January 2026 Health News
Date postedJanuary 17, 2026
Topics in this News Roundup
- Cancer
- Cardiology
- Care and Insurance Costs
- Caregiving and Patient Support
- Chronic Health Conditions
- Consumer and Patient Safety
- Criminalization of Medicine
- Dermatology
- Disabled Populations and Health Care
- Endocrinology
- Environmental Health
- Federal Autism Research
- 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
- Insurance Coverage
- Measles Outbreak
- Medical Care
- Medical Research
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Medications and Prescribing
- Mental and Behavioral Health
- Neurology
- Oral and Dental Health
- Physicians and Health Care Providers
- Privacy
- Public Health
- Reproductive and Sexual Health
- Respiratory Health
- Rural Populations and Health Care
- Social Factors Affecting Health
- Social Safety Nets
- Substance Use and Treatment
- Vaccination
Cancer
- (New Hampshire) 10,290 new cancer cases makes NH 3rd highest per 100,000 in the nation (NH Union Leader, 1/16/26)
- Stiffer Colon Could Signal Early-Onset CRC Risk (Medscape, 1/16/26)
- Poverty Linked to Worse Colorectal Cancer Survival (Medscape, 1/15/26)
- Breast cancer misinformation does not impact treatment adherence, study shows (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/8/26)
Cardiology
- Heart-Related Deaths Rise in Young Adults With Diabetes (Medscape, 1/15/26)
- Hormonal Birth Control Tied to Lower CV Risk in Some Women (Medscape, 1/6/26)
Care and Insurance Costs
- Trump rolls out framework on health care costs that’s silent on ACA tax credits (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- Trump Announces “The Great Healthcare Plan,” Proposing Direct Payments, Price Transparency, Insurance Reform (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/15/26)
- Medical Debt Emerges as Risk Factor for Housing Instability (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/12/26)
- US House passes health subsidy renewal in win for Democrats (NH Union Leader, 1/9/26)
- House GOP summons health insurance executives for hearing on affordability (The Hill, 1/8/26)
- House Votes to Extend ACA Subsidies, Eyes Turn to Senate (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/8/26)
- House votes to renew ACA subsidies, as Senate Republicans rebuke Trump on Venezuela (NH Public Radio, 1/8/26)
- Abortion, minimum premiums emerge as sticking points in Senate ObamaCare talks (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes (AP, 1/1/26)
- ObamaCare subsidies expire; premiums spike for millions: What to know (The Hill, 1/1/26)
Caregiving and Patient Support
- (New Hampshire) New Hampshire’s Potential Needs and Current Finances for Long-Term Care (NH Fiscal Policy Institute, 1/13/26)
- Solving the Home Care Quandary (KFF Health News, 1/8/26)
Chronic Health Conditions
- Anxiety and Depression
- Depression, Anxiety High in Gender- and Sexuality-Diverse Youth (Medscape, 1/16/26)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- WHO Analysis Finds No Causal Link Between Vaccines and Autism (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/9/26)
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Kidney Disease Risk Common in Patients With Down Syndrome (Medscape, 1/1/26)
- Cognitive Decline and Disability
- Finger-prick blood test could offer easier way to detect Alzheimer’s, researchers say (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
- Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
- Heart-Related Deaths Rise in Young Adults With Diabetes (Medscape, 1/15/26)
- Prediabetes Remission Halves MI and HF Risk, The Lancet Study (Medscape, 1/2/26)
- Some Diabetes Drugs May Slow Frailty Progression in Older Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/2/26)
- Hepatitis
- AAP Continues Recommending Birth Dose of Hepatitis B Vaccine After ACIP’s Vote to Remove (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/2/26)
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
- HIV/AIDS
- The Maine CDC Works with U.S. and Local Partners to Respond to Penobscot County HIV Outbreak (ME Department of Health and Human Services, 1/14/26)
- Nearly all Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program patients virally suppressed in 2024 (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/7/26)
- Medicaid expansion linked to rising PrEP use, improved HIV prevention (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/5/26)
- Number of Medicare Beneficiaries With HIV Expected to Double in Next Decade (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/2/26)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Young Adults With IBD Face Health Care Access Challenges, Financial Burden (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- Alterations in Gut Microbiome Seen Early in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (HealthDay, 1/5/26)
- Biologic Therapies in IBD: Drug Persistence Pattern Explored (Medscape, 1/2/26)
- Long COVID
