Health
Science backers say proposed federal research cuts pose dire risks.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s health secretary, has said that tackling a chronic disease “epidemic” would be a cornerstone of his Make America Healthy Again agenda, often invoking alarming statistics as an urgent reason for reforming public health in this country.
On Friday, President Trump released a proposed budget that called for cutting the funding of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by almost half. Its chronic disease center was slated for elimination entirely, a proposal that came as a shock to many state and city health officials.
“Most Americans have some sort of ailment that could be considered chronic,” said Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, health director for the city of St. Louis.
Of the proposed cuts, she said, “How do you reconcile that with trying to make America healthy again?”
The federal health department last month cut 2,400 jobs from the C.D.C., whose National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion runs on the largest budget within the agency.
Programs on lead poisoning, smoking cessation and reproductive health were jettisoned in a reorganization last month.
Overall, the proposed budget would cut the C.D.C.’s funding to about $4 billion, compared with $9.2 billion in 2024.
The budget blueprint makes no mention of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a $1.2 billion program. If that figure is taken into account, the cut may be even larger than Mr. Trump’s proposal indicates.
The agency would also lose a center focused on preventing injuries, including those caused by firearms, as well as programs for H.I.V. surveillance and prevention, and grants to help states prepare for public health emergencies.
According to the proposed budget, the cuts are needed to eliminate “duplicative, D.E.I., or simply unnecessary programs.” Congress draws up the federal budget, but given the Republican majority and its fealty to Mr. Trump, it is unclear how much his proposal will change.
C.D.C. officials had been told that the functions of the chronic disease center would be moved to a new organization within the health department called the Administration for a Healthy America.
And the proposal released on Friday appears to allocate $500 million to the health secretary in part “to tackle nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, overreliance on medication and treatments.”
But at the C.D.C., the chronic disease center’s budget was nearly three times as large. And even if part of the chronic disease center is resuscitated in the A.H.A., it’s unlikely that the new iteration would involve C.D.C. scientists relocated from Atlanta.
“The actual subject-matter experts, who administer the programs, might not be there at C.D.C. anymore,” said Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer at the Alabama Department of Public Health. “We certainly don’t have the same level of expertise in my state.”
The department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.
The C.D.C.’s chronic disease center ran programs aimed at preventing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. But the center has also seeded initiatives farther afield, ranging from creating rural and urban hiking trails to ensuring that healthy options like salads are offered in airports. It also promoted wellness programs in marginalized communities.
Dr. Davis, the health director in St. Louis, said her department was already reeling from cuts to programs to curb smoking and reduce lead poisoning and health disparities, as well as the rescinding of more than $11 billion that the C.D.C. had been providing to state health departments.
“I would take back Covid-19 in a heartbeat over what’s happening right now,” Dr. Davis said.
In the proposed budget, the administration suggested that the eliminated programs would be better managed by states. But state health departments already manage most chronic disease programs, and three-quarters of the C.D.C. center’s funding goes to support them.
Loss of those funds “would be devastating for us,” said Dr. Harris, the health officer in Alabama.
The state has one of the highest rates of chronic diseases in the country, and about 84 percent of the public health department’s budget comes from the C.D.C., Dr. Harris said. About $6 million goes to chronic disease programs, including blood pressure screening, nutrition education for diabetes and promotion of physical activity.
If those funds were cut, “I am at a loss right now to tell you where that would come from,” he added. “It just seems that no one really knows what to expect, and we’re not really being asked for any input on that.”
Minnesota’s vaunted health department has already laid off 140 employees, and hundreds more may be affected if more C.D.C. funding is lost. Cuts to chronic disease prevention will affect nursing homes, vaccine clinics and public health initiatives for Native Americans in the state.
“The actions of the federal government have left us out on a flimsy limb with no safety net below us,” said Dr. Brooke Cunningham, the state’s health commissioner.
Until recently, “there seemed to be a shared understanding at the local, state and federal level that health was important to invest in,” Dr. Cunningham said.
The C.D.C.’s chronic disease center’s work touches American lives in many unexpected ways.
In Prairie Village, Kan., Stephanie Barr learned about the center 15 years ago when, working as a waitress with no health insurance, she discovered a lump in her breast the size of a lemon.
Through the C.D.C.’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, she was able to get a mammogram and an ultrasound, and staff members helped her enroll in Medicaid for treatment after a biopsy determined the lump was malignant, Ms. Barr said.
“It was caught in the nick of time,” said Ms. Barr, now 45 and free of cancer.
Since that program began in 1991, it has provided more than 16.3 million screening exams to more than 6.3 million people with no other affordable access, said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
The organization is one of 530 health associations that have signed a petition asking lawmakers to reject the proposed H.H.S. budget, which cuts discretionary spending by about one-third. The signatories said the cuts would “effectively devastate” the nation’s research and public health infrastructure.
The budget also proposes dismantling disease registries and surveillance systems.
