Health and Fitness

Source: California Attorney General's Office

March 21, 2025 (Oakland) - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert to customers of 23andMe, a genetic testing and information company. The California-based company has publicly reported that it is in financial distress and stated in securities filings that there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue, which is a growing concern. Due to the trove of sensitive consumer data 23andMe has amassed, Attorney General Bonta reminds Californians of their right to direct the deletion of their genetic data under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). Californians who want to invoke these rights can do so by going to 23andMe's website. 

“California has robust privacy laws that allow consumers to take control and request that a company delete their genetic data,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Given 23andMe’s reported financial distress, I remind Californians to consider invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.” 

To Delete Genetic Data from 23andMe:

1. Consumers can delete their account and personal information by taking the following steps:
2. Log into your 23andMe account on their website.
3. Go to the “Settings” section of your profile.
4. Scroll to a section labeled “23andMe Data” at the bottom of the page.
5. Click “View” next to “23andMe Data”
6. Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option to download it to your device before proceeding.
7. Scroll to the “Delete Data” section.
8. Click “Permanently Delete Data.”
9. Confirm your request: You’ll receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link in the email to confirm your deletion request.

To Destroy Your 23andMe Test Sample:

If you previously opted to have your saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but want to change that preference, you can do so from your account settings page, under “Preferences.”

To Revoke Permission for Your Genetic Data to be Used for Research:

If you previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers to use your genetic data and sample for research, you may withdraw consent from the account settings page, under “Research and Product Consents.”

Under GIPA, California consumers can delete their account and genetic data and have their biological sample destroyed. In addition, GIPA permits California consumers to revoke consent that they provided a genetic testing company to collect, use, and disclose genetic data and to store biological samples after the initial testing has been completed. The CCPA also vests California consumers with the right to delete personal information, which includes genetic data, from businesses that collect personal information from the consumer.   

To learn more about the CCPA, please visit here.  

March 19, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Kennedy gives food company CEOs an ultimatum (Politico)
• USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks (Politico)
• Bird flu-infected San Bernardino County dairy cows may have concerning new mutation (Los Angeles Times)
• As Texas measles outbreak grows, U.S. cases quickly surpass total for all of 2024 (NBC)
• Doctors didn't warn women of 'risky sex' drug urges (BBC)
• DOGE wants access to very personal information of Americans  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally return home after more than nine months in space  (CNN)
• DOGE cuts could end decades of ground-breaking climate research in Hawaii (USA Today)
• This machine turns carbon dioxide into fuel (BBC)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

Kennedy gives food company CEOs an ultimatum (Politico)

The HHS secretary pressed for commitments to reduce food additives in a closed-door meeting Monday. 

USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks (Politico)

The Agriculture Department has axed two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from local farms and ranchers, halting more than $1 billion in federal spending.

Bird flu-infected San Bernardino County dairy cows may have concerning new mutation (Los Angeles Times)

A new H5N1 bird flu mutation has appeared in a cluster of infected dairy cows. It’s a genetic change that scientists say could not only make the virus more lethal, but increase its spread between mammals and possibly humans.

As Texas measles outbreak grows, U.S. cases quickly surpass total for all of 2024 (NBC)

The vast majority of this year’s cases have been in Texas, nearly all of them in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Doctors didn't warn women of 'risky sex' drug urges (BBC)

Patients prescribed drugs for movement disorders - including restless leg syndrome (RLS) and Parkinson’s - say doctors did not warn them about serious side effects that led them to seek out risky sexual behaviour.

DOGE wants access to very personal information of Americans  (NPR)

Some federal agencies store information that many people don't share even with their closest friends and family: Medical diagnoses and treatment. Notes from therapy sessions. Whether a person has filed for bankruptcy. Detailed income information….  Here's an overview of a few federal agencies that hold data on large swaths of Americans – and where things stand with the DOGE team's access.

SCIENCE AND TECH

NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally return home after more than nine months in space  (CNN)

NASA’s Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — who gained international attention as their planned short stay in space stretched into a more than nine-month, politically fraught mission — are finally home.

DOGE cuts could end decades of ground-breaking climate research in Hawaii (USA Today)

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency is considering terminating the lease of a tiny office that supports a huge climate science experiment - one that's been ongoing for 67 years.

This machine turns carbon dioxide into fuel (BBC)

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found a way to take carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into a fuel named syngas, creating a carbon-neutral energy cycle. But there’s still work to be done before it’s publicly available.

