Health
Trump and a healthier America welcomed by doctors: 'New golden age'
With President Donald Trump back in the White House, many of America’s doctors are welcoming the new administration’s greater focus on health and wellness.
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative — led by incoming Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — aims to improve nutrition, eliminate toxins, preserve natural habitats and fight the chronic disease epidemic, according to its website.
Several physicians shared with Fox News Digital what they hope and expect to see on the health front during the next four years.
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‘Return to community and family’
As Trump takes back the White House, Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said he looks forward to a greater focus on mental health.
President Donald Trump departs an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (AP Newsroom)
“The mental health epidemic is worsening, including among our teens,” he told Fox News Digital — a problem that he said is worsened by “social media overreach.”
“The best approach is connectivity, and a return to a time of community and family priorities,” said Siegel, who is also a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. “I am hopeful that President Trump will emphasize this.”
“The best approach is connectivity, and a return to a time of community and family priorities.”
The doctor is also optimistic that the new administration will focus on pandemic preparedness, based on lessons learned from COVID-19.
In particular, Siegel said he hopes to see increased surveillance, advances in biotechnology and the use of artificial intelligence to track threats.
Personalized medicine will also be a focus in Trump’s White House, Siegel predicted, with an increased use of wearables.
Personalized medicine will also be a focus in Trump’s White House, Siegel predicted, with an increased use of wearables. (CyberGuy.com)
“We could save hundreds of billions of dollars with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and HHS addressing health care rather than sick care,” Siegel said.
“The focus will be on wellness, lifestyle, exercise and diet,” he added, along with a “war on ultraprocessed foods.”
‘Aspirational’ health and happiness
Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and diabetes specialist in Tennessee, shared with Fox News Digital that he hopes Trump’s presidency will be a “new golden age for American health.”
“For too long, the practice of medicine has been polluted by corporate profits, questionable research, silenced physicians and misleading statements to the public,” said Berry, who helps patients overcome obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
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“I hope to see a thoughtful re-evaluation of all existing research, the restoration of an unhindered doctor-patient relationship, the cessation of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and an end to Big Food’s misleading health claims,” Berry went on.
The doctor also encourages a “vigorous effort” to educate Americans on genuinely healthy food and lifestyle choices, along with a “renewed cultural appreciation for the idea that being healthy and happy is not only achievable, but also aspirational.”
Public health prioritized
Dr. Robert Lufkin, a California physician who is also a medical professor at UCLA and USC, applauded the new administration’s goal to address the rise in chronic diseases, including a focus on lifestyle factors and exposure to chemicals.
“I am excited about this administration’s possible health actions in several areas,” he shared with Fox News Digital.
One doctor said he hopes President Trump will emphasize connectivity among families and communities. (iStock)
In particular, Lufkin said the new administration aims to “prioritize research into environmental triggers such as pesticides, industrial pollutants and food additives.”
“They also plan to advocate for transparency in corporate practices and stricter regulation of industries contributing to environmental degradation,” he added.
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Lufkin also highlighted MAHA’s goal to improve food safety and nutrition and to reduce exposure to unhealthy substances.
“This could be done by regulating harmful ingredients like artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup and chemical additives in processed foods,” he said.
Lufkin also supports the administration’s goal to restrict unhealthy foods for public assistance programs and to encourage local and sustainable farming.
Shifting the health care system’s focus from treatment to prevention is an important part of MAHA’s agenda, one doctor noted. (iStock)
Shifting the health care system’s focus from treatment to prevention is another important part of MAHA’s agenda, the doctor noted.
This could involve expanding alternative and holistic therapies and educating the public on the importance of lifestyle changes, including exercise, proper nutrition and stress management, he noted.
“Another goal is to minimize reliance on pharmaceuticals and encourage the use of natural treatments and non-drug interventions for common conditions,” Lufkin said.
The doctor also applauded the new administration’s plans to combat corporate influence in health care, and to “examine the pharmaceutical and chemical industries’ values of prioritizing profits over public health.”
Transparency in health care costs
Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, said she hopes the Trump administration continues to build on its policy of increasing price transparency for clinics, hospitals, health insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
“Hidden prices, manipulated many times over, have allowed Americans to be overcharged and exploited for profit, whether it’s generic medications being marked up by 1,000% or an emergency room visit for dehydration costing $5,000,” she told Fox News Digital.
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In many cases, she noted, prices are “essentially hidden and manipulated,” which means the consumer has no idea of the cost basis or true value of a service.
“I am seeing more price manipulation to make it look like health insurance is paying for services, when they are actually upcharging the service,” she said.
