcare: Baxter Layoffs To Hit 90 Roles https://www.modernhealthcare.com/medical-devices/mh-baxter-layoffs-north-cove-hurricane-helene/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--R9ib1p9ZrRv17T79bE6fGiOOWfGQKFcp9DjWO016KlUrQzjg_Pyrx_Yj_iY-t0OlmvgaBmOcsarBhy4918FdTRjQIow&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Baxter International cut about 3% of the workforce at its North Carolina manufacturing facility. The North Cove facility in Marion, which produces about 60% of the U.S. supply of IV solutions, was significantly affected by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Although the facility has returned to pre-hurricane production and inventory levels, the disruptions affected clients’ IV usage and demand. The shift led the company to realign operations with market conditions and lay off about 90 employees in late January, according to Baxter. (Dubinsky, 2/6)

MORE ON VACCINES: The New York Times: Federal Vaccine Advisers Take Aim At Covid Shots

MORE ON VACCINES The New York Times: Federal Vaccine Advisers Take Aim At Covid Shots https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/health/vaccines-covid-acip-malone-kennedy.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-90hPoClyBoOKsxLjt2Ja93ADa4Ll_6JAdHXZB_mXHxqKPGLZhxxUiHEu_PwvMEB1SD9YGRy3_OCq0o1PBz-TdYDZSkxw&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Members of the federal vaccine panel chosen by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are setting their sights on the next targets: the mRNA Covid shots, and vaccines offered to pregnant women. The panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, already has imposed some limits on access to Covid vaccines and has rescinded recommendations for some routine childhood shots. Several of the panelists have said — contrary to scientific consensus — that they believe the Covid shots are dangerous and should be taken off the market. (Mandavilli, 2/6) CIDRAP: Estimated Effectiveness Of This Season’s Flu Vaccine Against Medically Attended Illness In Low To Mid Range https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-vaccines/estimated-effectiveness-season-s-flu-vaccine-against-medically-attended-illness?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--oGbzw7hjZQN_DcL5DkAqKBUWF_lCWwQPbh8kZtM-v45pES-ZGnkIrxMVFfYHbnhaWyKfiWWSoDGZ_FfdVnVMdWtK7yw&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email The effectiveness of this season’s flu vaccine in Canada is 40% against medically attended infection with influenza A(H3N2) viruses, 37% against newly emerged and predominant subclade K of the H3N2 strain, and 31% against the H1N1 influenza A strain, an interim analysis estimates. (Van Beusekom, 2/6) CIDRAP: Trust In CDC Near Pandemic-Era Low After Vaccine Schedule Changes https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/trust-cdc-near-pandemic-era-low-after-vaccine-schedule-changes?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--DlxKJezQngoM86gqEoLx4MIpwyIvqCKu7IiSS_LyOL_SpGUER6ptdAyp5FL0gs95OYnxJfpxI0amR6V1_QNRNBceiIg&_hsmi=402677445&utm_content=402677445&utm_source=hs_email Public trust in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) remains near its lowest point since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a KFF Tracking Poll published today. “Six years ago, 85% of Americans, and 90% of Republicans, trusted the CDC. Now less than half trust the CDC on vaccines,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman, PhD, said in a news release. “The wars over COVID, science, and vaccines have left the country without a trusted national voice on vaccines, and that trust will take time to restore.” (Bergeson, 2/6)