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Reposted by kiley koscinski

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 11h

More than 1,000 staff members at the CDC were laid off Friday, affecting units that respond to infectious-disease outbreaks, analyze science and health data to develop policy, and monitor the safety of employees.

Mass CDC cuts hit staff dealing with measles, Ebola and disease forecasting

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 12h

Per CDC source: At internal leadership meeting this afternoon, it was shared that 1,257 people were RIF'd at CDC. Number may not be final. Apparently, chief of staff was unaware that RIFs were going to occur so not clear who is making decisions. (Short 🧵)

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WESA @wesa.fm · 1d

In July, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency put a two-year pause on implementing hazardous air pollution standards for plants that make coke, a key component in steelmaking. But environmental groups sued, and the EPA decided on October 3 that the new rules should go into effect, after all.

EPA reverses course on rule that will force U.S. Steel to monitor for cancer-causing emissions

The Trump administration has reversed course and decided it will not delay Biden-era rules limiting air pollution from the steel industry.

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WESA @wesa.fm · 5d

As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse nears 100 days, rape crisis centers are at a breaking point. Several organizations across the state are turning to layoffs, program downsizing and some may close amid the stoppage in government aid, advocates told WESA.

With state & federal governments gridlocked, Pennsylvania rape crisis centers struggle to stay open

As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse nears 100 days, rape crisis centers are at a breaking point. Several organizations across the state are turning to layoffs, program downsizing and some may close amid ...

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WESA @wesa.fm · 5d

The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience, or GUIDE, Model is designed to benefit people with traditional Medicare health insurance who want to age in place at home while living with dementia. All services offered through the program are fully covered by Medicare.

New Medicare dementia program offers free, enhanced support services to Pa. families

The GUIDE program pays local health and home care organizations to provide free dementia respite services, education, training and care coordination.

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WESA @wesa.fm · 11d

93.7% of Pennsylvania kindergarteners got both recommended doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine before the 2024-2025 school year.

That’s lower than the recommended 95% vaccination rate for herd immunity, the threshold to provide community resistance to infectious diseases.

As measles vaccination rate continues to decline, Pa. kindergarteners below herd immunity level

According to the state, 93.7% of Pennsylvania kindergarteners got both recommended doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine before the 2024-2025 school year. That’s lower than the recommende...

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kiley koscinski @kileykoscinski.bsky.social · 16d

More court action this week pertaining to gender-affirming care for Pittsburgh's transgender youth. Federal court filings seek to quash a DOJ subpoena that orders UPMC to hand over the health records of teenage trans patients:

WESA @wesa.fm · 16d

Advocates for UPMC’s teenage trans patients filed a motion in federal court this week urging a judge to shield patient health records from a Dept. of Justice inquiry. The Public Interest Law Center is seeking to quash the subpoena on behalf of patients & former patients of UPMC and their families.

Families urge federal court to shield UPMC trans patient health records from DOJ inquiry

In court documents, the Public Interest Law Center and Ballard Spahr argue the DOJ subpoena — which seeks records, information and communications about gender-affirming care services — violates patien...

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WESA @wesa.fm · 18d

A group of transgender patients and their families have filed a discrimination complaint with the state Human Relations Commission against UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, asserting that UPMC’s refusal to provide gender-affirming care for trans patients under 19 is sex-based discrimination.

Trans patients file discrimination complaint against UPMC over termination of gender-affirming care

A group of transgender patients filed a discrimination complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission against UPMC over its termination of gender-affirming care for patients under 19.

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kiley koscinski @kileykoscinski.bsky.social · 24d

Pennsylvania officials have confirmed the health department is part of a public health collaboration with other state health agencies in the Northeast. Though agencies have shared best practices in the past, this more formal coordination comes amid sweeping changes at the federal level under RFK Jr.

WESA @wesa.fm · 24d

The Northeast Public Health Collaboration — which includes all the New England states except New Hampshire plus Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and New Jersey — formed amid rapidly changing vaccine recommendations from federal health officials.

Amid CDC turmoil, Pennsylvania joins Northeastern states in regional public health coalition

Pennsylvania health officials have confirmed the commonwealth has joined other Northeastern states to develop public health guidelines independent of the federal government.

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Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 28d

Dr. @ashishkjha.bsky.social, who led Biden’s coronavirus response, on what the Trump administration’s MAHA report leaves out.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/12/o...

The number one cause of death for kids in America is gun violence, a fact that the MAHA report makes no mention of. It's been the leading cause of death in children since 2020. In fact, a report from Johns Hopkins found that in 2022 alone, 2,526 children under 17 years old died from firearm-related injuries. The other leading cause of child mortality is motor vehicle accidents, which have killed more than 1,000 children under the age of 14 each year since 2013.
Despite these jarring figures, the MAHA strategy report is silent on these topics, offering no solutions for preventing gun deaths or making our roads safer for kids. How do we take seriously a report on children's health that fails to acknowledge the two leading causes of death?

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WESA @wesa.fm · Aug 28

As Trump administration health officials seek to reshape vaccine policy — which could impact insurance coverage of certain immunizations for millions of Americans — Pennsylvania lawmakers have proposed new requirements aimed at “protecting access” to those vaccines.

Amid CDC, FDA changes, Pennsylvania bill could require insurers to cover certain vaccines

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering new regulations for health insurance providers aimed at protecting access to vaccines. The bill comes amid changing vaccine regulations from federal health agenc...

