Health
C.D.C. Cuts Threaten to Set Back the Nation’s Health, Critics Say
The extensive layoffs of federal health workers that began on Tuesday will greatly curtail the scope and influence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the world’s premier public health agency, an outcome long sought by conservatives critical of its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services shrinks the C.D.C. by 2,400 employees, or roughly 18 percent of its work force, and strips away some of its core functions.
Some Democrats in Congress described the reorganization throughout H.H.S. as flatly illegal.
“You cannot decimate and restructure H.H.S. without Congress,” said Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, and a member of the Senate health committee.
“This is not only unlawful but seriously harmful — they are putting Americans’ health and well-being on the line,” she added.
Ms. Murray noted that the Trump administration had not detailed which units are being cut at the C.D.C. and other health agencies. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, said last week the layoffs would affect primarily administrative functions.
But according to information gathered by The New York Times from dozens of workers, the reductions were more broadly targeted. Scientists focused on environmental health and asthma, injuries, lead poisoning, smoking and climate change were dismissed.
Researchers studying blood disorders, violence prevention and access to vaccines were let go. The agency’s center on H.I.V. and sexually transmitted diseases was among the hardest hit, losing about 27 percent of its staff.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which makes recommendations on how to keep workers safe, was all but dissolved.
What remains is a hobbled C.D.C., with a smaller global footprint, devoting fewer resources to environmental health, occupational health and disease prevention, public health experts said.
Instead, the agency will be trained more narrowly on domestic disease outbreaks. Communications will be centralized at H.H.S. in Washington.
The department intends “to ensure a more coordinated and effective response to public health challenges, ultimately benefiting the American taxpayer,” said Emily Hilliard, deputy press secretary at the department.
“C.D.C. scientists have conducted numerous interviews on a variety of topics and will continue to do so,” she added.
Critics predicted the move would prevent scientists from speaking frankly about public health.
“American taxpayers provide the resources for C.D.C.’s specialists and have the right to hear directly from them without interference by politicians,” said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, who led the agency from 2009 to 2017.
The sweeping reductions arrive as the nation confronts an outbreak of measles in Texas and elsewhere, a spreading bird flu epidemic on poultry and dairy farms, and a raft of new questions about public health measures like water fluoridation and school vaccine requirements.
“What we seem to be seeing is a dismantling rather than a restructuring” of the public health system, said Dr. Richard Besser, chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the C.D.C.
On Capitol Hill, the Senate health committee, which recommended confirmation of Mr. Kennedy as secretary, scheduled a hearing on the reorganization of H.H.S., citing the possible impacts on public health.
Mr. Kennedy has described the reorganization as an effort to clean up waste and bureaucracy while promising that federal health agencies would do more to improve the health of Americans.
“We’re going to eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments and agencies while preserving their core functions by merging them into a new organization called the Administration for a Healthy America,” the secretary said in a videotaped message announcing the layoffs.
The department did not respond to requests for more detailed information.
Society’s most vulnerable — the poor, Black, Latino and Native American people, rural Americans with less access to health care, the disabled and those at highest risk for illness — are likely to be hit hardest, experts said.
“These communities rely on public health to a larger extent than wealthy communities do,” Dr. Besser said.
For decades, public health and medical research drew support across the political spectrum.
But the C.D.C. has been in the political cross hairs since the first Trump administration, when the White House muzzled the agency’s communications, meddled with its publications and blamed its scientists for bungling the pandemic response.
In recent years, lawmakers have harshly criticized the agency’s advice on masks, lockdowns, social distancing, school closures and various other attempts to contain the pandemic, calling them economically and socially disastrous.
Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for reshaping the federal government, described the C.D.C. as “perhaps the most incompetent and arrogant” federal agency, and called on Congress to curb its powers.
Through staffing cuts, the administration reduced critical divisions of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and employees studying how to prevent gun violence, child abuse and elder abuse were fired.
Injuries are the leading cause of death among Americans under 45. About 47,000 Americans are killed by firearms each year, more than half of them suicides.
But gun violence is a politically fraught topic. Pressure from the National Rifle Association and conservative politicians led to a ban on using federal funds to study gun violence for almost 25 years. Funding was restored in 2019.