“For example, if I pay the cash price for a mammogram, it is less expensive than if I use my health insurance,” Johnson went on. “This is true for generic drugs as well.”
Mental health resilience
The Trump administration has a “great opportunity” to address the growing mental health crisis in America, according to Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in Manhattan and Washington, D.C.
“I truly believe the Trump administration has an opportunity and responsibility to address mental health in a way that helps people build resilience, not just catering to political or cultural trends,” he told Fox News Digital.
The Trump administration has a “great opportunity” to address the growing mental health crisis in America, a psychotherapist noted. (iStock)
One of Alpert’s big concerns, he shared, is that the “woke” culture may be inadvertently contributing to a mental health crisis.
“While it’s important to validate emotions and acknowledge systemic challenges, there’s a growing trend of overpathologizing normal human struggles and promoting victimhood as an identity,” Alpert said.
Rather than “overemphasizing individual traumas or identity-based grievances,” Alpert calls for a focus on accountability and personal growth.
“We need policies that foster self-reliance and mental toughness while still offering support for those who genuinely struggle.”
“We need policies that foster self-reliance and mental toughness while still offering support for those who genuinely struggle,” he said.
In Trump’s administration, Alpert said he hopes to see a commitment to mental health initiatives that foster both support and personal responsibility.
“Not every challenge is trauma, not every disagreement is harmful and not every failure stems from systemic oppression.” (iStock)
“This includes improving access to therapy, but also addressing how social media, divisive rhetoric and identity politics are affecting young people’s sense of self-worth and mental health,” he said.
“There’s a real danger in allowing cultural narratives to dictate how we approach mental health, turning it into a political battleground instead of a space for growth.”
“Not every challenge is trauma, not every disagreement is harmful and not every failure stems from systemic oppression,” Alpert went on.
Rather than encouraging victimhood, therapy should help people take ownership of their lives, develop resilience and thrive despite adversity, according to the psychotherapist.
Prosperity through health
As Donald Trump assumes the presidency, the U.S. looks to his administration with hopes for “substantial improvements in public health,” according to Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert.
“A key expectation is a commitment to reforming health care policy to make it more accessible and affordable,” he told Fox News Digital.
Doctors support MAHA’s goal to improve food safety and nutrition and to reduce exposure to unhealthy substances. (iStock)
“This could involve fostering competition in the health care market (thereby driving insurance premiums down), enhancing price transparency at the hospital level, and expanding coverage options to ensure that families across all income levels receive adequate care.”
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Osborn also hopes that the administration will tackle obesity by incentivizing healthier food options, more explicit nutritional labeling, and support for physical activity initiatives at schools.
“Furthermore, addressing food supplies in underserved areas could promote better access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods, reducing diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease,” he added.
“Without health on an individual and national scale, the nation will continue to falter.”
Another expectation is an emphasis on preventive instead of reactive care, according to Osborn.
“Encouraging regular health screenings to identify risk factors for disease and supporting wellness education campaigns could significantly reduce the burden of preventable diseases,” he said.
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Ultimately, Osborn went on, the new administration has the potential to prioritize health — “not just as a matter of policy, but as a cornerstone of national prosperity.”
“Without health on an individual and national scale, the nation will continue to falter,” the doctor said.
“However, as President Trump said during his inauguration speech, ‘From this moment on, America’s decline is over.’”
New flu strain emerging as a severe health threat
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to warn of a new strain of the flu that is spiking hospitalizations across the country and newfound risks of medical marijuana’s link to psychosis.
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A new form of the flu, which is highly contagious and aggressive, is sweeping the nation this season.
A mutation of influenza A H3N2, called subclade K, has been detected as the culprit in rising global cases, including in the U.S.
The World Health Organization stated on its website that the K variant marks “a notable evolution in influenza A (H3N2) viruses,” which some say calls into question the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine against the strain.
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The K variant causes more intense flu symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat and runny nose, according to experts.
Multiple states in the northeast are reporting high rates of respiratory illness this month. (iStock)
Among 216 influenza A(H3N2) viruses collected since Sept. 28, 89.8% belonged to subclade K, a CDC report states.
The agency continues to release a weekly influenza surveillance report, tracking which states are seeing the most activity for outpatient respiratory illness.
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Below are the states and regions within the highest range of reported medical visits, not necessarily confirmed influenza cases, as of the week ending Dec. 13.