By Seraphina Eberhardt, Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies East County

March 17, 2025 (San Diego) -- The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in January highlighting the cancer risks associated with even small amounts of alcohol consumption, noting that alcohol links to at least seven types of cancer. However, alcohol does not only increase the risk of cancer. Alcohol consumption has also been a topic of debate concerning its effects on heart health. Even minimal alcohol intake can elevate the risk of heart disease. For residents of East County, understanding these risks and taking proactive measures can help maintain heart health.

San Diego County's “Love Your Heart” campaign is an annual event that provides free blood pressure screenings to the public, to raise awareness about heart health. In 2024, the campaign screened more than 58,000 individuals, potentially preventing numerous heart-related emergencies. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises that individuals who choose to drink should limit their intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. One drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Exceeding these guidelines can lead to elevated blood pressure, heart failure, and even stroke. Consuming just one alcoholic drink per day may increase blood pressure, challenging the notion that light drinking is harmless.

We can take several steps to reduce alcohol-related heart disease risk, including limiting alcohol consumption by adhering to the AHA's guidelines on alcohol intake. For some individuals, especially those with existing health conditions, abstaining from alcohol may be the best choice. It's important to note that recent advisories suggest even minimal alcohol consumption can increase health risks. Regular blood pressure checks can help detect hypertension early, a condition exacerbated by alcohol consumption. Participating in the "Love Your Heart" campaign's free screenings is a proactive step.

A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins supports cardiovascular health. Limiting sodium and saturated fat intake can also help manage blood pressure. Don’t forget to exercise. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Physical activity strengthens the heart and helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease. Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke are vital for heart health. Chronic stress can negatively impact heart health. Incorporating stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga can be beneficial.

East County offers several resources to support residents, journey toward better heart health, including Live Well San Diego. This initiative provides various programs and events focused on health and wellness, including the "Love Your Heart" campaign. Local clinics offer health screenings, nutritional counseling, and support groups to assist individuals in managing their health. Organizations like the American Heart Association provide support groups and educational resources for individuals seeking to reduce alcohol consumption and improve heart health.

While the relationship between alcohol and heart health continues to be studied, current evidence suggests that even moderate alcohol consumption can pose risks. East County residents are encouraged to participate in initiatives like the "Love Your Heart" campaign and utilize local resources to monitor and improve their cardiovascular health. By making informed lifestyle choices, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of alcohol-related heart disease and lead healthier lives.

 works alongside communities to build power, challenge systems of inequity, protect health, and improve quality of life. IPS has a vision for safe, secure, vibrant and healthy communities where everyone can thrive. To learn more about IPS East County, follow us on our social media platforms: IPS East County Facebook, IPS East County X, and East County Youth Coalition Instagram. Our website is at IPSEast.org. Resources and services are available to assist with screening, treatment, and recovery for individuals with a substance use disorder via the Access & Crisis line, which is open year-round, 24/7 at (888) 724-7240 or dial 988.

By Miriam Raftery

County News Service contributed to this report

March 12,2025 (San Diego) -- An autopsy has determined that actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease linked to exposure to rodents is rare, often fatal, and has been detected in nine rodents so far this year in San Diego County.

The couple was found dead in their Bel Air home. Hackman, who was 94, died days later of heart disease and complications of Alzheimer’s. Arakawa was 65 years old.

Her death shines a spotlight on Hantavirus, a rare but often deadly virus spread by inhaling particles from rodent droppings. The disease is fatal about 40% of the time.

Hantavirus was first identified in 1993 following a respiratory outbreak in the Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States.

Between 1993 and 2024, 864 cases have been reported nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control reports.  

Of those, 834 were Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, the most dangerous form of the disease, and the other 30 were non-pulmonary hantavirus infections.

Nearly all of the cases in the United States–94%--have occurred west of the Mississippi, affecting both children and adults.

Here in San Diego County, the county has been testing wild rodents for Hantavirus since 2008. Mice have been found positive primarily in rural, mountain and desert areas.

Last year, 25 cases of hantavirus locally were confirmed by laboratory testing.

So far this year, 9 cases of hantavirus have been confirmed in deer mice locally, including 4 deer mice in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park, as well as deer mice and a Western Harvest Mouse in Escondido.

Symptoms of hantavirus may appear from one to eight weeks after exposure to rodents or their droppings. Early symptoms may include severe muscle aches, chills and fever, headache or dizziness, difficulty breathing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and in severe cases, respiratory failure.

It’s important to contact your doctor right away if you have these symptoms.  While there is no vaccine or treatment,  medical care can help reduce the symptoms of hantavirus.