- Fluctuations Identified in Subjective Neurological Recovery From Long COVID (HealthDay, 1/15/26)
- Adequately Addressing SDOH Could Alter Risk of Pediatric Long COVID (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/5/26)
- Myalgic Encephalomylitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
- Multiple Abnormal Responses to Exertion Seen in ME/CFS (Medscape, 1/9/26)
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea May Worsen Mental Health in Middle-Age and Older Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
Consumer and Patient Safety
- FDA issues Class I recall on B. Braun microbore extensions due to risk of death (HealthExec, 1/6/26)
- FDA confirms new recall after catheter sheath was left in patient’s body (Cardiovascular Business, 1/5/26)
- FDA recalls surgical packs due to risk of microbial contamination (HealthExec, 1/5/26)
Criminalization of Medicine
- Trump administration restores funding to Planned Parenthood, other groups after lawsuit (The Hill, 1/15/26)
- Abortion pill safety review at FDA targeted by frustrated Republicans, advocates (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/14/26)
- Louisiana seeks extradition of California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- Newsom rejects Louisiana call to extradite California doctor over abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- ‘Abortion as Homicide’ Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions (KFF Health News, 1/12/26)
- (New Hampshire) Bill To Exclude Abortion Providers from Charitable Gaming Revenue Debated (InDepth NH, 1/12/26)
- Tracking abortion laws across the United States (The Guardian, 1/12/26)
- Anti-abortion groups pressure Trump, GOP leaders on ACA Hyde ‘flexibility’ (The Hill, 1/9/26)
- Maternal Morbidity Increased in States Enacting TRAP Laws (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) New Hampshire lawmakers approve two abortion-related bills in first week of 2026 session (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/9/26)
- Wyoming Supreme Court Keeps Abortion Legal in the State (HealthDay, 1/7/26)
- Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State’s Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse. (KFF Health News, 1/5/26)
- Statement from Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, Regarding Care for Transgender Youth (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- EPA urged to classify abortion drugs as pollutants (The Hill, 1/2/26)
- US woman charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing own abortion (The Guardian, 1/2/26)
- Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration’s ban on gender-affirming care (AP, 1/1/26)
Dermatology
Disabled Populations and Health Care
- Report: Action Needed to Remove Health Care Barriers for People With Disabilities (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
- (New Hampshire) Concord vigil scheduled to honor people who died in New Hampshire’s disability care system (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/13/26)
- Multiple Abnormal Responses to Exertion Seen in ME/CFS (Medscape, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) Legislation aims to address reports of abuse and neglect in NH’s disability care system (NH Public Radio, 1/6/26)
- Kidney Disease Risk Common in Patients With Down Syndrome (Medscape, 1/1/26)
Endocrinology
- Prediabetes Remission Halves MI and HF Risk, The Lancet Study (Medscape, 1/2/26)
- Some Diabetes Drugs May Slow Frailty Progression in Older Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/2/26)
Environmental Health
- EPA May Stop Assessing Health Benefits When Setting Air Pollution Rules (HealthDay, 1/14/26)
- EPA to stop calculating money and lives saved by curbs on air pollution (The Guardian, 1/14/26)
Federal Autism Research
- New research bolsters evidence that Tylenol doesn’t raise the risk of autism despite Trump’s claims (AP, 1/16/26)
- WHO Analysis Finds No Causal Link Between Vaccines and Autism (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/9/26)
Flu and Respiratory Virus Season
- (New Hampshire) NH poised for widespread flu outbreak; counties reporting 'very high' activity (NH Union Leader, 1/14/26)
- (New Hampshire) Flu season came early this year to NH, and remains intense (NH Public Radio, 1/9/26)
- Rhode Islanders Urged to Take Measures to Prevent Flu and Other Respiratory Viruses (RI Department of Health, 1/8/26)
- Doctors’ visits for flu-like illness at highest rate on record since 1997 (The Hill, 1/6/26)
- Flu season ramps up nationwide with record-high outpatient illnesses, increasing hospitalizations (Fierce Healthcare, 1/6/26)
- Flu cases are rising with a strain that makes older people sicker (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
- Flu infections reach highest level in US since COVID-19 pandemic (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
- Massachusetts reports very high flu activity with cases climbing (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- Early, Intense Flu Across Europe as Subclade K Dominates (Medscape, 1/2/26)
