President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist who dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Trump, to lead HHS. Donald Trump Jr. shared the news on X, and a source familiar confirmed it with NBC News. During his presidential campaign, Kennedy developed a national profile for his criticism of the COVID vaccine and childhood immunizations. He has claimed that vaccines are tied to autism, despite evidence conveyed through studies over decades that have disproven such a claim. The appointment of Kennedy, 70, to lead HHS ends days of speculation about what health role — if any — the former independent presidential candidate turned Trump advisor would play in the incoming administration.
Nearly 4 in 10 seniors have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine so far this year, new survey data published by the CDC suggests, marking a steep increase in vaccination rates compared with the same time last year. The data from the CDC's National Immunization Survey estimates that 37.6% of Americans ages 65 and older had gotten a shot of this season's updated COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 2, compared with 22.6% of older adults by the same week in 2023. Younger adults are also outpacing last year's rollout of COVID-19 shots, though not by the same large margin. By contrast, uptake of influenza vaccines this fall among seniors – 55.3% by Nov. 2 – is almost the same as at this time last year.
Less than 1% of all state medical-board disciplinary actions against physicians in the five most populous states were for spreading misinformation about topics such as vaccines and therapies during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with 29% for negligence, according to an analysis from the UNC School of Law. Yet two public health experts argue that, because of First Amendment rights and other factors, that's how it should be.
Amid new technologies, waning religions, shifting beliefs, fracturing healthcare systems, aging populations, and post-Covid healthcare worker burnout, chaplains are more important than ever. But they are often unappreciated.
Opioid overdose deaths have now slowed to the lowest levels nationwide since 2020, according to new estimates from the CDC. This marks the 12th straight month of decline since a peak last year. Around 70,655 deaths linked to opioids like heroin and fentanyl were reported for the year ending June 2024, the CDC now estimates, falling 18% from the same time in 2023. Almost all states, except for a handful in the West from Alaska through Nevada, are now seeing a significant decrease in overdose death rates. Early data from Canada also suggests overdose deaths there might now be slowing off of a peak in 2023 too.
Improving the customer experience is critical in healthcare, as it directly impacts patient outcomes, satisfaction and loyalty. Clear, compassionate communication—both in person and through digital channels—can help foster trust and ensure patients feel valued and well-informed.