From Washington, DC

• Federal News Network interviews Bloomberg Government deputy news director Loren Duggan about what’s next for the Big Beautiful Bill Act.

• Per a Senate press release,
  • Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce the Don’t Sell My DNA Act to safeguard consumers’ sensitive genetic data during corporate bankruptcy proceedings.
  • The Don’t Sell My DNA Act strengthens consumer privacy protections by:
    • Modernizing the Bankruptcy Code to include genetic information in the definition of “personally identifiable information”;
    • Requiring written notice and affirmative consumer consent prior to the use, sale or lease of genetic information during bankruptcy proceedings; and
    • Requiring the trustee or debtor in possession of genetic information to permanently delete any data not subject to a sale or lease.
  • “Consumers should feel confident that any personal information shared with a public company isn’t up for grabs when that company files for bankruptcy,” Grassley said. “This bill would fill gaps in current law to help safeguard consumers’ genetic information and ensure Americans’ DNA isn’t treated like any other financial asset.”
    
• The American Hospital Association lets us know,
  • Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. May 27 announced in a post on X that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women. 

• Per Fierce Healthcare,
  • “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center announced Monday it is extending three tracks within the Kidney Care Choices (KCC) Model through 2027.
  • “Starting in performance year 2026, the model’s financial methodology and participation options will be modified to “improve model sustainability,” the agency said. However, one KCC Model track will be shuttered a year early at the end of December.
  • “The KCC Model has 93 participants, and implementation first began in January 2022. The most recent participants were announced Jan. 15.”

• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced last week
  • The EEOC collects workforce data from employers with more than 100 employees (lower thresholds apply to federal contractors). Employers meeting the reporting thresholds have a legal obligation to provide the data; it is not voluntary.  * * *
  • The 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection opened on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The deadline to file the 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 report is Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
  • “As part of EEOC Acting Chair Lucas’ efforts to identify continued cost savings for the American public, there will be a shorter collection period during which filers may submit their 2024 reports. The collection period will not extend beyond the Tuesday, June 24, 2025 “Published Due Date” deadline. Additionally, beginning with the 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection, all communications sent to filers will be electronic.” * * *
  • “Filers should visit the dedicated EEO-1 Component 1 website at www.eeocdata.org/eeo1
    to access the EEO-1 Component 1 Online Filing System (OFS), to find supplementary resource materials such as the 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 Instruction Booklet and 2024 EEO-1 Component 1 Data File Upload Specifications, and to get the latest updates. Filers needing additional assistance can access the Filer Support Team Message Center upon logging into the OFS.”

In Food and Drug Administration News,

• The American Hospital Association News tells us,
  • “The Food and Drug Administration has identified a Class I recall of certain lots of BD esophagogastric balloon tamponade tubes due to the potential for serious injury or death. BD said it became aware of some users encountering challenges removing the plastic plugs from the rubber lumen to inflate the balloons. BD and their subsidiary C.R. Bard Urology and Critical Care sent all affected customers a letter with updated use instructions. There have been two serious injuries, and one death associated with the issue.”
    
• Per Fierce Pharma,
  • Despite facing ongoing legal pressure from its rival United Therapeutics, Liquidia has successfully landed a pair of long-awaited FDA approvals for its dry powder formulation of treprostinil.
  • The FDA has cleared treprostinil—also known by the trade name Yutrepia—to improve exercise ability in adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD).
• and
  • The FDA has also approved Sanofi’s meningococcal vaccine MenQuadfi for use in infants as young as 6 weeks, multiple news outlets reported Tuesday. The shot was already cleared to protect against four prolific strains of meningococcal bacteria in individuals as young as 2 years and older.
  • The FDA based its decision on data from three phase 3 trials that found MenQuadfi worked as well as GSK’s rival meningococcal vaccine Menveo when given with other routine vaccines in children between the ages of 6 weeks to 19 months, Reuters pointed out. Sanofi’s trials enrolled more than 6,000 participants.

• BioPharma Dive reports,
  • “A patient who received an experimental gene therapy developed by Rocket Pharmaceuticals has died following treatment, the company disclosed Tuesday.
  • “According to Rocket, the patient experienced what’s known as capillary leak syndrome, where plasma and proteins seep from blood vessels into surrounding tissue, and later died from an acute systemic infection.
  • “The Food and Drug Administration ordered the study’s halt Friday, while Rocket works with clinical trial monitors and other experts to investigate the cause. The company said it is focusing on a “novel immune suppression agent” it recently added to a pre-treatment preparatory regimen.”