- Holiday Flu Surge Drives Record Illness Across the United States (HealthDay, 1/2/26)
- Flu cases are rising with a strain that makes older people sicker (NH Union Leader, 1/1/26)
Food, Nutrition, and Food Safety
- Popular Super Greens Supplement Recalled After Salmonella Illnesses Reported (HealthDay, 1/16/26)
- Recalled Super Greens diet supplement powder sickens 45 with salmonella (CNN, 1/14/26)
- Spring and Mulberry Recalls Mint Leaf Date Sweetened Chocolate Bars (RI Department of Health, 1/14/26)
- Dietary supplement recalled over risk of ‘life-threatening events’ (The Hill, 1/13/26)
- FDA Raises Cheese Recall To Highest Risk After Listeria Found (HealthDay, 1/13/26)
- Sea Moss Gel Superfood Products Recalled (RI Department of Health, 1/13/26)
- Frozen Tater Tots Recalled Over Plastic Contamination (HealthDay, 1/12/26)
- Intake of Preservatives Linked to Increased Cancer Incidence (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- Nutritional Guidance Lacking for Adults Receiving Semaglutide, Tirzepatide (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- Tamales Sold in California, Nevada Recalled Over Listeria Risk (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) Meat deregulation bill moves ahead (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/8/26)
- Nestlé Recalls Baby Formula Over Toxin Risk (HealthDay, 1/8/26)
- Trump administration advises more protein, less sugar in new dietary guidelines (NH Union Leader, 1/7/26)
- US has new alcohol guidelines: How much is healthy to drink? (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- Nearly 3,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled for Possible E. coli (HealthDay, 1/6/26)
- Prescribing prevention: How nutrition access is reshaping affordable healthcare (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/5/26)
Gastrointestinal Health
- Young Adults With IBD Face Health Care Access Challenges, Financial Burden (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- Alterations in Gut Microbiome Seen Early in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (HealthDay, 1/5/26)
- Biologic Therapies in IBD: Drug Persistence Pattern Explored (Medscape, 1/2/26)
Good News
- (New Hampshire) Dartmouth Health adds six new providers from various disciplines across health system (Dartmouth Health, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) North Country Healthcare’s Ethics Framework Recognized at National Level (NCH Androscoggin Valley Hospital, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Therapy dogs bring quiet companionship to patients at Concord Hospital (Concord Monitor, 1/8/26)
Government and Advocacy
- General
- (New Hampshire) 2026 session opens with leftover testy fights over guns, abortion, tax cuts, spending caps (NH Union Leader, 1/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) Potential laws range from spying with drones to weight-loss drugs to composting dead relatives (Concord Monitor, 1/4/26)
- (New Hampshire) New year brings new laws to NH, including bans on trans care and housing measures (NH Union Leader, 1/2/26)
- Care and Insurance Costs - View more Care and Insurance Costs articles >>
- Trump rolls out framework on health care costs that’s silent on ACA tax credits (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- Trump Announces “The Great Healthcare Plan,” Proposing Direct Payments, Price Transparency, Insurance Reform (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/15/26)
- US House passes health subsidy renewal in win for Democrats (NH Union Leader, 1/9/26)
- House GOP summons health insurance executives for hearing on affordability (The Hill, 1/8/26)
- House Votes to Extend ACA Subsidies, Eyes Turn to Senate (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/8/26)
- House votes to renew ACA subsidies, as Senate Republicans rebuke Trump on Venezuela (NH Public Radio, 1/8/26)
- Abortion, minimum premiums emerge as sticking points in Senate ObamaCare talks (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes (AP, 1/1/26)
- ObamaCare subsidies expire; premiums spike for millions: What to know (The Hill, 1/1/26)
- Disabled Populations and Health Care - View more Disabled Populations and Health Care articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Legislation aims to address reports of abuse and neglect in NH’s disability care system (NH Public Radio, 1/6/26)
- Environmental Health - View more Environmental Health articles >>
- EPA May Stop Assessing Health Benefits When Setting Air Pollution Rules (HealthDay, 1/14/26)
- Food, Nutrition, and Food Safety - View more Food, Nutrition, and Food Safety articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Meat deregulation bill moves ahead (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/8/26)
- Trump administration advises more protein, less sugar in new dietary guidelines (NH Union Leader, 1/7/26)
