Public Health News Round Up, April 30, 2025

by Mandy Morgan April 30, 2025

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CT public health officials fear federal cuts could affect vaccination clinics and education

Connecticut is grappling with significant public health funding cuts that threaten key programs such as immunization initiatives and disease outbreak surveillance, potentially reversing progress on vaccination access and education in at-risk communities. While local health officials are maneuvering through temporary reprieves and legal uncertainties, concerns mount about heightened risks for preventable diseases like measles, underscoring the need for community-focused public health strategies to maintain vaccine confidence and coverage.

Chronic Pain is Common

Chronic pain, often overlooked and misunderstood, affects nearly 1 in 4 adults and significantly impacts mental health and daily life, with clear disparities in access to treatment based on race and gender. Despite a reliance on opioids in the past, there’s a growing shift towards multidisciplinary approaches addressing physical, mental, and social factors, although access to specialists and comprehensive care remains limited, especially in rural areas.

Judge Grants TRO for International Students With Revoked Visas

The Supreme Court recently upheld the government’s method for calculating Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals serving a high number of low-income senior or disabled patients, rejecting a challenge from over 200 hospitals that claimed the formula unfairly shortchanged them. This decision solidifies the current reimbursement system, despite hospitals’ arguments that they have missed out on hundreds of millions of dollars.

New hope for memory found in familiar vaccine

Shingles vaccines, particularly Shingrix, may not only protect against the painful skin condition but also offer potential defense against Alzheimer’s and other dementias, possibly due to their influence on immune responses and inflammation—making them an important consideration for older adults and those at heightened dementia risk. These findings underscore the potential of preventive care measures, traditionally targeting single health issues, to yield significant, broader cognitive benefits, highlighting the interconnected nature of our health systems.

RFK Jr.’s Sister: ‘He Is Not an Appropriate HHS Secretary’

In a critical whirlwind of controversy and backlash, Kerry Kennedy has echoed John Oliver’s sentiment that her brother, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is unfit to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services due to his dangerous anti-vaccine stance and conspiracy-laden rhetoric, which have contributed to public health crises like the recent measles outbreak. While expressing familial love, Kerry joins a chorus of concern over his influence, reiterating the importance of science and urging for an evidence-based approach to public health policy.

With drop in Medicaid-covered patients, Colorado safety-net clinics seek help from lawmakers

The Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Colorado is grappling with a surge in uninsured patients and a reduced workforce, following major Medicaid cuts, which have strained their ability to provide care. To address this, lawmakers are advancing Senate Bill 290, which would establish a stabilization fund to support safety-net providers with an initial $25 million, aiming to alleviate the immediate crisis, while fostering a longer-term solution to maintain essential health services for vulnerable populations.