The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced the availability of up to $256 million in grant funding to support equitable, affordable, client-centered, and high-quality family planning services through the Title X family planning program. Recall, Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family…
Read More »This week, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra unveiled the new HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy, designed to increase access to the full range of care and services for individuals who use substances that cause overdose and their families. The new strategy focuses on multiple substances involved in overdose and the diverse treatment…
Read More »The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently launched four complementary education campaigns intended to reach young adults 18-34 to save more lives from drug overdose deaths. The campaigns feature information about the prevalence and dangers of fentanyl, the risks and consequences of mixing drugs, the life-saving power of naloxone, and the importance…
Read More »This week, the Biden-Harris Administration detailed the latest operational planning for COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11. In anticipation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) scheduled review on October 26 and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) scheduled review on November 2-3, the Biden-Harris Administration plans to quickly distribute vaccine…
Read More »Following last week’s unanimous recommendation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) relative to COVID-19 booster vaccines, both the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week officially approved the use of booster doses for specified populations. On Wednesday, the FDA…
Read More »The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) this week sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting that his recent federal directive to protect school personnel be expanded to include health department officials and staff. Pointing to the increasing threats and violence being faced by many local health department personnel…
Read More »This week, the Biden-Harris Administration rolled out a plan to accelerate efforts to protect Americans from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can cause severe health issues and persist in the environment once released. The efforts by the federal government are intended to safeguard public health and the environment by preventing PFAS from being released…
Read More »On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has authorized the marketing of four new oral tobacco products manufactured by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, LLC under the brand name of Verve. The products were reviewed under the agency’s premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) process in which the agency must determine whether the…
Read More »The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week unveiled a proposed rule intended to improve access to and reduce the costs of hearing aid technology for Americans. The federal agency proposes to establish a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, allowing hearing aids in this category to be sold directly to consumers in…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it has reestablished the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACD). The committee, authorized by federal law, is intended to advise the CDC Director, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and…
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