- Health Equity and Access to Care - View more Health Equity and Access to Care articles >>
- A conservative Supreme Court tackles the question of trans women in school sports (NH Public Radio, 1/13/26)
- Supreme Court appears skeptical of arguments against bans of trans athletes (NH Union Leader, 1/13/26)
- US Supreme Court appears poised to affirm trans athlete bans in Idaho, West Virginia (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/13/26)
- Statement from Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, Regarding Care for Transgender Youth (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration’s ban on gender-affirming care (AP, 1/1/26)
- Health Technology - View more Health Technology articles >>
- FDA paves way for more consumer wearables to hit the market, eases regulation of AI-enabled devices (Fierce Healthcare, 1/7/26)
- FDA: AI-powered medical devices ‘simply providing information’ are not subject to regulation (HealthExec, 1/7/26)
- Utah becomes first state to allow AI to approve prescription refills (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- Medical Research - View more Medical Research articles >>
- Life-saving therapies are being delayed as research funding dries up (The Guardian, 1/9/26)
- Appeals panel upholds block of NIH research overhead payment cuts (The Hill, 1/6/26)
- Medicare and Medicaid - View more Medicare and Medicaid articles >>
- (New Hampshire) A Democratic-led proposal wants NH Medicaid to cover diapers (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- (New Hampshire) Medicaid premium system could bring New Hampshire up to $23 million in revenue, DHHS estimates (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Medicaid coverage of weight loss drugs ending despite Trump plan; NH ended support Jan. 1 (NH Union Leader, 1/13/26)
- Mental and Behavioral Health - View more Mental and Behavioral Health articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Abruptly pulling and reinstating funding for mental health care causes chaos and risks lives (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- Trump Administration Restores Nearly $2 Billion in Mental Health Grants (HealthDay, 1/16/26)
- Administration reinstates mental, substance abuse grants 1 day after canceling them (The Hill, 1/15/26)
- Advocates Mobilize Nationwide as Administration Walks Back SAMHSA Grant Cuts (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/15/26)
- Feds terminate, then reinstate, funds for Project AWARE mental health services (NH Union Leader, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Whiplash for NH mental health providers as Trump admin cut then restored grants (NH Public Radio, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Trump administration abruptly cancels — then reinstates — grants for mental health in NH (NH Public Radio, 1/14/26)
- Trump administration rolls back $2 billion mental health, addiction grant cuts (NH Public Radio, 1/14/26)
- Trump Terminates Hundreds of SAMHSA Grants, Threatening Mental Health, Addiction Services Nationwide (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/14/26)
- Oral and Dental Health - View more Oral and Dental Health articles >>
- Public Health - View more Public Health articles >>
- HHS reinstates hundreds of CDC workers fired by DOGE (HealthExec, 1/14/26)
- Judge Orders Trump Administration To Restore $12M to American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthDay, 1/14/26)
- The Maine CDC Works with U.S. and Local Partners to Respond to Penobscot County HIV Outbreak (ME Department of Health and Human Services, 1/14/26)
- Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information (The Guardian, 1/4/26)
- Reproductive and Sexual Health - View more Reproductive and Sexual Health articles >>
- Trump administration restores funding to Planned Parenthood, other groups after lawsuit (The Hill, 1/15/26)
- Abortion pill safety review at FDA targeted by frustrated Republicans, advocates (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/14/26)
- Louisiana seeks extradition of California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- Newsom rejects Louisiana call to extradite California doctor over abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- ‘Abortion as Homicide’ Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions (KFF Health News, 1/12/26)
- (New Hampshire) Bill To Exclude Abortion Providers from Charitable Gaming Revenue Debated (InDepth NH, 1/12/26)
- The US Food and Drug Administration’s Regulation of Mifepristone (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/12/26)
- Tracking abortion laws across the United States (The Guardian, 1/12/26)
- Anti-abortion groups pressure Trump, GOP leaders on ACA Hyde ‘flexibility’ (The Hill, 1/9/26)
- Maternal Morbidity Increased in States Enacting TRAP Laws (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) New Hampshire lawmakers approve two abortion-related bills in first week of 2026 session (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/9/26)