Here are steps you can take to prevent exposure to hantavirus.

Keep rodents out of homes, cabins, sheds or other structures by sealing all entry holes the size of a dime or larger.  Air out unused structures at least 30 minutes before entering.

Cover or store away pet food, pet food dishes and trash cans with rodent-proof lids.

Remove wood piles, trash and old cars where rodents may nest.

Store hay and firwood at least 100 feet away from buildings. Cut grass,  remove weeds, and trim bushes near buildings.

If you see signs of mice, use mouse traps to catch them.

If you must clean up rodent-infested areas, wear a protective face mask,  as well as latex or rubber gloves.

Do NOT stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings, urine or nesting materials.

Instead, use the wet cleaning method.  Make a disinfectant solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach, or use a commercial disinfectant.  Spray the solution on rodent nests, droppings and any dead rodents, and let the solution sit for 20 minutes.

Then soak sponges in the disinfectant solution and clean the area.

Put all infested materials such as nesting, droppings and dead rodents in a sealed plastic bag or better yet, double bag it, then throw it away. Wash and discard gloves in plastic, and then thoroughly wash your hands.

You can find more information on hantavirus at CDC.gov or at the San Diego County Health department.

Sources:

https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/deh/pests/hantavirus.html

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/data-research/cases/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gene-hackman-death-investigation-update-new-mexico/

By Miriam Raftery

March 12, 2025 (El Cajon) – By a unanimous vote, El Cajon’s City Council yesterday voted to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the sale of vaping or e-cigarette devices disguised as other products. 

According to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, teens are using stealth vaping products. Some are hidden in backpacks or hoodies. Others resemble flash drives, fidget spinners, pens, smart watches or hand-held gaming devices, making it easy for kids to use tobacco even in schools. Some are sold as single-use devices, making them affordable and accessible to young people.

“I received letters from each one of our local school districts asking us to do this,” said Councilman Gary Kendrick, author of the measure.  In addition to tobacco, he noted, “kids are using cannabis...students are not going to be very well educated if they’re stoned out of their minds using these fake devices.”

The ordinance will impose a fine of $2,500 for a first offense by a local retailer. Subsequent offenses will result in fines and temporary license suspensions; a fourth offense will result in permanent revocation of the retailer’s tobacco license.  Retailers will be entitled to due process to appeal.

Kendrick noted that the “primary goal of local government is to protect citizens, and children are the ones who need the most protection.”

The ordinance was approved 5-0.

Health and Human Services offers tips for parents and educators to help spot these clandestine devices, such as watching for hoodies or backpacks with a hose woven through the fabric, enabling the user to vape discreetly. Also be on the lookout for disposable e-cigarettes, which can’t be refilled and may resemble color pens or flash drives (thumb drives); the latter is the most popular stealth vaping device.  

In 2024, 55.6% of youths using e-cigarettes reported using disposable versions that didn’t have to be hidden away at home, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. 

The problem is widespread nationally. The survey foundthat of high school students who use e-cigarettes, 26.3% use them daily and over 38% use them 20 or more days each month, becoming nicotine dependent.

The American Lung Association has developed a free educational program that schools can use as an alternative to disciplining children found with e-cigarettes, to encourage vaping youths to quit.

By Karen Pearlman 

Photo, left:  Aaron  J. Byzak, Interim CEO, Grossmont Healthcare District

Updated March 11, 2025 with comments from Christian Wallis.

March 10, 2025 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District’s communications strategy consultant Aaron J. Byzak is adding a title, acting for a short time as the public agency’s interim CEO. 

At a GHD Board of Directors special meeting on Monday, March 10, the board voted 5-0 to appoint Byzak in the role effective immediately. 

Byzak, 47, will advise and help the board find the successor to its most recent CEO, Christian Wallis, whose contract was not renewed by the GHD board last week during a closed session on March 4. 

“At this point I feel I’m uniquely qualified to help ease the transition,” Byzak said. 

The contract terms include $18,500 per month in addition to Byzak’s previous public affairs contract with the district of $6,000 per month.

Created in 1952, GHD supports the health and wellness of East County through oversight of Sharp Grossmont Hospital, the operation of a public Health & Wellness library, healthcare career scholarships for local students, and a community grants and sponsorships program. 

GHD is governed by an elected board representing nearly 520,000 people residing within 750 square miles. 

As interim CEO, Byzak said he will lead a team of 15 professional staff and report directly to the GHD board.  

His term is initially set for a minimum of three months, during which he will also help facilitate the board’s search for a permanent CEO. Byzak said he expects the process of finding a new CEO for the district to take between three and six months. 