The injury center studied ways to improve gun safety and promoted the use of gun locks, particularly in homes where children live.
“People think of gun violence as a question for law enforcement, but the public health approach has made a big difference,” said Dr. Mark Rosenberg, a former center director.
Most of the C.D.C.’s Division of Reproductive Health, which studies maternal health, was also shuttered. Whether some or all of its portfolio will be assumed by the new organization created by Mr. Kennedy was not clear.
Pregnant women and newborns die in the United States at a far higher rate than in other industrialized nations.
In recent years, the C.D.C. focused on stark racial health disparities that put Black American women at nearly three times the risk of dying of pregnancy complications than white women.
But the Trump administration has been defunding studies of health disparities in racial, ethnic and gender minorities, saying they do not align with the president’s executive orders ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Mr. Kennedy said last week that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses, would be absorbed into the health department.
But on Tuesday, most of its divisions were eliminated, among them offices dedicated to protecting workers in various industries, including mine inspectors.
Even one of the agency’s most essential functions, infectious disease research, was affected.
The Trump administration had been weighing moving the H.I.V. prevention division to a different agency within the health department.
But on Tuesday, teams leading H.I.V. surveillance and research within that division were laid off. It was unclear whether some of those functions would be recreated elsewhere. (A team in the global health center working on preventing mother-to-child transmission of H.I.V. was also cut.)
Until now, the C.D.C. provided funds to states and territories for responding to and preventing H.I.V. outbreaks. Roughly one in four new diagnoses of H.I.V. is made with agency funds.
Some H.I.V. experts warned that the move could lead to a rise in H.I.V. infections among Americans.
“H.I.V. prevention is a lot more than just giving out condoms,” said Dr. John Brooks, who served as chief medical officer for the division of H.I.V. prevention until last year. “It saves lives, averts illness and produces enormous cost savings.”
Broadly, the reorganization aligns with Mr. Kennedy’s preferred emphasis on research into chronic diseases; federal research has been far too focused on infectious diseases, he has said.
But the line between them is not always clear, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, former principal deputy director of the C.D.C. Research that seems disconnected from outbreak response may also be a key for fighting pathogens.
“For Zika, we needed experts in birth defects, entomology and vector control, virologists and environmental health experts,” she said. “Emerging threats don’t respect borders of C.D.C. organizational units.”
The reorganization risks choking the talent pipeline for public health, said Ursula Bauer, former director of the agency’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
“Once you decimate an agency like C.D.C., which is full of high-caliber highly trained individuals, building back is going to be incredibly difficult,” she said.
“It will take two to three times as long to undo the damage as it took to inflict it.”
The cuts also will take a toll on the agency’s ability to gather and analyze data, which are keys to identifying trends and developing interventions, Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, said at a news briefing.
“You take away those systems, and it takes away the ability to see the impact of all these cuts,” he added.
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Cannabis has been linked to some significant medical benefits, but recent research calls those into question.
A major new analysis published in JAMA examined more than 2,500 scientific papers from the last 15 years, including other reviews, clinical trials and guidelines focused on medical marijuana.
“While many people turn to cannabis seeking relief, our review highlights significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence regarding its effectiveness for most medical conditions,” Dr. Michael Hsu of University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) Health Sciences, author of the study, said in a press release.
Many medical claims about cannabis are not supported by strong scientific evidence, according to a comprehensive review published in JAMA. (iStock)
The researchers — led by UCLA with contributions from Harvard, UC San Francisco, Washington University School of Medicine and New York University — set out to determine how strong the research is on the effectiveness of medical cannabis and to offer evidence-based clinical guidance.
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The review found that evidence supporting most medical uses of cannabis or cannabinoids is limited or insufficient, the release stated.
“Whenever a substance is widely used, there is likely to be a very wide set of outcomes,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, double board-certified in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, told Fox News Digital.
“Cannabis is now used by about 15 to 25% of U.S. adults in the past year, for various reasons ranging from recreational to medicinal. This study points to the reality that this widely used substance is not a panacea,” said Dimitriu, who was not involved in the study.
