February 2026 Health News
Date postedFebruary 7, 2026
Topics in this News Roundup
- Cancer
- Cardiology
- Care and Insurance Costs
- Children's Health
- Chronic Health Conditions
- Consumer and Patient Safety
- Criminalization of Medicine
- Environmental Health
- Flu and Respiratory Virus Season
- Food, Nutrition, and Food Safety
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Good News
- Government and Advocacy
- Health Care Systems
- Health Equity and Access to Care
- Health Technology
- Immunology and Allergies
- Infectious Diseases and Infections
- Measles Outbreak
- Medical Care
- Medications and Prescribing
- Mental and Behavioral Health
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Reproductive and Sexual Health
- Social Safety Nets
- Substance Use and Treatment
- Vaccination
Cancer
- Cancer survival fell and deaths rose during first two years of COVID-19 (Managed Healthcare Executive, 2/6/26)
- Menstrual blood test could offer alternative to cervical screening for cancer (The Guardian, 2/6/26)
- NIH Grant Disruptions Slow Down Breast Cancer Research (KFF Health News, 2/3/26)
- High-Deductible Plans May Be Linked to Worse Cancer Survival (Medscape, 2/1/26)
Cardiology
- A New Clue to Why Heart Attacks Are Less Severe at Night (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2/6/26)
- Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Remains Low Despite Assistance (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2/6/26)
- Mechanisms Are Emerging for COVID-19 Vaccine−Associated Myocarditis (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2/6/26)
- Most statin side-effects not caused by the drugs, study finds (The Guardian, 2/5/26)
- Many Patients Struggle With At-Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (Medscape, 2/4/26)
- Heart failure patients who receive text messages less likely to return to hospital (Managed Healthcare Executive, 2/3/26)
Care and Insurance Costs
- Senate Democrats Outline Drug Pricing Agenda to Cut Patient Costs (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/4/26)
- (New Hampshire) New Hampshire must get serious about health care costs (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/3/26)
- Preliminary 2026 Open Enrollment Data Shows Rising Affordability Challenges for Mainers' Health Coverage (ME Department of Health and Human Services, 2/3/26)
Children's Health
- Hospitalizations Up for Young Adults With Childhood-Onset Complex Chronic Conditions (HealthDay, 2/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) NH nurse practitioner launches mobile pediatric urgent-care service (NH Union Leader, 2/1/26)
Chronic Health Conditions
- (general)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Male-to-Female Ratio for Autism Has Decreased Over Time (HealthDay, 2/6/26)
- Most Young Children With Probable Autism Not Referred (Medscape, 2/6/26)
- Celiac Disease
- Cognitive Decline and Disability
- Finger-prick blood test could offer easier way to detect Alzheimer’s, researchers say (NH Union Leader, 2/2/26)
- Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
- Feasibility Study Shows High Wound Closure Rates in Chronic Diabetic Ulcers (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/5/26)
- HIV/AIDS
- PrEP underprescribed in young women despite need (Managed Healthcare Executive, 2/5/26)
- After legal challenge, state proposes new rules for AIDS drug assistance program (Florida Phoenix, 2/3/26)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- Air Pollution Linked to Increased RA Risk in Older Adults (Medscape, 2/5/26)
Consumer and Patient Safety
- FDA announces recall of Johnson & Johnson devices after multiple injuries, 1 death (Cardiovascular Business, 2/5/26)
- Information Updated for Abbott Libre 3 Glucose Sensor Recall (Medscape, 2/5/26)
- New recall includes nearly 23K bottles of triglycerides drug used to treat heart disease (Cardiovascular Business, 2/5/26)
Criminalization of Medicine
- Court strikes down Arizona abortion restrictions (The Hill, 2/6/26)
- Planned Parenthood ends suit against Trump administration over serving Medicaid patients (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/2/26)
- These states voted to protect abortion rights. Conservative lawmakers are not standing down (The Guardian, 2/2/26)
Environmental Health
- Air Pollution Linked to Increased RA Risk in Older Adults (Medscape, 2/5/26)
- Lead Exposure Even Later in Childhood Affects Later Mental Health (Medscape, 2/4/26)
- Trump’s environmental rollbacks contradict RFK Jr’s healthy America promise, report finds (The Guardian, 2/4/26)
Flu and Respiratory Virus Season
- 52 Kids Have Died From Flu So Far This Season as Child Hospitalizations Rise (HealthDay, 2/2/26)
Food, Nutrition, and Food Safety
- New Mexico Baby Dies From Listeria Linked to Raw Milk, Health Officials Warn (HealthDay, 2/5/26)
- Costco recalls beignets sold in 23 states due to undeclared allergen (The Hill, 2/3/26)
Gastrointestinal Health
- Celiac Disease Linked to Poor Overall Health, Functional Limitations, and Care Gaps (Medscape, 2/3/26)
Good News
- (New Hampshire) Dartmouth Health members recognized for excellence by Press Ganey (Dartmouth Health, 2/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) Dartmouth Health adds 11 new providers from various disciplines across health system (Dartmouth Health, 2/3/26)