Byzak is co-owner and Chief Strategist for Galvanized Strategies, a strategic public affairs and fractional executive leadership firm with offices in California and Texas. He previously served on the executive team for Tri-City Healthcare District from 2018-24, most recently as Chief Strategy Officer. He also was a key member of the leadership team at UC San Diego Health from 2009-17. 

Byzak has been the communication strategy consultant for Grossmont Healthcare District for the past seven months. His contract with GHD says his job entails promoting the district in media relations, doing communications planning and brand positioning, offering opinion/editorial support and doing community engagement and outreach.

He has also been part of the GHD’s recognition and awards strategy, in which the district applies for honors and awards recognizing its programs and partnerships. 

“Although I am communications consultant for the district, I have an extensive background in hospital leadership and healthcare district leadership, so it made sense for them to go with somebody who’s already in the organization to help lead the staff that are here,” Byzak said.  

“As interim CEO, I’m going to make sure that their amazing, nationally renowned programs continue without any hiccups and we maintain all the positive relationships we’ve built with all of our community partners and to help advice the board of directors on the permanent CEO search.” 

Wallis’ employment agreement was to expire on May 17 and the GHD board voted 4-1 on March 10 not to renew it, with Nadia Farjood casting the dissenting vote. They also voted unanimously to offer Wallace a severance agreement. 

Wallis, 54, was hired by the district in 2021 and given a two-year extension in 2023. He succeeded Barry Jantz, who retired after 16 years of service.

Wallis (photo, left) said with the suddenness of his departure from the district, he was disappointed that he was not able to properly thank community members.

"I missed being able to not say 'Goodbye and thank you,'" Wallis told ECM by phone the day following the approval of Byzak's contract. "I want to thank the East County community for their support over the last four years," he added. "I was immediately embraced and proud to work on their behalf."

Of the legacy he left behind at GHD, Wallis said he is most proud of the collaborations the district had with its community partners."These relationships have helped improve the East County healthcare workforce pipeline, developed innovative methods to improve the emergency response process and dedicated much-needed awareness and resources to our rural community," Wallis said.

In an email to those close to the district, Amy Abrams (photo, right), chief community health officer for the GHD, called Wallis' departure "an unwelcome surprise to all of us on staff" and praised Wallis as "a great leader, well-respected in the community, and a catalyst for several impactful initiatives in our region. He'll be missed by many,” she added.

Abrams also said she is "very grateful to have (Byzak)'s healthcare leadership experience as well as his knowledge of the Grossmont Healthcare District's work in East County" as GHD staff moves through the transition.

During the open session of the March 10 meeting, the board had some pushback from new GHD representative Nadia Farjood (photo, left). Farjood said she was "deeply disappointed in and disheartened by the decision of my colleagues to not renew (Wallis') contract.”

"I am also shocked and befuddled by the decision because Mr. Wallis was a visionary, strategic, thoughtful, kind and capable leader, admired and beloved by both staff and the community during his tenure,' Farjood said. "He spearheaded transformative initiatives in collaboration with staff and community partners that have made tremendous strides toward improving community health and wellness in East County."

Farjood asked to waive privilege over the closed session discussion, asking GHD's legal team to release information from the March 4 meeting in order to "educate the public." Her request was not seconded by any of the other board members.

Also at the March 10 meeting, Michael Peddecord (photo, right), an emeritus of the School of Public Health at San Diego State, thanked Wallis for his accomplishments and said that "many others in the community would agree he brought a needed set of skills and a new perspective to the CEO position with his unique skills and experiences."

"(Wallis) understood the workings of medical care, public health and also the potential of the district to play a previously untapped leadership role in these spheres," Peddecord said. "His work in developing a strategic plan will help the district's grant-making activities and be more focused in the long-term efforts to provide a better value for our healthcare tax dollars."

Bob Ayres (photo, left), GHD’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, said he is confident in the appointment of Byzak. 

“We brought Aaron on a time ago as our media consultant and he’s not an unknown,” Ayres said. “We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Aaron’s caliber and experience step into this role. His leadership abilities and strategic insights are essential as we continue to advance our mission.” 

Byzak is a Vista resident and North County native with three decades of work in the healthcare industry. He has been honored five times by the San Diego Business Journal in the publication’s annual list of the 500 Most Influential People in San Diego. He is also a four-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer. 

Barry Jantz (photo, right), the former CEO of GHD and current president and owner of Jantz Communications, said that he has known Byzak for many years.