- Wyoming Supreme Court Keeps Abortion Legal in the State (HealthDay, 1/7/26)
- Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State’s Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse. (KFF Health News, 1/5/26)
- EPA urged to classify abortion drugs as pollutants (The Hill, 1/2/26)
- US woman charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing own abortion (The Guardian, 1/2/26)
- Rural Populations and Health Care - View more Rural Populations and Health Care articles >>
- States Race To Launch Rural Health Transformation Plans (KFF Health News, 1/14/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte coaxes ex-Nashua mayor out of retirement to run rural health initiative (NH Union Leader, 1/7/26)
- Social Safety Nets - View more Social Safety Nets articles >>
- (New Hampshire) ‘Business as usual’: NH officials urge child care providers to remain calm amid funding threats (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/8/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte and state officials say NH’s federal child care funding is secure (NH Public Radio, 1/8/26)
- Trump administration freezes social services funding to 5 Democratic states (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- (New Hampshire) Federal child care funding is being frozen across the country. New Hampshire is at risk. (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/6/26)
- Refresher Course: What could federal changes mean for SNAP recipients? (NH Public Radio, 1/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte says NH has not received any notice of a pause in federal childcare funding — for now (NH Public Radio, 1/2/26)
- Vaccination - View more Vaccination articles >>
- (New Hampshire) Advocates say NH should follow Kennedy's lead, drop hepatitis B as required child vaccination (NH Union Leader, 1/14/26)
- RFK Jr. dismissed members of childhood vaccine injury panel (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- RFK Jr. Says Fewer Flu Vaccines for Kids May Be a 'Better Thing' (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- RFK Jr.’s vaccine moves put new focus on patchwork of state school standards (The Hill, 1/9/26)
- Critics speak out against CDC’s new childhood vaccine policy (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/7/26)
- Judge allows providers' lawsuit against RFK Jr.'s ACIP changes to move forward (Fierce Healthcare, 1/7/26)
- Statement from Vermont Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant (VT Department of Health, 1/6/26)
- U.S. Cuts Recommended Childhood Vaccines (HealthDay, 1/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) What Recent Federal Changes to the Childhood Immunization Schedule Mean for New Hampshire Families (NH Public Health Association, 1/6/26)
- CDC Reduces US Childhood Immunization Schedule From 17 to 11 Diseases (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/5/26)
- CDC slashes list of recommended childhood vaccinations from 17 to 11 (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/5/26)
- Governor Healey Condemns CDC Rollback of Childhood Vaccine Recommendations (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) Protecting New Hampshire’s Children: The Vital Role of Vaccines (NH Public Health Association, 1/5/26)
- Trump-RFK Jr.’s new vaccine schedule puts families at risk (American Public Health Association, 1/5/26)
- US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child, a move slammed by physicians (AP, 1/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) US drops four childhood vaccine recommendations (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
Health Care Systems
- (New Hampshire) Community Conversations with North Country Healthcare (NCH Androscoggin Valley Hospital, 1/5/26)
Health Equity and Access to Care
- A conservative Supreme Court tackles the question of trans women in school sports (NH Public Radio, 1/13/26)
- Law Enforcement in EDs: Impacts on Survivors of Violence, Marginalized Communities (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/13/26)
- Supreme Court appears skeptical of arguments against bans of trans athletes (NH Union Leader, 1/13/26)
- US Supreme Court appears poised to affirm trans athlete bans in Idaho, West Virginia (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/13/26)
- Statement from Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD, Regarding Care for Transgender Youth (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- Virtual Care Expansion in VA Health System Tied to 12% Drop in ED Visits for Low-Acuity Conditions (Medscape, 1/5/26)
- Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration’s ban on gender-affirming care (AP, 1/1/26)
Health Technology
- FDA paves way for more consumer wearables to hit the market, eases regulation of AI-enabled devices (Fierce Healthcare, 1/7/26)
- FDA: AI-powered medical devices ‘simply providing information’ are not subject to regulation (HealthExec, 1/7/26)