There are very few conditions for which cannabinoid therapies have clear, well-established benefits backed by high-quality clinical data, according to the researchers.
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The strongest evidence supports FDA-approved cannabinoid medications for treating specific conditions, including HIV/AIDS-related appetite loss, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and certain severe pediatric seizure disorders.
The review identified significant safety concerns, with high-potency cannabis use among young people linked to higher rates of mental health issues. (iStock)
For many other conditions that are commonly treated with cannabis — such as chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder — evidence from randomized trials did not support meaningful benefit.
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The analysis also examined safety concerns — in particular, how young people using high-potency cannabis may be more likely to suffer higher rates of psychotic symptoms and anxiety disorder.
Daily inhaled cannabis use was also linked to increased risks of coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and stroke when compared with non-daily use.
Daily inhaled cannabis use is associated with increased cardiovascular risks, including coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke. (iStock)
Based on these findings, the review emphasizes that clinicians should weigh potential benefits against known risks when discussing cannabis with patients.
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The authors suggest that clinicians screen patients for cardiovascular risk, evaluate mental health history, check for possible drug interactions and consider conditions where risks may outweigh benefits.
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They recommend open, realistic conversations and caution against assuming that cannabis is broadly effective for medical conditions.
The review highlights the need for caution, urging clinicians to weigh risks, screen patients appropriately and avoid assuming cannabis is broadly effective. (iStock)
“Patients deserve honest conversations about what the science does and doesn’t tell us about medical cannabis,” Hsu said.
This article is a narrative review rather than a systematic review, so it did not use the strict, standardized methods that help reduce bias in how studies are selected and evaluated, the researchers noted.
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The review notes further limitations, including that some evidence comes from observational research rather than randomized trials, which means it cannot establish cause and effect.
The trial results also may not apply to all populations, products or doses.
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Chronic lateness is known to be a common annoyance, often leading to strain within relationships, experts have confirmed.
And for some people who struggle to be on time, the reasons may go far beyond poor planning.
Psychotherapist and author Jonathan Alpert told Fox News Digital that chronic lateness often stems from a combination of psychological patterns and neurobiological factors that people may not realize are influencing them.
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“For some people, it’s personality-driven. They’re distractible, optimistic about how long things take, or simply not tuned into the impact on others,” the New York-based expert said.
For others, the issue stems from neurobiological differences that affect how the brain manages time.
Chronic lateness may not stem from poor planning, but from psychological and neurobiological factors. (iStock)
That can make it harder to estimate how long tasks take or to transition from one activity to the next, leading to chronic lateness, according to Alpert.
Impact on relationships
In addition to disrupting schedules, chronic lateness may also strain relationships and create tension.
“Lateness erodes trust. Over time, it sends the message that someone else’s time is less important, even if that’s not the intent,” Alpert noted.
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Lateness can also become an issue in the workplace, where repeated delays can undermine teamwork and harm a person’s reputation.
These patterns are common among people with ADHD, who often experience what is known as “time blindness,” making it difficult to recognize how quickly minutes pass or how long tasks truly take.
“Adding 10 to 15 minutes of buffer between activities reduces the frantic rushing that leads to chronic lateness.”
ADHD is strongly associated with executive-function difficulties, which are the skills needed to stay organized, plan ahead and focus on essential details, according to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association.
When these abilities are weaker, it becomes more challenging to gauge time, follow a schedule and meet deadlines, which can impact personal and professional relationships, experts agree.
Frequent tardiness in a work setting can throw off group efforts and leave others with a negative impression of the employee. (iStock)
Underlying patterns
Anxiety, avoidance and perfectionism are patterns that Alpert most often sees in people who tend to run late, he noted.
“Many chronically late individuals don’t intend to be disrespectful. They’re overwhelmed, anxious or trying to squeeze too much into too little time,” he said.
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These emotional patterns often show up in different ways. For some, anxiety can make it difficult to begin even simple tasks, pushing everything behind schedule before the day has even started, according to Alpert.
For others, the struggle happens in the in-between moments. Shifting from one activity to another can feel surprisingly uncomfortable, so they linger longer than intended and lose time without noticing.