He said that with Byzak’s diverse background in healthcare district governance and community health, and “given a number of significant matters before the district... he’s a great choice to step into the role at this critical time.” 

By Karen Pearlman

March 6, 2025 (La Mesa) -- The five-member Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors has decided not to renew the contract of CEO Christian Wallis.

Wallis, who was hired by the district in 2021 for a two-year contract at $215,000 per year, was given a two-year extension and a cost of living raise in 2023 to $247,424 annually. He succeeded Barry Jantz, who retired after 16 years of service.

GHD's board made the decision during its Tuesday morning board meeting on March 4 in closed session, after which the district’s legal counsel reported out with a public statement that the board voted 4-1 to not renew Wallis's contract.

GHD released a statement about Wallis's departure on Thursday evening, March 6:

"The Grossmont Healthcare District Board of Directors, in a 4-1 vote, has decided not to extend the CEO’s employment agreement beyond its current term, which expires on May 17, 2025. Additionally, the Board majority determined that a leadership transition was in the best interest of the organization, effective March 4, 2025. The Board also voted unanimously (5-0) to offer the CEO a severance agreement.

"We appreciate Christian Wallis’s service and contributions to Grossmont Healthcare District and thank him for his leadership. The Board remains focused on ensuring continuity and stability as we move forward and will provide further updates regarding interim leadership and next steps in the coming weeks.

"At this time, our priority is maintaining the organization’s mission and operations. We will not be commenting further on personnel matters."

A Navy veteran, when Wallis was hired, he had more than 27 years of leadership experience in the healthcare field in the private sector, the federal government and international healthcare settings.

He was previously regional/state vice president of Health Information Technology Support Services for Advocate Aurora Health in Illinois. He also served as the VP of operations for Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Ill.

The GHD website notes that a FY22-23 CEO evaluation took place in closed session on Nov. 18, 2022 during its Board of Directors meeting.

The board will have a discussion about replacing Wallis at a later time, possibly as soon as the week of March 10. The district's next meeting is 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 20.

March 4, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Trump administration firings hit key office handling bird flu response (Politico)
• As measles cases rise in the U.S., some adults may need a vaccine booster   (NPR)
•  FDA links deadly listeria outbreak to frozen nutritional shakes(KPBS)
• Emulsifiers Make Food More Appealing. Do They Also Make You Sick? (Wall St.Journal)
• To solve for doctor shortages, states ease licensing for foreign-trained physicians  (NPR)
• Exercise may help patients with colon cancer live as long as those who never had it, study suggests (CNN)
• RFK Jr. Just Kneecapped the CDC on His First Day (New Republic)
• It's like 'dead birds flying': How bird flu is spreading in the wild (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Exclusive: FDA staff reviewing Musk’s Neuralink were included in DOGE employee firings, sources say (Reuters)
• Cryptocurrency exchange says it was victim of $1.5 billion hack (AP)
• Predatory app downloaded 100,000 times from Google Play Store steals data, uses it for blackmail (Malwarebytes)
• Plane that flipped over in Canada highlights some of the dangers of holding kids on your lap  (AP)
• Musk has inside track to take over contract to fix air traffic communications system (AP)
• Elon Musk's DOGE Website Being 'Hacked' Sparks Mockery (Newsweek)

For excerpts and links to full stories,click  “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

Trump administration firings hit key office handling bird flu response (Politico)

The layoffs in USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network program office come as egg prices reach record high amid worsening outbreak.

As measles cases rise in the U.S., some adults may need a vaccine booster   (NPR)

[CDC] say there are some adults who should consider getting revaccinated. That includes older adults who were born after 1957 and were vaccinated before 1968.

 FDA links deadly listeria outbreak to frozen nutritional shakes(KPBS)

The source of a Listeria outbreak that has sickened 38 people including 11 who died since 2018, has been traced to frozen nutritional shakes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The contaminated shakes, sold under the brands Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial, were distributed to nursing homes, hospitals and long-term care facilities across 21 states, including California.

Emulsifiers Make Food More Appealing. Do They Also Make You Sick? (Wall St.Journal)

Recent studies have found that consuming common emulsifiers is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Other research seems to show why: The substances change the gut microbiome in a way that can cause inflammation.

To solve for doctor shortages, states ease licensing for foreign-trained physicians  (NPR)

The changes involve residency programs — the supervised, hands-on training experience that doctors must complete after graduating medical school. Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license.  Since 2023, at least nine states have dropped this requirement for some doctors with international training, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards. More than a dozen other states are considering similar legislation.