“If you don’t collect the information or keep these surveillance systems going, you don’t know what’s happening, you don’t know what the trends are,” said Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services in Texas.
“You’re losing all of that history,” he said.
In a previous position as director of chronic diseases for Texas, Dr. Huang said he worked closely with C.D.C. experts who successfully reduced tobacco use among Americans.
“Eliminating the Office on Smoking and Health is just craziness if you’re still wanting to address chronic diseases,” he said.
Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths each year, according to the C.D.C.
More than one in 10 American adults still smoke cigarettes regularly, but rates vary drastically by region, and C.D.C. surveillance helps target cessation programs to areas where they are needed most.
“Smoking rates have come down, but if the federal government takes its foot off the gas, the tobacco companies are ready to pop back up again,” said Erika Sward, assistant vice president for advocacy at the American Lung Association.
She warned that tobacco companies are constantly developing new products like nicotine pouches, whose use by teenagers doubled last year. “It will take a lot more money to put the genie back in the bottle,” she said.
The C.D.C.’s chronic disease center works with communities and academic centers to promote effective programs, from creating quitting hotlines to reach young Iowans in rural areas to training members of Black churches in Columbia, S.C., to lead exercise and nutrition classes for their congregations.
In rural Missouri, dozens of walking trails have been developed in the “boot heel” in the southeastern part of the state, an area with high rates of obesity and diabetes, said Ross Brownson, a public health researcher at Washington University in St. Louis who directs the Prevention Research Center in collaboration with the C.D.C.
“There’s strong evidence now that if you change the walkability of a community, people will get more physical activity,” Dr. Brownson said. “There aren’t going to be health clubs in rural communities, but there is nature and the ability to have walking trails, and land is relatively cheap.”
With C.D.C. support, in Rochester, N.Y., people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are being trained to lead exercise and wellness programs for other hearing-impaired people who can’t easily participate in other gym classes.
In San Diego, researchers are testing ways to protect farm workers from exposure to ultraviolet rays and heat-related illnesses.
“Once they are up and started, they are community-driven and don’t depend on the government,” said Allison Bay, who recently lost her job managing such projects at the C.D.C.
The C.D.C.’s reorganization also eliminated lead poisoning programs. Lead poisoning is also “one of our greatest public health threats in the city of Cleveland,” said Dr. David Margolius, director of public health for the city.
The C.D.C. does not directly fund Cleveland’s lead programs — the funding comes from the state. “But just having the federal expertise to call on to help lead us toward a lead-free future, I mean, yeah, that has a big impact on us,” he said.
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Research continues to uncover new details on how fasting may help extend life.
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications investigated how intermittent fasting can boost longevity in small worms often used in aging research.
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared worms that were fed normally to those that underwent a 24-hour fast in early adulthood and were then fed again, according to a press release.
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The scientists measured a variety of factors, including stored fat, gene activity related to fat metabolism and lifespan.
The results showed that the life-boosting benefit did not depend on the fasting itself but on the body’s behavior after eating again.
Experts say sustainability is key when choosing a long-term weight-loss strategy. (iStock)
Study lead Peter Douglas, associate professor of molecular biology and a member of the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern, suggested that these discoveries “shift the focus toward a neglected side of the metabolic coin – the re-feeding phase.”
“Our data suggest that the health-promoting effects of intermittent fasting are not merely a product of the fast itself, but are dependent on how the metabolic machinery recalibrates during the subsequent transition back to a fed state,” he said.
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“Our findings bridge a gap between lipid metabolism and aging research,” he added. “By targeting aging, the single greatest risk factor for human disease, we move beyond treating isolated conditions toward a preventive model of medicine that enhances quality of life for all individuals.”
Lauri Wright, director of nutrition programs at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, called this a “high-quality” study that adds an “important nuance to how we think about fasting and longevity.”
Intermittent fasting typically involves limiting meals to an eight-hour daily window or fasting every other day. (iStock)
The benefits of the refeeding phase after fasting were “especially interesting,” Wright, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“The researchers showed that longevity was linked to the body’s ability to turn off fat breakdown after fasting, allowing cells to restore energy balance,” she reiterated.
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“From a scientific standpoint, that’s a meaningful shift because it suggests fasting is not just about burning fat, but about metabolic flexibility.”
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Fasting may support longevity through triggering metabolic switching, enhancing cellular repair and stress resistance and improving markers like insulin sensitivity, research shows.
Limitations and cautions
Although this study provides “important insight” on the power of refeeding, Wright noted that the findings should be approached with caution, as the study was done on worms and cannot always be translated to humans.
“Additionally, it explains how a process might work in a controlled lab condition rather than real-world eating behaviors,” she added as a limitation. “Finally, the study is short-term and doesn’t give us the long-term translation on lifespan outcomes.”
The review found intermittent fasting was barely more effective than doing nothing, according to the study authors. (iStock)
Wright cautioned that fasting is “not a magic solution for longevity, and how you eat overall matters more than when you eat.”