Anxiety is a major factor behind why some people have trouble being on time, according to experts. (iStock)
Others may get caught up in the details, as perfectionism keeps them adjusting or “fixing one more thing” as the minutes slip away, Alpert said.
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Another major factor, the expert shared, is that many people simply misjudge how long tasks take. Their internal sense of time is often inaccurate, which leads them to assume they can fit far more into a day than is realistically possible.
‘Time audit’
Alpert often recommends that his clients perform a simple “time audit,” where they track how long they think a routine task will take and then time it in real life. This can help them rebuild a more accurate internal clock, he said.
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“Adding 10 to 15 minutes of buffer between activities reduces the frantic rushing that leads to chronic lateness,” he said.
Many people with ADHD have a difficult time recognizing how quickly minutes pass or how long tasks truly take. (iStock)
Despite the challenges lateness can create, Alpert said people don’t have to be stuck with these habits forever. With the right support and consistent strategies, meaningful change is possible.
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“Strong routines, alarms, checklists and accurate time estimates compensate for traits that don’t naturally disappear,” he added.
People who find that lateness is affecting their everyday life and relationships may benefit from discussing their concerns with a healthcare provider or mental health professional.
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The holidays are known to be a source of stress, between traveling, preparing for family gatherings and indulging in lots of food and drinks.
The uptick of activity can actually put a strain on the heart, a phenomenon known as “holiday heart syndrome.”
Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jeremy London addressed this elevated risk in a recent Instagram post, sharing how heart attacks consistently rise around the holidays.
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“Every year, like clockwork, we see a spike in heart attacks around Christmas and New Year’s,” the South Carolina-based surgeon said. “In fact, Christmas Eve is the highest-risk day of the year.”
This is due to a shift in behavior, specifically drinking and eating too much, moving less and being stressed out, according to London. “Emotional stress, financial stress, the increased pace of the holidays, increased obligations,” he listed.
Cold weather also causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels), according to London, which increases the risk of plaque rupture and the potential for heart attack.
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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, chief of the division of cardiology at National Jewish Health in New York, noted in an interview with Fox News Digital that holiday heart syndrome typically refers to the onset of an abnormal heart rhythm, or atrial fibrillation.
This can happen after an episode of binge-drinking alcohol, Hirsch said, which can be exacerbated by holiday celebrations.
Binge-drinking at any time can drive atrial fibrillation, a cardiologist cautioned. (iStock)
“It’s often a combination of overdoing the alcohol intake along with high salt intake and large meals that can trigger it,” he said. “Adding travel, stress and less sleep, and it lowers the threshold to go into that rhythm.”
The biggest risk related to atrial fibrillation, according to Hirsch, is stroke and other complications from blood clots. Untreated atrial fibrillation can lead to heart failure after a long period of time.
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“The risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age, but also underlying cardiovascular disease risk factors increase the risk, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea and chronic kidney disease,” he added.
Christmas Eve is the “highest risk day of the year” for heart attacks, according to one cardiologist. (iStock)
Preventing a holiday heart event
Holiday heart syndrome is preventable, as Hirsch reminds people that “moderation is key” when celebrating.
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The expert recommends avoiding binge-drinking, overeating (especially salty foods) and dehydration, while managing stress levels and prioritizing adequate sleep.
“Don’t forget to exercise,” he added. “Even getting in at least 5,000 to 10,000 steps during the holiday can help lower risk, [while] also burning some of the additional calories we are often consuming around the holidays.”
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London agreed, stating in his video that “movement is medicine” and encouraging people to get out and move every day.
The various stresses of the holidays can have physical consequences on the body, doctors warn. (iStock)
It’s also important to stay on schedule with any prescribed medications, London emphasized. He encourages setting reminder alerts, even during the holiday break.
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“Prioritize sleep and mindfulness,” he added. “Take care of yourself during this stressful time.”
London also warned that many people delay having certain health concerns checked out until after the holidays, further worsening these conditions.
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“Don’t ignore your symptoms,” he advised. “If you don’t feel right, respond.”
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