Exercise may help patients with colon cancer live as long as those who never had it, study suggests (CNN)

There is something you can do that may help you live longer after a colon cancer diagnosis, and you can start it on your own, at your home or a gym. Exercise is associated with longer lives for patients with colon cancer, according to a new study published Monday in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

RFK Jr. Just Kneecapped the CDC on His First Day (New Republic)

Hours after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged that the Department of Health and Human Services would not undergo a staff purge, it did.  The Trump administration laid off half of its Epidemic Intelligence Service, otherwise known as the “Disease Detectives.” The lay off affected 1,260 staff

It's like 'dead birds flying': How bird flu is spreading in the wild (NPR)

 It's a disease that originated in east Asia, first detected in China in 1996s…. It is killing not just birds in large numbers but also mammals, like elephant seals and sea lions, as well as porpoises, dolphins and otters to a lesser degree.

SCIENCE AND TECH

Exclusive: FDA staff reviewing Musk’s Neuralink were included in DOGE employee firings, sources say (Reuters)

U.S. Food and Drug Administration employees reviewing Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink were fired over the weekend as part of a broader purge of the federal workforce, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter...That division includes reviewers overseeing clinical-trial applications by Neuralink and other companies making so-called brain-computer interface devices, the sources said.

Cryptocurrency exchange says it was victim of $1.5 billion hack (AP)

A major cryptocurrency[, Bybit,] exchange says it was the victim of a sophisticated hack that stole about $1.5 billion worth of digital currency, marking one of the biggest online thefts of all time.

Predatory app downloaded 100,000 times from Google Play Store steals data, uses it for blackmail (Malwarebytes)

A malicious app claiming to be a financial management tool has been downloaded 100,000 times from the Google Play Store. The app— known as “Finance Simplified”—belongs to the SpyLoan family which specializes in predatory lending.  Sometimes malware creators manage to get their apps listed in the official app store. This is a great benefit for them since it lends a sense of legitimacy to the app, and they don’t have to convince users to sideload the app from an unofficial site.

Plane that flipped over in Canada highlights some of the dangers of holding kids on your lap  (AP)

 Experts agree it’s safer for children younger than 2 years old to have their own plane seats and ride in approved car seats when flying, even if families have to pay for an extra ticket. But babies are still allowed to travel in laps, so parents continue doing it despite the risks. 

Musk has inside track to take over contract to fix air traffic communications system (AP)

A satellite company owned by Elon Musk has the inside track to potentially take over a large federal contract to modernize the nation’s air traffic communications system.  Equipment from Musk’s Starlink has been installed in Federal Aviation Administration facilities as a prelude to a takeover of a $2 billion contract held by Verizon, according to government employees, contractors and people familiar with the work.  Musk said that the network used by air traffic controllers is aging and requires drastic and quick action to modernize it. 

Elon Musk's DOGE Website Being 'Hacked' Sparks Mockery (Newsweek)

The official website for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which tech billionaire Elon Musk heads, was reportedly hacked on Friday, sending waves of confusion and amusement through the internet. The DOGE website is based around a database that can "be edited by anyone," according to a report first published by news outlet 404 Media.

East County News Service

March 3, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Calling a measles outbreak now in nine states a “call to action,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has posted a message on the agency’s website titled “MMR vaccine is crucial to avoiding potentially deadly disease.” 

Kennedy, a noted skeptic of some vaccines, is now urging all Americans to get vaccinated for measles. The CDC recommends that adults born after 1957 who received the vaccine before 1968 should get a booster shot.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  164 measles cases have been reported in nine different states, including Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas.  In Texas, which has 146 cases since January, a child has died of measles and 20 patients have been hospitalized.

The World Health Organization reports that measles vaccination averted more than 60 million deaths between 2000 and 2023.  Yet even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available, in 2023, there were an estimated 107 500 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under vaccinated children under the age of 5 years.

Kennedy’s advisory states, “Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.”

He adds, “Prior to the introduction of the vaccine in the 1960s, virtually every child in the United States contracted measles. For example, in the United States, from 1953 to 1962, on average there were 530,217 confirmed cases and 440 deaths, a case fatality rate of 1 in 1,205 cases.”

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness with certain health risks, especially to unvaccinated individuals. An infected person can spread the disease by coughing, sneezing, or merely breathing. Early symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. Most cases are mild, but rare complications can be severe, including pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

The current Texas outbreak has predominantly affected children under age 18. Of the 146 Texas cases, 79 had never received the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while 62 cases had unknown vaccine status. Only five had received an MMR vaccine.