- (New Hampshire) LRH Surgeon First in the State to Adopt Innovative Orthopedic Surgical Solution (Littleton Regional Hospital, 2/3/26)
Government and Advocacy
- General
- (New Hampshire) In State of the State, Ayotte touts first-year policy wins, takes shots at other New England states (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) State of State: Ayotte Aims To Make NH More Affordable, Healthier, Increase Nuclear Power (InDepth NH, 2/5/26)
- Trump administration directs rescission of $1.5B from blue states on health, transportation (The Hill, 2/5/26)
- Senate talks to revive ACA tax credits appear to be fizzling out (The Hill, 2/4/26)
- 8 wins for doctors, patients in latest federal budget deal (American Medical Association, 2/3/26)
- Trump signs $1.2T spending package that funds HHS, enacts PBM reforms, telehealth and hospital-at-home measures (Fierce Healthcare, 2/3/26)
- Trump signs funding bill, setting up immigration enforcement debate (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/3/26)
- Care and Insurance Costs - View more Care and Insurance Costs articles >>
- Senate Democrats Outline Drug Pricing Agenda to Cut Patient Costs (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/4/26)
- Environmental Health - View more Environmental Health articles >>
- Trump’s environmental rollbacks contradict RFK Jr’s healthy America promise, report finds (The Guardian, 2/4/26)
- Health Equity and Access to Care - View more Health Equity and Access to Care articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte issues first veto, rejecting bill to segregate by biological sex (NH Union Leader, 2/6/26)
- With ICE Using Medicaid Data, Hospitals and States Are in a Bind Over Warning Immigrant Patients (KFF Health News, 2/6/26)
- California AG Bonta Files Groundbreaking Lawsuit Against Rady Children’s Hospital for Dropping Trans Youth GAC (Erin In The Morning, 2/4/26)
- California AG sues Rady Children's Health over halted gender-affirming care services (Fierce Healthcare, 2/4/26)
- Medications and Prescribing - View more Medications and Prescribing articles >>
- The Clear Labels Act Would Change What You Know About Your Prescription Medication (ProPublica, 2/6/26)
- Trump to launch TrumpRx.gov, branding his push to lower prescription prices (NH Union Leader, 2/5/26)
- TrumpRx launches with 40 brand-name medications available, including popular weight-loss drugs (HealthExec, 2/5/26)
- After legal challenge, state proposes new rules for AIDS drug assistance program (Florida Phoenix, 2/3/26)
- Public Health - View more Public Health articles >>
- ‘It is astonishing’: Congress rebuffs Trump push to slash $33B from health, human services (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/6/26)
- Reproductive and Sexual Health - View more Reproductive and Sexual Health articles >>
- Court strikes down Arizona abortion restrictions (The Hill, 2/6/26)
- Planned Parenthood ends suit against Trump administration over serving Medicaid patients (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/2/26)
- These states voted to protect abortion rights. Conservative lawmakers are not standing down (The Guardian, 2/2/26)
- Social Safety Nets - View more Social Safety Nets articles >>
- RFK Jr. Expands Faith-Based Addiction Care as Drug Use and Homelessness Rise (HealthDay, 2/4/26)
- HHS plans to invest $100M to support addiction recovery and address homelessness (Fierce Healthcare, 2/2/26)
- Vaccination - View more Vaccination articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Bill to end vaccine mandates pits personal choice against community health (NH Public Radio, 2/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) Bill proposing to end child vaccine mandates draws a crowd (NH Union Leader, 2/4/26)
- (New Hampshire) Vaccine Bills Address Immunization Requirements, Religious Exemptions (InDepth NH, 2/4/26)
- Florida Republicans advance bill to weaken vaccine protections for children (The Guardian, 2/1/26)
- US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations (The Guardian, 2/1/26)
Health Care Systems
- Hospitals experience 60% rise in bankruptcies, despite overall industry decline (HealthExec, 2/2/26)
Health Equity and Access to Care
- American Medical Association Says Gender Surgeries for Minors Should Wait (HealthDay, 2/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte issues first veto, rejecting bill to segregate by biological sex (NH Union Leader, 2/6/26)
- With ICE Using Medicaid Data, Hospitals and States Are in a Bind Over Warning Immigrant Patients (KFF Health News, 2/6/26)
- Plastic Surgeons Urge Waiting Until Age 19 for Gender Surgery (HealthDay, 2/5/26)
- The Cowardice Of American Medicine On Trans Youth Care (Erin In The Morning, 2/5/26)
- What stakeholders are saying about gender-transition interventions for minors (HealthExec, 2/5/26)
- California AG Bonta Files Groundbreaking Lawsuit Against Rady Children’s Hospital for Dropping Trans Youth GAC (Erin In The Morning, 2/4/26)
- California AG sues Rady Children's Health over halted gender-affirming care services (Fierce Healthcare, 2/4/26)
