All this talk about the early, terrifying days of Covid .. and I couldn't help but look back at a project I worked on at the time. We memorialized the lives of people who ran into the burning building. Time well spent and worth a moment of yours: www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Lost on the frontline: US healthcare workers who died fighting Covid-19

More than 3,500 Americans in the healthcare system have died fighting Covid-19. We count them and investigate why

theguardian.com

NEW: More and more uninsured patients are showing up in hospital emergency rooms and clinics, having lost their coverage under the Affordable Care Act. via @reedabelson.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/07/30/b...

After Obamacare Cuts, Hospitals Are Treating More Uninsured Patients (Gift Article)

More people who lost coverage after congressional Republicans ended enhanced federal subsidies are now seeking care in emergency rooms and unable to pay bills.

nytimes.com

NEW: A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended broader use of six unproven peptides, raising concerns that wellness and telehealth companies could adopt a once-obscure pathway to bring unapproved drugs to the commercial market. GIFT: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/u...

F.D.A. Panel’s Vote on Peptides Raises Concerns About a Prescribing Boom (Gift Article)

The committee endorsed broader use of the peptides in lightly regulated compounding pharmacies that have grown into a multibillion-dollar business.

nytimes.com

Amazing work by the stellar @laurenweberhp.bsky.social "Your favorite local restaurant or hair salon is subject to more inspections and oversight than the medspa down the street selling peptide injections."

Alicia Ault@aliciaault.bsky.social · 2w ago

"Several local authorities said in interviews that they feel powerless to fully protect consumers." Gift link to this @washingtonpost.com story on the wild west of peptides by @laurenweberhp.bsky.social #drugsafety #regulation #wellness #aging #longevity #healthlaw

NEW: A panel of advisers to the FDA, several of them sellers of experimental peptides, dismissed the concerns of the agency’s scientists on Thursday, voting in favor of allowing broad production of poorly understood peptide treatments. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...

A Peptide Showdown: F.D.A. Scientists May Clash With R.F.K.’s Agenda (Gift Article)

Agency scientists are advising against allowing widespread use of several peptide injections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has said people should be free to experiment.

nytimes.com

On Now: FDA hearing over whether to broaden access to unproven peptide medicines. Some patients embrace them. Doctors are making money & say the seem to help. FDA says 'no.' But Kennedy thinks patients should be free to experiment w/ their health: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...

A Peptide Showdown: F.D.A. Scientists May Clash With R.F.K.’s Agenda (Gift Article)

Agency scientists are advising against allowing widespread use of several peptide injections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has said people should be free to experiment.

nytimes.com

NEW: Taylor Farms said the lettuce associated with cyclospora & explosive diarrhea went to 27 states, but did not name the companies. It doesn't have to, said Sandra Eskin: “Without this essential information, a recall is not going to be effective.” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/h...

Taylor Farms Expands Iceberg Lettuce Recall to 27 States (Gift Article)

The implicated products were marketed under several brands, and had been shipped as recently as Thursday.

nytimes.com

NEW: Taylor Farms, a massive veggie grower, met with the White House yesterday to air its concerns about the federal cyclospora probe that sickened 1,600+. The FDA is planning an inspection of its lettuce-shredding plan in Mexico. GIFT: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/b...

Taylor Farms to Remove Products After Lettuce Is Linked to Cyclospora Cases

The Salinas, Calif., company grows produce in more than 12 states, and in Mexico and Canada. Some Taylor Farms lettuce suspected of causing sickness ended up at Taco Bell.

nytimes.com

NEW: @apoorvanyt.bsky.social breaks down Sen. Cassidy's sharp questioning of CDC nominee Dr. Erika Schwartz and notes: "Her responses did not satisfy Democratic senators or Mr. Cassidy." 🎁🎁 More here: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/h...

Trump’s Latest C.D.C. Nominee Vows Not to ‘Betray the Science’ (Gift Article)

Dr. Erica Schwartz told senators in a confirmation hearing that she did not think Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or President Trump would ask her to do anything to hurt public health. Some senators were incred...

nytimes.com

Sen. Cassidy opens confirmation hearing for a new CDC director & asst. sec. for preparedness/response saying he will be focused on ... vaccines. Watch for @apoorvanyt.bsky.social coverage at @nytimes.com www.help.senate.gov/hearings/nom...

Nominations of Sean Kaufman to be Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response for the Department of Health and Human Services and Erica Schwartz to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control...

Nomination Hearing on July 15, 2026 at 6:00 AM

help.senate.gov

NEW: Andrea Shaw emerged as a plaintiff for Sec. Kennedy's former nonprofit, claiming that vaccines caused her twin toddlers' deaths. Last week she was indicted for murder, accused of suffocating them. More details here: 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/07/u...

Plaintiff for Anti-Vaccine Group’s Suit Is Charged With Murder of Her Twins

nytimes.com

NEW: The ad campaign was jarring. People who smoked for decades warned others as they were dying of cancer or lung disease. After 14 years, it went dark in September. Calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW plummeted. A look at tobacco policy under Trump: 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/u...

Efforts to Help Smokers Quit Stall Under Trump

nytimes.com

NEW: The Trump Administration said it plans to temporarily ban 7-OH, a potent component of kratom. The move delivers a win for market rivals who ran an influence campaign that included Secretaries Kennedy and Markwayne Mullin. w/ @kenvogel.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/u...