Dr. Philip Huang, director of the Public Health Department for Dallas County, said the outbreak is primarily impacting a Mennonite community. "They have not been vaccinated in that community," Huang told Scripps News. "I understand there's 25,000 in that community, so it's a large population that's susceptible."  Health officials warn that additional cases are likely

Kennedy says he has directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to work closely with the Texas health authorities to provide comprehensive support including technical assistance, laboratory support, vaccines, and therapeutic medications. The CDC is in continuous communication with Texas health officials, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to contain the outbreak.

I have spoken with Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas health officials,” said Kennedy, adding, “ I have also spoken to the bereaved parents of the deceased child to offer consolation. As healthcare providers, community leaders, and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them.”

In addition to vaccines, while there is no approved antiviral treatment for measles, Kennedy says the CDC  recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.

“ The decision to vaccinate is a personal one,” Kennedy notes, but adds, “Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.Tens of thousands died with, or of, measles annually in 19th Century America. By 1960 -- before the vaccine’s introduction -- improvements in sanitation and nutrition had eliminated 98% of measles deathslinks to an external website.”

In addition, he advises, “Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses. Vitamins A, C, and D, and foods rich in vitamins B12, C, and E should be part of a balanced diet.”

According to the CDC, symptoms of measles typically begin with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Two to three days after these initial symptoms, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth.

For more information about measles, visit the CDC’s official website or contact your local health department.

This story was originally published by ProPublica

By Brett Murphy and Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

Photo:  Malnutrition, cc via Bing

March 3, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - For weeks, some of the federal government’s foremost authorities on global health have repeatedly warned Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other leaders about the coming death toll if they carried out the Trump administration’s plan to end nearly all U.S. foreign aid around the world.

Enrich told The New York Times he released the memos, which multiple other officials contributed to, after learning he was being placed on leave, as thousands of others at the agency have been. The memos were circulated to the staff and obtained by ProPublica.

 

The documents identify several key senior policymakers behind the scenes while also puncturing the administration’s claims of a careful, deliberative review of USAID programming. The records also represent the government’s most explicit concerns to date memorialized by a senior official from inside Trump’s administration.

 

The State Department, USAID and Elon Musk did not respond to questions about this story. Rubio and Marocco did not respond to a request for an interview.

 

Since the inauguration, Rubio, Musk and Marocco have taken dramatic steps to incapacitate USAID, the largest foreign aid donor in the world, by firing its employees and halting operations. The global health bureau was one of the first parts of the agency targeted for mass layoffs.

 

Then, last week, they abruptly cancelled 10,000 foreign aid projects, which account for 90% of USAID’s humanitarian operations and about half of the State Department’s. Lifesaving programs that were still operating around the world were forced to close down immediately.

 

Following a series of lawsuits challenging their constitutional authority to lay off or place on leave thousands of employees and freeze nearly all foreign aid, Rubio and Marocco have defended their actions by arguing that the president has the right to cancel programs, and that they were conducting a careful review of the government’s foreign aid programs to make sure they aligned with Trump’s agenda. The administration says it is rooting out waste and fraud, while Musk has publicly vowed to destroy USAID altogether.

 

However, as ProPublica reported Saturday, officials throughout the government say the process was actually cursory and haphazard, so much so that the programs’ contract officers, who have oversight of individual programs and are aid groups’ primary contacts, had no idea what had been canceled or why.

 

Enrich’s memos offer additional evidence calling into question the administration’s claims in court while projecting the dire consequences that will play out for both the U.S. and vulnerable people around the world.

 

One of the documents said that the sweeping cuts to foreign aid promise to reignite outbreaks of preventable, deadly illnesses; fuel instability in war-torn areas; and put the U.S. at risk for outbreaks of infectious disease. “This will no doubt result in preventable death, destabilization, and threats to national security on a massive scale,” it says.

 

Take tuberculosis, which kills more than 1.25 million people a year and is already the deadliest infectious disease on the planet. New infections are expected to surge by 30% more as a result of the terminations, and disruptions to treatment will cause people to develop drug resistance, making any future treatment options far more difficult and costly, the memo said.

 

That global surge will inevitably lead to more cases in the U.S. USAID staff forecast there would be around 80 additional cases of multi-drug-resistant TB here each year because of the cuts across USAID, the memo added. Even a few dozen cases would cost the U.S. millions in tax dollars; it takes nearly $500,000 on average to treat someone with the most drug-resistant forms of the illness, the memo notes.