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WESA @wesa.fm · Aug 15

The health department began deploying mobile air units Thursday provided by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection and Carnegie Mellon University. The units will travel around Clairton to test for dozens of hazardous air pollutants.

Allegheny County deploys mobile air quality monitors near Clairton Coke Works

The health department began deploying mobile air units Thursday provided by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection and Carnegie Mellon University. The units will travel around Clairton ...

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ProPublica @propublica.org · Aug 12

NEW: In June, ProPublica reported that the FDA has given more than 20 foreign factories a special pass to send drugs to the U.S. even though they were made at plants the agency had banned.

Today, we’re publishing a list of those exempted drugs.

The FDA Let Substandard Factories Ship These Medications to the U.S.

ProPublica identified more than 150 products that were exempted from import bans since 2013. Our list provides the names of the drugs or ingredients and their manufacturers, many of which are no longe...

www.propublica.org

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WESA @wesa.fm · Aug 4

Tentative 2026 health insurance rates for individual plans show a 19% average increase and small business group plans show a 13% jump, according to Pennsylvania regulators.

Health insurance in Pennsylvania may see biggest hike in years

Tentative 2026 health insurance rates for individual plans show a 19% average increase and small business group plans show a 13% jump, according to Pennsylvania regulators.

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WESA @wesa.fm · Aug 4

About 1,000 nurses at Pittsburgh's Magee-Womens Hospital are set to decide whether they’d like to be represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania later this month. The organizing effort is the latest in a growing labor movement among health care professionals in Pennsylvania.

Nurses union advances at UPMC’s Magee-Womens Hospital

About 1,000 nurses at Magee-Womens Hospital will vote to decide whether they’d like to be represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. The organizing effort is the latest in a growing labor movement a...

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Jun 24

Health groups are mobilizing behind the scenes to preserve access for vaccines as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to upend the nation’s decades-old vaccine system, according to public health experts.

The plan to vaccinate all Americans, despite RFK Jr.

The extraordinary effort to create a parallel system of recommending and perhaps even providing vaccines faces major challenges.

www.washingtonpost.com

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kiley koscinski @kileykoscinski.bsky.social · Jun 23

UPMC is winding down gender-affirming care for young trans patients this month, citing “federal directives.”

Now, more than 100 UPMC doctors, therapists and staff are demanding the health system reverse course and use its “immense resources” to “fight back.”
www.wesa.fm/health-scien...

Therapists, doctors urge UPMC to ‘fight back,’ reinstate gender-affirming care for trans youth

In an open letter to UPMC administrators, physicians, therapists, nurses and specialists call on the health system to continue to provide gender-affirming care services for young patients. Providers t...

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

ProPublica @propublica.org · Jun 18

NEW: ProPublica has sued the FDA, accusing the agency of withholding information about the safety and availability of generic drugs critical to millions of Americans.

ProPublica Sued the FDA for Withholding Records About the Safety of Generic Drugs

The agency declined to quickly release documents that would identify drugs made at some of the most troubled foreign factories. The request was part of ProPublica’s ongoing investigation into the safe...

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

ProPublica @propublica.org · Jun 17

NEW: A ProPublica investigation found that for more than a decade, the FDA gave substandard factories banned from the United States a special pass to keep sending drugs to an unsuspecting public.

Threat in Your Medicine Cabinet: The FDA’s Gamble on America’s Drugs

A ProPublica investigation found that for more than a decade, the FDA gave substandard factories banned from the United States a special pass to keep sending drugs to an unsuspecting public.

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

Politico @politico.com · Jun 11

The CDC is rehiring more than 400 people who had received layoff notices.

Around half of those employees are in the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention.

www.politico.com/news/2025/06...

CDC backtracks on layoffs, rehires more than 400 people

Around half of those employees are in the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Jun 10

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he was removing the entire membership of the influential vaccine advisory panel that makes immunization recommendations for the United States. wapo.st/43zDOE2

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference on the Autism report by the CDC at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, April 16, 2025. The text reads, “RFK Jr. removes all members of key vaccine committee, will replace them with his own picks.” AP Photo by Jose Luis Magana.

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WESA @wesa.fm · Jun 3

President Trump took yet another step Tuesday to place NPR and PBS at the center of his broader clash with major cultural institutions, formally asking Congress to take back the $1.1 billion it has set aside for all public broadcasters for the next two years.

Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting

President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. His request also includes cuts to foreign aid.

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Reposted by kiley koscinski

WESA @wesa.fm · Jun 4

Bishop David A. Zubik, who has led the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh since 2007, is stepping down. Pope Leo XIV has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Mark A. Eckman to fill the role.

Bishop Eckman takes over leadership of Pittsburgh diocese as Bishop Zubik retires

Bishop David A. Zubik, who has led the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh since 2007, is stepping down. Pope Leo XIV appointed Auxiliary Bishop Mark A. Eckman to fill the role.

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NPR @npr.org · May 21

Some of the CDC's main channels for communicating urgent health information to the public have gone silent.

Diseases are spreading. The CDC isn't warning the public like it was months ago

Some of the CDC's main channels for communicating urgent health information to the public have gone silent.

www.npr.org

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WESA @wesa.fm · May 20

Federal funding to support harm reduction initiatives could disappear under President Trump’s budget proposal, which calls for major cuts to agencies tasked with fighting the opioid epidemic. At the same time, local groups say they have no clear indications about government support beyond 2025.

As Trump scales back federal drug programs, Pittsburgh’s recovery providers face hard choices

Programs aimed at combating the opioid epidemic in Pittsburgh face an uncertain future under the Trump administration's budget proposal.

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