- Most doctors are deep into AI adoption but dissatisfied with employers' approach to AI tools (Fierce Healthcare, 1/7/26)
- Utah becomes first state to allow AI to approve prescription refills (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- 40M people use ChatGPT to get answers to healthcare questions, OpenAI says (Fierce Healthcare, 1/5/26)
Immunology and Allergies
- From Headphones to Implants: Emerging Allergens (Medscape, 1/16/26)
- ED Visits for Infant Food Reactions Rise in the Era of Early Food Introduction (Medscape, 1/7/26)
Infectious Diseases and Infections
- Former CDC Officials Offer Alternative Options for ID Info and Surveillance (Medscape, 1/13/26)
- FDA Approves 2 Oral Medications for Gonorrhea (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) North Country Healthcare Reports Strong Infection Prevention Results Across System (NCH Androscoggin Valley Hospital, 1/9/26)
- Study Finds Rise in Chagas-Carrying Bugs Near U.S.-Mexico Border (HealthDay, 1/8/26)
Insurance Coverage
- Obamacare Enrollment Drops After Premium Subsidies Expire (HealthDay, 1/15/26)
- Early ACA numbers show drastic drop in enrollment (The Hill, 1/13/26)
- Millions of Americans Are Expected To Drop Their Affordable Care Act Plans. They’re Looking for a Plan B. (KFF Health News, 1/12/26)
- (New Hampshire) NH Navigator program offering health insurance assistance; open enrollment deadline is Jan. 15 (NH Union Leader, 1/7/26)
Measles Outbreak
- Measles cases jump again in South Carolina, rising to more than 550 (AP, 1/16/26)
- Measles Outbreaks Grow in South Carolina and Southwest, Officials Warn (HealthDay, 1/15/26)
- South Carolina measles outbreak grows by nearly 100, spreads to North Carolina and Ohio (AP, 1/9/26)
- More than 2,000 measles cases reported in the US in 2025 as ongoing outbreaks threaten elimination status (CNN, 1/1/26)
Medical Care
- Review Explores Prevalence and Characteristics of 'Difficult Patients' (HealthDay, 1/14/26)
- Nearly all Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program patients virally suppressed in 2024 (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/7/26)
Medical Research
- Life-saving therapies are being delayed as research funding dries up (The Guardian, 1/9/26)
- Appeals panel upholds block of NIH research overhead payment cuts (The Hill, 1/6/26)
Medicare and Medicaid
- (New Hampshire) A Democratic-led proposal wants NH Medicaid to cover diapers (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- Over 1 Million Cancer Screenings at Risk With Recent Medicaid Changes (Medscape, 1/16/26)
- (New Hampshire) Medicaid premium system could bring New Hampshire up to $23 million in revenue, DHHS estimates (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/15/26)
- UnitedHealthcare launches rural Medicare Advantage pilot to cut reimbursement delays 50% (HealthExec, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Medicaid coverage of weight loss drugs ending despite Trump plan; NH ended support Jan. 1 (NH Union Leader, 1/13/26)
- Medicaid expansion linked to rising PrEP use, improved HIV prevention (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/5/26)
- Number of Medicare Beneficiaries With HIV Expected to Double in Next Decade (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/2/26)
Medications and Prescribing
- J&J Agreement Brings 15 of 17 Pharma Companies Into Trump's Drug-Pricing Effort (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/9/26)
- What to Know About the WHO’s New GLP-1 Drug Guideline (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/9/26)
- Lawsuit alleges AFP imported unsafe HIV drugs from Turkey through gray market supply chains (HealthExec, 1/8/26)
- The first GLP-1 weight-loss pill is now available, with pledge of abundant supply (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
- Drugmakers raise US prices on 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump (CNN, 1/1/26)
Mental and Behavioral Health
- (New Hampshire) Abruptly pulling and reinstating funding for mental health care causes chaos and risks lives (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/16/26)
- Depression, Anxiety High in Gender- and Sexuality-Diverse Youth (Medscape, 1/16/26)
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea May Worsen Mental Health in Middle-Age and Older Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
- Trump Administration Restores Nearly $2 Billion in Mental Health Grants (HealthDay, 1/16/26)
- Administration reinstates mental, substance abuse grants 1 day after canceling them (The Hill, 1/15/26)
- Advocates Mobilize Nationwide as Administration Walks Back SAMHSA Grant Cuts (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/15/26)
- Feds terminate, then reinstate, funds for Project AWARE mental health services (NH Union Leader, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Whiplash for NH mental health providers as Trump admin cut then restored grants (NH Public Radio, 1/15/26)