“I advise, first and foremost, to focus on diet quality, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and minimally processed foods,” she said.
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For those who are considering fasting, it’s better to stick with a moderate plan — like a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast — rather than going to extremes, Wright said. After fasting, she recommends focusing on well-balanced meals.
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Several groups of people should be cautioned against fasting, according to Wright, including those with diabetes who are on insulin or hypoglycemic medications, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a history of eating disorders and older adults at risk of malnutrition.
Anyone considering intermittent fasting should consult with a doctor before starting.
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More than three million people travel to undergo cosmetic surgery each year, statistics show — but the potential savings come at a cost.
Most people opting to pursue this so-called “medical tourism” are chasing budget-friendly price tags.
International surgeries, such as hair transplants in Turkey, can cost as little as $4,000 to $5,000 compared to $20,000 to $30,000 in the U.S., but often come with extreme risks, according to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian of California.
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The doctor recently joined Lisa Brady on the “The FOX News Rundown” podcast to discuss the rising trend of medical tourism. One of the biggest risks, she said, is the lack of safety regulations in popular destinations like Mexico and Turkey.
As demand spikes in these medical tourism “mills,” there have been reports of non-medically trained staff performing procedures like hair transplants.
Most people opting to pursue “medical tourism” are chasing budget-friendly price tags. (iStock)
“I’ve heard that they [international clinics] are even recruiting people who maybe were taxi drivers and then putting them through their own training program … to become hair transplant technicians,” Nazarian said. “That’s how high the demand has become.”
In the U.S., medical school graduates are granted a “physician and surgeon” license, which means doctors — including pediatricians or OB-GYNs — can legally perform cosmetic surgeries, even if they didn’t receive specialized training for those procedures during residency, Nazarian noted.
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Instead of pinching pennies, the doctor recommended paying whatever amount is necessary to ensure quality treatment.
“People think of it as, you know, going to the mall. … It’s surgery, and surgery has risks,” she said. “You need to be with someone who not only can perform a beautiful surgery, but who can handle possible complications well.”
“You need to ask them: ‘What was your residency training in? And if you wanted to, would you be allowed to do this procedure in a hospital?’”
Aftercare is another critical factor in the success and safety of a cosmetic procedure, as the doctor emphasized that 20% of a surgical result depends on post-operative care.
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This can be difficult or even impossible to manage when a doctor is in a different time zone, she cautioned, or if the clinic disappears shortly after the procedure.
Nazarian also noted the importance of addressing the psychological component of plastic surgery, noting that no procedure will fix underlying unhappiness. The doctor said she uses screening questionnaires to ensure that patients are truly seeking self-improvement rather than a “cure” for deeper issues.
International surgeries, such as hair transplants in Turkey, can cost as little as $4,000 to $5,000 compared to $20,000 to $30,000 in the U.S., but often come with extreme risks. (iStock)
“If you’re not already generally very content with your life, a knife in my hand is not going to bring you there,” Nazarian said.
“The analogy I always give is you don’t want a paisley couch — you want a neutral couch and you can put paisley pillows on it,” she said, noting that a procedure should “make you look normal, God-given, athletic. And then you can change your clothes when the trends come and go.”
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Samuel Golpanian, M.D., a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, said he has also seen an increasing number of patients undergoing cosmetic procedures abroad, sometimes with “devastating consequences.”
“The key is being extremely careful before embarking on this journey.”
“I’ve seen a wide range of complications, including infections, poor wound healing, significant scarring and tissue necrosis (skin death),” he told Fox News Digital. “These complications often lead to prolonged pain, ongoing medical problems, and significant additional costs to repair the damage.”
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Golpanian said he’s treated patients who received unsafe or non-medical-grade injectable materials, which can lead to serious long-term health issues.
One surgeon said he’s treated patients who received unsafe or non-medical-grade injectable materials, which can lead to serious long-term health issues. (iStock)
“I’ve also seen damage to underlying structures, asymmetry and results that are extremely difficult — sometimes impossible — to correct.”
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“That said, I’ve also seen some good outcomes, so it’s not all bad,” he noted. “The key is being extremely careful before embarking on this journey.”
Quick tips for safe ‘medical tourism’
Fully vet the surgeon. “Most surgeons will provide information about their education and training, but it’s important not to accept these claims at face value,” Golpanian said. “Verify them directly by contacting the institutions where they trained.”
Ask for references from prior patients. Ideally, it’s best to get references from U.S.-based patients who can speak candidly about both their experience and their results, the surgeonsaid.
Think beyond the cost. Golpanian emphasized the adage “you get what you pay for.” “Cost should take a back seat to experience, training, judgment and proven results,” he advised.
Be cautious about relying on before-and-after photos. These can be selective or even enhanced, Golpanian warned.
Keep aftercare in focus. “Make sure the practice emphasizes comprehensive follow-up care and has a clear, realistic post-operative plan in place.”
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