The CDC’s weekly influenza surveillance report, an outpatient respiratory illness activity map, based on data reported to ILINet for the week ending Dec. 13, 2025. (CDC FluView)
Very High (Level 1)
Very High (Level 2)
Very High (Level 3)
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
- Louisiana
- Colorado
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High (Level 1)
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
- Michigan
- Idaho
- South Carolina
High (Level 2)
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High (Level 3)
- Washington, D.C.
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Georgia
The CDC has estimated that there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 flu deaths this season so far. The flu vaccine is recommended as the best line of defense against the virus.
The flu vaccine is recommended as the best line of defense against the virus. (iStock)
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Boston’s Northeastern University, shared details on the early severity of this emerging flu strain.
“It’s becoming evident that this is a pretty severe variant of the flu,” he said. “Certainly, in other parts of the world where this variant has been prevalent, it’s caused some severe illness, and we’re seeing an aggressive flu season already.”
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Subclade K is the “perfect storm” for an aggressive flu season, Maniar suggested, as vaccination rates overall are down, and it’s uncertain whether this year’s flu vaccine directly addresses this specific mutation.
“The vaccine is very important to get, but because it’s not perfectly aligned with this variant, I think that’s also contributing to some degree to the severity of cases we’re seeing,” he said. “We’re going in [to this flu season] with lower vaccination rates and a variant that in itself seems to be more aggressive.”
Subclade K has “caused some severe illness, and we’re seeing an aggressive flu season already,” a doctor said. (iStock)
Maniar stressed that it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine, as peak flu season has not yet arrived.
“The vaccine still provides protection against serious illness resulting from the subclade K variant that seems to be going around,” he said. “There are likely to be lots of indoor gatherings and other events that create risk of exposure, so protection is important.”
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Even healthy individuals can become seriously ill from the flu, Maniar noted, “so a vaccine is beneficial for almost everyone.”
“Individuals typically start to develop some degree of protection within a few days and gain the full benefit within about two weeks, so now is the time for anyone who hasn’t gotten the vaccine yet.”
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Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska announced this week that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage 4 pancreatic cancer, calling the disease “a death sentence” in a message posted on X.
Sasse, 53, said the cancer has spread and acknowledged that he has “less time than I’d prefer,” although he also mentioned recent scientific advances and his intention to pursue treatment.
“I’m not going down without a fight,” Sasse said when revealing his diagnosis. “One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jaw-dropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more.”
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Pancreatic cancer is known to be one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with ongoing research efforts aiming to improve outcomes.
Below are six key things to know about the disease.
No. 1: Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late and is highly deadly
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously aggressive and difficult to treat, according to the American Cancer Society. Most patients are not diagnosed until the disease has already spread to other organs, largely because there aren’t reliable screening tests and early symptoms can be vague or absent.
Ben Sasse, a former U.S. senator from Nebraska, announced that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage 4 pancreatic cancer. (Getty Images; iStock)
The ACS estimates that 67,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2025, and about 51,980 are expected to die from it. The tumor’s biology creates physical and chemical barriers that reduce the effectiveness of many traditional treatments.
No. 2: New immunotherapies are showing early promise
Researchers at UCLA recently reported progress on an experimental, off-the-shelf, cell-based immunotherapy designed to attack pancreatic cancer.
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In mouse studies, the therapy slowed tumor growth, extended survival and remained effective even after the cancer had spread to other organs, such as the liver and lungs.
The treatment uses special immune cells called natural killer T (NKT) cells, which are genetically modified so they can specifically recognize and attack pancreatic cancer cells.
Early research is exploring new approaches to pancreatic cancer, including experimental immunotherapies and studies of risk factors, but many findings are still in preclinical or observational stages. (iStock)
Unlike personalized therapies, the NKT cells are naturally compatible with different immune systems and can be mass-produced from donor stem cells.
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Researchers estimate that one donor could supply cells for thousands of treatments, with a potential cost of around $5,000 per dose. All testing so far has been done in mice, and human trials have not yet begun.
No. 3: Diet and gut health may affect treatment recovery
Separate research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has suggested that the amino acid cysteine could help the gut heal after cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
In mouse studies, cysteine — found in foods like meat, eggs, dairy products, legumes and nuts — helped to regenerate intestinal stem cells that are often damaged during cancer therapy.
Researchers are studying how diet, including nutrients such as cysteine found in high-protein foods, may help support recovery from pancreatic cancer treatments. (iStock)
Additional unpublished research showed benefits after treatment with 5-fluorouracil, a chemotherapy drug used for colon and pancreatic cancers.
Researchers emphasized that human studies are still needed and that cysteine is not a cure for cancer itself.