 

Enrich’s bureau also warned that the foreign aid cuts will destabilize entire regions around the globe. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the U.S. withdrawal of aid has led health services to collapse as an ongoing conflict flares, the memos noted. They said more than 400 mpox patients were left stranded and that more than a million people face critical shortages of food and water, supplies the U.S. has promised to provide. Malnutrition, cholera and measles are all projected to increase as well.

 

Across the Sahel, the transition zone between Africa’s northern deserts and southern savannahs, malaria season is fast approaching. The U.S. has already purchased mosquito nets, diagnostic tests and treatments that cannot be delivered, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the programs. Canceled programs there and elsewhere are expected to cause between 12 million and 18 million additional malaria infections over the next year, the document estimates.

 

And those infections are likely to be more deadly. Spread via mosquito, malaria is particularly lethal for children under 5. The U.S. was paying to help roll out drugs that are highly effective at preventing children from getting sick or dying. Those programs have been canceled.

 

The potential for death and the spread of disease is not new to Rubio or his top aides who ordered the mass termination of nearly all foreign aid programs, according to the documents and interviews.

 

USAID staff repeatedly lobbied to keep the most critical programs running, sharing specifics about patients served for individual programs and the likely harm of cutting them with political appointees, sometimes on multiple occasions. In response, political leadership “wholly prevented” staff from implementing Rubio’s promise to continue lifesaving aid, according to Enrich’s memo.

 

In public statements and court filings, Rubio and Marocco have said there was a waiver exemption process in place for lifesaving programs to remain funded and online.

 

But behind the scenes, the few employees remaining at USAID struggled to get basic information, like how to submit waivers to Marocco for approval. And when organizations did get an approved waiver, they couldn’t restart work because the administration still hadn’t paid them. (The Trump administration has refused to reimburse almost $2 billion to foreign aid contractors for work they’ve already completed.)

 

Agency staff had no way to send payments to organizations because their access to the financial systems had been severed, one memo said.

 

On Feb. 8, global health staff learned that Rubio planned to cancel many programs the bureau had identified as lifesaving. Those in the bureau appealed to Borkert and Mark Lloyd, an assistant administrator at the agency, to keep those operations alive. (Borkert and Lloyd did not respond to questions about this story.)

 

Lloyd asked for more information. But that same day, staffers in the bureau also received a response from DOGE. “I am hearing that Global Health is conducting supplemental reviews of awards slated for termination by Secretary Rubio and Acting Deputy Administrator Marocco,” DOGE adviser Jeremy Lewin emailed Enrich, according to one of Enrich’s memos. “This is delaying the timely processing of these termination notices and is unacceptable. … Bureaus should not be conducting their own policy and program reviews before acting on these termination instructions.” (Lewin did not respond to questions for this story.)

 

Enrich also said he received written instructions to pause approving waivers for lifesaving humanitarian assistance, a directive he passed along to the rest of his bureau, which had been working to identify the programs that needed money the most.

 

In a subsequent exchange spelled out in one memo that illustrates the frequently conflicting guidance, Enrich said that two political appointees, Tim Meisburger and Laken Rapier, along with Bokert, shouted at him during a Feb. 13 meeting that there had never been a pause, and instructed him to draft another memo to correct the “false narrative in the media that there had ever been a pause” on the bureau’s waivers for lifesaving programs. (Meisburger and Rapier did not respond to questions about this story.)

 

During a meeting on Feb. 24, Meisburger and Lloyd told those in the bureau to not bother trying to submit waivers for programs involving infectious diseases like mpox, polio and Ebola because they wouldn’t be approved, according to Enrich.

 

Then, two days later, the administration suddenly terminated about 10,000 programs across the State Department and USAID. Agency staff responsible for maintaining those contracts say they were not consulted before the move. Enrich immediately reached out to Borkert and others to warn them of the “grave impacts on lifesaving activities,” he said in the memo.

 

Borkert responded, indicating that many of the programs were terminated by mistake. “There is an acknowledgement some may have been sent out in error and we have the ability to rescind,” Borkert wrote to Enrich. “We need to identify what those are.”

 

In recent days, government officials and aid groups have told ProPublica that the administration appears to be trying to reverse-engineer its most sweeping actions to figure out which lifesaving operations were canceled. Staff have been told to report information about terminated contracts to agency leaders. It’s not clear what programs, if any, will be restored.

 

“It is an incompetent mess,” one official said.

 

ProPublica plans to continue covering USAID, the State Department and the consequences of ending U.S. foreign aid. We want to hear from you. Reach out via Signal to reporters Brett Murphy at 508-523-5195 and Anna Maria Barry-Jester at 408-504-8131.