- (New Hampshire) Trump administration abruptly cancels — then reinstates — grants for mental health in NH (NH Public Radio, 1/14/26)
- Trump administration rolls back $2 billion mental health, addiction grant cuts (NH Public Radio, 1/14/26)
- Trump Terminates Hundreds of SAMHSA Grants, Threatening Mental Health, Addiction Services Nationwide (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/14/26)
- (New Hampshire) Amid workforce shortages, New Hampshire integrates and expedites mental health care (NH Union Leader, 1/13/26)
- Telehealth is now a long-term part of Medicare mental health care (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/6/26)
- Misinterpretation of Instructions for Patient Health Questionnaire Widespread (HealthDay, 1/2/26)
Neurology
- Depression Risk Increased Before Diagnosis of Parkinson Disease, Lewy Body Dementia (HealthDay, 1/16/26)
- Fluctuations Identified in Subjective Neurological Recovery From Long COVID (HealthDay, 1/15/26)
- Study finds sugar substitute could increase risk of stroke (NH Union Leader, 1/12/26)
- Finger-prick blood test could offer easier way to detect Alzheimer’s, researchers say (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
Oral and Dental Health
- After sowing distrust in fluoridated water, Kennedy and skeptics turn to obstructing other fluoride sources (CNN, 1/16/26)
Physicians and Health Care Providers
- (New Hampshire) Investing In People: How Cottage Hospital Reduced Travel Staffing By 70% (Cottage Hospital, 1/5/26)
Privacy
- Epic, provider groups sue companies over alleged scheme to sell patient data (HealthExec, 1/13/26)
Public Health
- HHS reinstates hundreds of CDC workers fired by DOGE (HealthExec, 1/14/26)
- Judge Orders Trump Administration To Restore $12M to American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthDay, 1/14/26)
- The Maine CDC Works with U.S. and Local Partners to Respond to Penobscot County HIV Outbreak (ME Department of Health and Human Services, 1/14/26)
- Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information (The Guardian, 1/4/26)
Reproductive and Sexual Health
- Trump administration restores funding to Planned Parenthood, other groups after lawsuit (The Hill, 1/15/26)
- Abortion pill safety review at FDA targeted by frustrated Republicans, advocates (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/14/26)
- Louisiana seeks extradition of California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- Newsom rejects Louisiana call to extradite California doctor over abortion pills (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- ‘Abortion as Homicide’ Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions (KFF Health News, 1/12/26)
- (New Hampshire) Bill To Exclude Abortion Providers from Charitable Gaming Revenue Debated (InDepth NH, 1/12/26)
- The US Food and Drug Administration’s Regulation of Mifepristone (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/12/26)
- Tracking abortion laws across the United States (The Guardian, 1/12/26)
- Anti-abortion groups pressure Trump, GOP leaders on ACA Hyde ‘flexibility’ (The Hill, 1/9/26)
- Maternal Morbidity Increased in States Enacting TRAP Laws (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) New Hampshire lawmakers approve two abortion-related bills in first week of 2026 session (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/9/26)
- Pregnant Women With COVID-19 Have Increased Risk for Complications (HealthDay, 1/8/26)
- Wyoming Supreme Court Keeps Abortion Legal in the State (HealthDay, 1/7/26)
- Freestanding birth centers are closing as maternity care gaps grow (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/6/26)
- Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State’s Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse. (KFF Health News, 1/5/26)
- Radical Hysterectomy Rates Drop as Gynecologic Oncology Workforce Expands (Medscape, 1/5/26)
- COVID-19 in Pregnancy Linked With Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Early Childhood (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/2/26)
- EPA urged to classify abortion drugs as pollutants (The Hill, 1/2/26)
- US woman charged with fetal homicide after allegedly inducing own abortion (The Guardian, 1/2/26)
Respiratory Health
- Black Lung Disease Deaths Rising (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
- Severe RSV Leaves Lingering Symptoms in Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
Rural Populations and Health Care
- Rural hospitals face equipment uptime challenges—here's how to overcome them (HealthExec, 1/14/26)
- States Race To Launch Rural Health Transformation Plans (KFF Health News, 1/14/26)
- (New Hampshire) Think tank reports four rural NH hospitals are at risk of closing; local officials less pessimistic (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/12/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte coaxes ex-Nashua mayor out of retirement to run rural health initiative (NH Union Leader, 1/7/26)