No. 4: Alcohol and lifestyle factors may raise cancer risk
Recent research published in PLOS Medicine by the International Agency for Research on Cancer found that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
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The study followed 2.5 million people for about 16 years, finding that each additional 10 grams of ethanol consumed per day was linked to a 3% increase in risk. Higher intake levels were associated with greater risk, particularly with beer and spirits.
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Researchers noted that the study was observational and that more work is needed to understand lifetime drinking patterns.
No. 5: Symptoms are often subtle and easily missed
When symptoms do occur, they can include abdominal pain that spreads to the sides or back, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss, according to Mayo Clinic.
Some patients develop jaundice — yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes — along with light-colored or floating stools, dark urine and itching.
Common warning signs of pancreatic cancer can include abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite. (iStock)
Other possible signs include a new diagnosis of diabetes (or diabetes that becomes harder to control), pain and swelling in an arm or leg that may be linked to a blood clot, and persistent tiredness or weakness.
Those who are experiencing symptoms should consult with a healthcare professional.
No. 6: Age, genetics and health conditions can raise risk
Pancreatic cancer risk is influenced by a combination of genetic, medical and lifestyle factors.
The disease becomes more likely with age, and men are slightly more susceptible, according to the ACS. Those with a family history or inherited genetic mutation also have a higher risk, as do people with type 2 diabetes, obesity and lack of physical activity.
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Diets high in processed or red meats and low in fruits and vegetables, as well as high alcohol consumption, may also contribute to pancreatic cancer risk, along with some occupational chemical exposures, per multiple cancer agencies.
Experts note, however, that many people are diagnosed with the disease despite having no clear risk factors.
Deirdre Bardolf, Ashley J. DiMella, Alex Nitzberg and Angelica Stabile, all of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.
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The first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss has been approved for use in the U.S.
The Wegovy pill, from drugmaker Novo Nordisk, was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce excess body weight, maintain long-term weight reduction and lower the risk of major cardiovascular events.
Approval of the once-daily 25mg semaglutide pill was based on the results of two clinical trials — the OASIS trial program and the SELECT trial.
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The Wegovy pill demonstrated a mean weight loss of 16.6% in the OASIS 4 trial among adults who were obese or overweight and had one or more comorbidities (other medical conditions), according to a press release. In the same trial, one in three participants experienced 20% or greater weight loss.
The first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss has been approved for use in the U.S. (iStock)
Novo Nordisk reported that the weight loss achieved with the pill is similar to that of injectable Wegovy and has a similar safety profile.
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“With today’s approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection,” said Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, in the press release.
Novo Nordisk reported that the weight loss achieved with the pill is similar to that of injectable Wegovy and has a similar safety profile. (James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images)
“As the first oral GLP-1 treatment for people living with overweight or obesity, the Wegovy pill provides patients with a new, convenient treatment option that can help patients start or continue their weight-loss journey.”
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The oral GLP-1 is expected to launch in the U.S. in early January 2026. Novo Nordisk has also submitted oral semaglutide for obesity to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regulatory authorities.
“Most side effects will be GI-related and should be similar to the injectable, such as nausea, vomiting and constipation,” an expert said. (iStock)
Dr. Sue Decotiis, a medical weight-loss doctor in New York City, confirmed in an interview with Fox News Digital that studies show oral Wegovy is comparable to the weekly injectable, just without the needles.
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Although the pill may result in better compliance and ease of use, Decotiis warned that some patients may not absorb the medication through the gastrointestinal tract as well as with the injectable version due to individual idiosyncrasies in the body.
“Most side effects will be GI-related and should be similar to the injectable, such as nausea, vomiting and constipation,” she said.
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“In my practice, I have found tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) to yield more weight loss and fat loss than semaglutide by about 20%,” the doctor added. “This has been shown in studies, often [with] fewer side effects.”
More oral GLP-1s may be coming in 2026, according to Decotiis, including an Orforglipron application by Lilly and a new combination Novo Nordisk drug, which is pending approval later next year.
One expert warned that some patients may not absorb the medication through the gastrointestinal tract as well as with the injectable version. (iStock)
“There will be more new drugs available in the future that will be more effective for patients who are more insulin-resistant and have not responded as well to semaglutide and/or tirzepatide,” the doctor said. “This is great news, as novel drugs affecting more receptors mean better long-term results in more patients.”
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As these medications become cheaper and easier to access, Decotiis emphasized that keeping up with healthy lifestyle habits — including proper nutrition with sufficient protein and fiber, as well as increased hydration — is essential to ensuring lasting results.
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“If not, patients will regain weight and could lose muscle and not enough body fat,” she said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Novo Nordisk for comment.
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