Trump Administration Delivers Lucrative Win for Its Kratom Allies

nytimes.com

My latest: Old, inexpensive chemo drugs went into a long shortage three years ago. Signs are emerging that the supply crunch could be coming back:

Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs Brings Rationing Fears

nytimes.com

Important story from @lenasun.bsky.social and @rachelroubein.bsky.social: Inside the push to keep RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda alive The public effort to revamp U.S. vaccine policy has quieted. Behind the scenes is a different story. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Inside the push to keep RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda alive

The public effort to revamp U.S. vaccine policy has quieted. Behind the scenes is a different story.

washingtonpost.com

Can’t wait to read this 👀⬇️👀

Amanda Mull@amandamull.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Several colleagues and I have a big new feature out today: An inside look at the global peptide trade, a billion-dollar black market in experimental and potentially dangerous drugs that RFK Jr. is pushing to make legal. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/features/202...

How the Kratom Industry Won Friends in the Trump Administration.

Video: How the Kratom Industry Won Friends in the Trump Administration

A sprawling influence campaign to promote a risky drug called kratom has gained allies among top Trump administration officials. Our investigative reporter Kenneth P. Vogel explains.

nytimes.com

SCOOP: Kratom has been tied to 5K+ deaths from '20-'24. But a felon-turned-kratom executive still managed to court allies ( @seckennedy.govpeeps.us ) and cultivate an investor (Markwayne Mullin) in the Trump cabinet. W/ @kenvogel.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/u...

How an Addictive Gas Station Drug Found Allies in Trump’s Cabinet

nytimes.com

SCOOP from @by-cjewett.bsky.social & me: Markwayne Mullin urged the Department of Health and Human Service to remove warnings from the FDA website about the health risks of the gas station drug kratom. Mullin owns equity in a leading kratom company called Botanic Tonics that could have benefited.

How an Addictive Gas Station Drug Found Allies in Trump’s Cabinet

nytimes.com

NEW: How a man selling kratom, an addictive gas station drug, courted allies in Trump's cabinet. They included Sec. Kennedy, whose PACs got +$1M from the man, and Markwayne Mullin, an investor in the man's company. w / @kenvogel.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/06/15/u...

How an Addictive Gas Station Drug Found Allies in Trump’s Cabinet

nytimes.com

Friday night news: A federal judge blocked the Trump admin from taking down signs on slavery, climate change and other topics at national parks across the country. @nytimes.com gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/u...

Judge Blocks National Parks From Removing ‘Negative’ Signs

nytimes.com

What could go wrong? www.healthcaredive.com/news/over-ha...

Over half of Medicaid enrollees say they’re unaware of upcoming work requirements

Many enrollees don’t know they’ll need to report work, education or volunteer hours starting in less than six months in order to stay covered, according to a recent survey from the Health Management A...

healthcaredive.com

NEW: Records released tonight show that Reynolds, makers of Vuse vapes, gave $5 Million to MAGA Inc. days before the FDA wrote a policy that could allow them to make millions selling flavored vapes. Via @kenvogel.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...

A $5 Million Donation From Big Tobacco Preceded F.D.A. Vape Decision

nytimes.com

"The Trump administration has struck what some see as the final blow to PEPFAR, the vaunted US program that has saved the lives of 26 million people living with HIV. The State Dept now says that as of 30 September, CDC support for PEPFAR will end in most countries." www.science.org/content/arti...

Trump administration cuts CDC’s key role in global program to stop HIV

State Department would send PEPFAR money directly to countries, which could then pay fees to health agency for help

science.org

Breaking: Tracy Beth Hoeg, the Food and Drug Administration’s top drug regulator, said she was fired from the agency Friday after she declined to resign. W/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/u...

Top Drug Regulator Is Fired From the F.D.A.

nytimes.com

🚨During lunch at his golf course with tobacco executives on May 2, Pres. Trump called Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Oz, furious. He wanted action on flavored vapes. And he soon got it, prompting the FDA commissioner to resign. w/ the amazing @kenvogel.bsky.social --> 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/u...

With a Friend in Trump, the Tobacco Industry Secures a Lucrative Win

nytimes.com

NEW: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has toned down his public criticism of vaccines, under orders from the White House. But behind the scenes, a sprawling research effort has become his a top priority. w/ @sherylnyt.bsky.social 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/h...

Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His New Silence on the Issue

nytimes.com

SCOOP: The Trump administration issued a new policy Friday that could allow major tobacco and vape companies to begin selling flavored e-cigarettes, delivering a win to top donors after a year of paring back federal tobacco-control efforts. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/s...

With Commissioner Under Pressure, F.D.A. Opens Door to Flavored Vapes

nytimes.com

SCOOP: The F.D.A. blocked the release of studies finding that Covid and shingles vaccines were safe. In the case of Covid, FDA staff had to withdraw studies heading toward publication: www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u...

F.D.A. Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe

nytimes.com

For many years, Stephanie Nolen was one of the best reporters covering the HIV/AIDS in Africa health crisis. Now, finally, the #NYTimes has unleashed her again -- and here's her valuable first-hand report from #Zambia. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/25/h...

AIDS Creeps Back in Parts of Zambia, a Year After U.S. Cuts to H.I.V. Assistance

nytimes.com