From the judicial front,

• The American Medical Association informs us,
  • “In a win for the nation’s youth—and all Americans’ health—the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled (PDF) that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not act in an arbitrary and capricious manner when it told applicants that they could not put certain flavored e-cigarette liquids on the shelf.
  • “The unanimous decision overturned a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. Had that appellate-court ruling been allowed to stand, companies could have marketed products that clearly were designed to appeal to children, with names such as “Jimmy the Juice Man Peachy Strawberry,” “Suicide Bunny Mother’s Milk and Cookies,” “Pink Lemonade,” “Iced Pineapple Express” and “Killer Kustard Blueberry.”
  • “Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who wrote the opinion for the court, said the FDA did not act arbitrarily and capriciously when it denied the companies’ applications for premarket approval of the tobacco products. The companies challenged the agency’s decision arguing that, among other things, that the FDA didn’t give them fair notice about the evidentiary and comparative requirements used during the application stage and that the agency had changed its position on scientific evidence. 
  • “The high court remanded the case to the 5th Circuit to review other legal arguments, so this is not the end of the litigation, but it is a favorable step forward. The 5th Circuit’s decision was an outlier among the federal circuits that have considered similar cases.”

• Per Govexec,
  • “At least one agency’s staff impacted by the mass dismissals of probationary workers can pursue their reinstatements as a class, the panel that hears federal employees’ challenges to firings has for the first time ruled, creating a new path for sweeping reversals of those terminations. 
  • “Hundreds of recently hired and subsequently fired employees at the Homeland Security Department will be part of a class action alleging their dismissals were unlawful after a Merit Systems Protection Board administrative judge granted the request. The DHS ruling was the first to come down after a consortium of lawyers filed similar challenges on behalf of fired probationary employees at 20 federal agencies. 
  • “I find that a class appeal is the fairest and most efficient way to adjudicate the appeal and that the putative class counsel and named appellants will adequately represent the interests of the parties,” said Sara Snyder, the chief administrative judge for MSPB’s western regional office.” 

From the public health and medical research front,

• CBS News reports,
  • Cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, linked to a large surge in China, have been detected in multiple locations across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The earliest cases in the U.S. date back to late March and early April, and were detected through a screening program at airports for arriving international travelers.
  • “CDC is aware of reported cases of COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 in China and is in regular contact with international partners,” a CDC spokesperson said in a statement last week.
  • The spokesperson said that, so far, too few U.S. sequences have been reported of NB.1.8.1 to be included in the agency’s variant estimates dashboard.
  • But hospitalizations abroad have raised questions about the new variant, its symptoms and more.
  • Answers to those questions may be found in the CBS News article.

• ABC News adds,
  • “More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.
  • “Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” * * *
  • “The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.” * * *
  • “CDC data shows that those aged 75 and older currently have the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths at 4.66 per 100,000.”

• The American Medical Association let us know what doctors wish their patients knew about lung cancer screening.

• The Washington Post relates,
  • “Engagement with digital technology was associated with a 58 percent reduced risk of cognitive impairment in people middle-aged and older, according to a study in the journal Nature Human Behavior.
  • “Researchers conducted a systematic review of 57 studies to see whether exposure to technology has helped or harmed cognition among the first generation of adults with prolonged exposure to digital devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers. The studies involved more than 411,000 adults with an average age of 69.
  • “The analysis revealed that technology could play a role in preserving brain function, not worsening it, said co-authors Jared Benge, a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School, and Michael Scullin, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University.”

• Per Medscape,
  • “Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection is associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but treating the viral infection may offer protection, a new study found.
  • “In a matched case-control study of nearly 700,000 older adults, HSV-1 was more common in those with AD, and antiviral therapy for HSV-1 was associated with a lower risk of developing AD.
  • “However, the authors and outside experts cautioned that no firm conclusions can be drawn from this observational study and called for more research.
  • “The study was published online on May 20 in BMJ Open. It was funded by Gilead Sciences, which is actively involved in the research and development of treatments for HSV.”