Social Factors Affecting Health
- Doctors, Patients Feel the Impact of ICE Crackdown (Medscape, 1/15/26)
- Adequately Addressing SDOH Could Alter Risk of Pediatric Long COVID (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/5/26)
Social Safety Nets
- Judge blocks Trump from freezing $10 billion in child, family aid to five US states (NH Union Leader, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) N.H. warns of phone scam involving EBT cards (Concord Monitor, 1/9/26)
- (New Hampshire) ‘Business as usual’: NH officials urge child care providers to remain calm amid funding threats (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/8/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte and state officials say NH’s federal child care funding is secure (NH Public Radio, 1/8/26)
- Trump administration freezes social services funding to 5 Democratic states (The Hill, 1/7/26)
- (New Hampshire) Federal child care funding is being frozen across the country. New Hampshire is at risk. (New Hampshire Bulletin, 1/6/26)
- Refresher Course: What could federal changes mean for SNAP recipients? (NH Public Radio, 1/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) Ayotte says NH has not received any notice of a pause in federal childcare funding — for now (NH Public Radio, 1/2/26)
Substance Use and Treatment
- Inside the Battle for the Future of Addiction Medicine (KFF Health News, 1/7/26)
Vaccination
- Hundreds of Medical Groups Challenge Childhood Immunization Schedule Changes—Here’s What to Know (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/16/26)
- (New Hampshire) Advocates say NH should follow Kennedy's lead, drop hepatitis B as required child vaccination (NH Union Leader, 1/14/26)
- Governor Healey Announces Evidence-Based Childhood Immunization Schedule, Aligning with American Academy of Pediatrics (MA Department of Public Health, 1/14/26)
- Medical groups sue to block new CDC vaccine recommendations (CNN, 1/14/26)
- Patches of low vaccination in the US are becoming bigger, riskier holes (CNN, 1/14/26)
- RFK Jr. dismissed members of childhood vaccine injury panel (The Hill, 1/14/26)
- Trends in County-Level Childhood Vaccination Exemptions in the US (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/14/26)
- Vaccines Are Helping Older People More Than We Knew (KFF Health News, 1/14/26)
- Leading Public Health Groups Seek Expedited Injunctive Relief Against Immunization Schedule Changes, Upcoming ACIP Meeting; Hearing Scheduled Friday, February 13 (American Public Health Association, 1/13/26)
- RIDOH and the Northeast Public Health Collaborative Recommend American Academy of Pediatrics Vaccine Schedule (RI Department of Health, 1/12/26)
- Doctors say changes to US vaccine recommendations are confusing parents and could harm kids (AP, 1/10/26)
- Maternal Flu, Tdap Shots May Lower Rates of Infant Hospitalization, ED Visits (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- RFK Jr. Says Fewer Flu Vaccines for Kids May Be a 'Better Thing' (HealthDay, 1/9/26)
- RFK Jr.’s vaccine moves put new focus on patchwork of state school standards (The Hill, 1/9/26)
- CDC Vaccine Rollback Highlights Gaps in Public Understanding of Shared Decision-Making (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/7/26)
- Critics speak out against CDC’s new childhood vaccine policy (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/7/26)
- Judge allows providers' lawsuit against RFK Jr.'s ACIP changes to move forward (Fierce Healthcare, 1/7/26)
- Missing First MMR Shot Most Significant Predictor of Nonvaccination by Age 2 Years (HealthDay, 1/7/26)
- (New Hampshire) NH child vaccine recommendations remain unchanged, despite new CDC guidance (NH Public Radio, 1/7/26)
- Statement from Vermont Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant (VT Department of Health, 1/6/26)
- U.S. Cuts Recommended Childhood Vaccines (HealthDay, 1/6/26)
- (New Hampshire) What Recent Federal Changes to the Childhood Immunization Schedule Mean for New Hampshire Families (NH Public Health Association, 1/6/26)
- CDC Reduces US Childhood Immunization Schedule From 17 to 11 Diseases (American Journal of Managed Care, 1/5/26)
- CDC slashes list of recommended childhood vaccinations from 17 to 11 (Managed Healthcare Executive, 1/5/26)
- Governor Healey Condemns CDC Rollback of Childhood Vaccine Recommendations (MA Department of Public Health, 1/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) Protecting New Hampshire’s Children: The Vital Role of Vaccines (NH Public Health Association, 1/5/26)
- Trump-RFK Jr.’s new vaccine schedule puts families at risk (American Public Health Association, 1/5/26)
- US cuts the number of vaccines recommended for every child, a move slammed by physicians (AP, 1/5/26)
- (New Hampshire) US drops four childhood vaccine recommendations (NH Union Leader, 1/5/26)
- AAP Continues Recommending Birth Dose of Hepatitis B Vaccine After ACIP’s Vote to Remove (Journal of the American Medical Association, 1/2/26)