- Surgery society disavows ‘gender affirming’ interventions for young people (HealthExec, 2/3/26)
- Prior Authorization Ranked Top Barrier to Health Care Access After Cost (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/2/26)
- Public health crisis unfolding in Minneapolis as residents avoid healthcare (The Guardian, 2/2/26)
Health Technology
- OIG audit of hospital’s cybersecurity finds vulnerabilities in common web applications (HealthExec, 2/4/26)
Immunology and Allergies
- Higher Rates of EOE and Food Allergy Found Mostly in White Male Teens (Medscape, 2/4/26)
Infectious Diseases and Infections
- Officials warn of tuberculosis outbreak at California high school (The Hill, 2/2/26)
- Outbreak Outlook - National - February 1 (Force of Infection, 2/1/26)
Measles Outbreak
- Maine CDC Confirms Case of Measles in Maine (ME Department of Health and Human Services, 2/6/26)
- Measles Spreads to College Campuses as Cases Rise Across 17 States (HealthDay, 2/5/26)
- Two Measles Cases Found at Texas Immigrant Detention Center (HealthDay, 2/4/26)
- Measles case confirmed in Wisconsin (The Hill, 2/3/26)
- (New Hampshire) Study says NH’s lower measles vaccination rate increases the chance of outbreak (NH Public Radio, 2/2/26)
Medical Care
- Feasibility Study Shows High Wound Closure Rates in Chronic Diabetic Ulcers (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/5/26)
- Use of Collaborative Care Grows Rapidly, Uneven Medicaid Coverage Drives State Gaps (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/4/26)
Medications and Prescribing
- 5 Things to Know About the Oral GLP-1 Era (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/6/26)
- The Clear Labels Act Would Change What You Know About Your Prescription Medication (ProPublica, 2/6/26)
- Express Scripts Avoids Fines but Agrees to Major Structural Overhaul (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/5/26)
- PrEP underprescribed in young women despite need (Managed Healthcare Executive, 2/5/26)
- Trump to launch TrumpRx.gov, branding his push to lower prescription prices (NH Union Leader, 2/5/26)
- TrumpRx launches with 40 brand-name medications available, including popular weight-loss drugs (HealthExec, 2/5/26)
- After legal challenge, state proposes new rules for AIDS drug assistance program (Florida Phoenix, 2/3/26)
Mental and Behavioral Health
- Incidence of Psychotic Disorders Higher in More Recent Birth Cohorts (HealthDay, 2/3/26)
- (New Hampshire) NH Suicide Prevention Annual Report Released (National Alliance on Mental Illness NH, 2/2/26)
Neurology
- How Do GLP-1 Agonists Fit Into Stroke Care? (American Journal of Managed Care, 2/6/26)
- Male-to-Female Ratio for Autism Has Decreased Over Time (HealthDay, 2/6/26)
- Most Young Children With Probable Autism Not Referred (Medscape, 2/6/26)
- Exposure to Wildfire Smoke Fine Particulate Matter Linked to Increased Stroke Risk (HealthDay, 2/5/26)
- Finger-prick blood test could offer easier way to detect Alzheimer’s, researchers say (NH Union Leader, 2/2/26)
Public Health
- ‘It is astonishing’: Congress rebuffs Trump push to slash $33B from health, human services (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/6/26)
- New York City and Illinois join WHO network after Trump pulls US out of global health body (The Guardian, 2/4/26)
- The best (and worst) ranked states for women’s health (Managed Healthcare Executive, 2/4/26)
- Nipah in India, measles is the first building block to fall, flu increasing again, and US out but CA in on WHO (Your Local Epidemiologist, 2/3/26)
- With CDC Alerts Less Dependable, These Options Could Help (Medscape, 2/2/26)
Reproductive and Sexual Health
- Court strikes down Arizona abortion restrictions (The Hill, 2/6/26)
- Water Fluoridation Not Associated With Adverse Birth Outcomes (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2/6/26)
- After Years of Silence, Texas Medical Board Issues Training for Doctors on How to Legally Provide Abortions (ProPublica, 2/5/26)
- Planned Parenthood ends suit against Trump administration over serving Medicaid patients (New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/2/26)
- These states voted to protect abortion rights. Conservative lawmakers are not standing down (The Guardian, 2/2/26)
Social Safety Nets
- RFK Jr. Expands Faith-Based Addiction Care as Drug Use and Homelessness Rise (HealthDay, 2/4/26)
- HHS plans to invest $100M to support addiction recovery and address homelessness (Fierce Healthcare, 2/2/26)
Substance Use and Treatment
- (New Hampshire) Manchester, Nashua see big drops in opioid overdoses, deaths (NH Union Leader, 2/6/26)
Vaccination
- (New Hampshire) Bill to end vaccine mandates pits personal choice against community health (NH Public Radio, 2/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) Bill proposing to end child vaccine mandates draws a crowd (NH Union Leader, 2/4/26)
- (New Hampshire) Vaccine Bills Address Immunization Requirements, Religious Exemptions (InDepth NH, 2/4/26)
- Florida Republicans advance bill to weaken vaccine protections for children (The Guardian, 2/1/26)
- US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations (The Guardian, 2/1/26)