• The Wall Street Journal points out,
  • Good posture improves circulation, respiration, digestion and bladder function. It also enhances cognitive ability and mood.
  • To improve posture, become aware of your body position, stand against a wall to align yourself, and perform dynamic stretching exercises.
  • Upright posture is associated with confidence, self-esteem, and reduced anxiety. Physical therapists can help develop personalized plans to improve posture.

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

• Fair Health released today a claims-based analysis of GLP-1 drugs and obesity. Beckers Hospital Review summarizes this analysis here.

• The Wall Street Journal considers the price outlook for GLP-1 drugs used to treat obesity.

• Fierce Pharma tells us,
  • “After a fourth quarter in which revenue boomed throughout the biopharma industry, there were reversals for several drugmakers in the first three months of 2025. 
  • “The companies that took the biggest hits were in the United States, where there is already considerable angst in the industry over the tariff threats and drug price-slashing aspirations of President Donald Trump, along with the unsettling prospects of having a pharma adversary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., heading up the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • “Among the top 25 revenue companies in the industry in Q1, there were seven that saw year-over-year sales declines, all from the U.S. Viatris took the biggest hit at 11%, followed by Pfizer (-8%), Organon (-7%), Bristol Myers Squibb (-6%), Regeneron (-4%), Merck (-2%) and Gilead (-0.3%).”

• Per BioPharma Dive,
  • “Eli Lilly is wagering up to $1 billion on a private biotechnology company developing new, non-opioid pain drugs that have already caught the attention of other large pharmaceutical firms.
  • “Per an announcement Tuesday, Lilly plans to acquire SiteOne Therapeutics in an all-cash deal. The companies aren’t disclosing how much money is being exchanged upfront or when they expect the transaction to close. But, if SiteOne’s research programs hit certain regulatory and commercial goals, the amount paid to its shareholders could reach that 10-figure mark.”
• and
  • “Biogen is partnering with RNA drug developer City Therapeutics to develop a better way of reaching an unspecified target that “mediates key central nervous system diseases.” Biogen will pay City, a startup that launched publicly late last year, $16 million in upfront fees and invest another $30 million in convertible notes that could later become a minority stake. “With this effort, we are further expanding the modalities in our R&D toolbox to potentially reach our targets of interest more precisely by adding an RNAi-based approach,” Biogen research head Jane Grogan said in a statement.”

• Per an Institute for Clinical and Economic Review news release,
  • “ICER today released a Draft Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of apitegromab(Scholar Rock Holdings), nusinersen (Spinraza®, Biogen), onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi (Zolgensma®, Novartis), and risdiplam (Evrysdi®, Genentech) for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
  • “This preliminary draft marks the midpoint of ICER’s eight-month process of assessing this treatment, and the findings within this document should not be interpreted to be ICER’s final conclusions.”

• Beckers Health IT discusses why Texas Health is taking a loss on its hospital at home program and summarizes Medscape’s list of telehealth friendly states which Utah leads.

• Beckers Clinical Leadership identifies the 24 U.S. hospitals that have received the American Nurses Credentialling Center’s Magnet with Distinction award. “The Magnet with Distinction program was created as a special designation to celebrate hospitals and healthcare organizations that exceed scoring thresholds required to earn Magnet recognition.”

• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “AI-powered ambient-listening technology is expanding in healthcare, documenting doctor-patient encounters.
  • “AI scribes save doctors time on documentation, reducing burnout and improving focus on patients, according to pilot programs.
  • “Concerns exist around patient privacy, data security and costs, but patient feedback has been largely positive.”

• Fierce Healthcare offers insights into how Anthem Blue Cross is growing its behavioral health network in California.
  • “The insurer’s network is built on partnerships with multiple organizations, with recent additions including Headway, Rula and Octave. Through its relationship with these firms, the insurer is seeking to make it simpler for members to find providers that meet their unique needs.
  • “Through Headway, the insurer connects employers and plan members with personalized services. Rula, meanwhile, makes it easier for members to schedule an appointment with one of the more than 10,000 providers in its network.
  • “Octave, similarly, is built to make it simple for members to find a provider across multiple specialties, backgrounds and evidence-based approaches, according to the announcement.”

• NIST explains for those interested how an MRI machine works.