The Daily Agenda: Health Take

health take | Kids' Cell Use Linked to Worse Reading Comprehension

Mike Maybay — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:31:35 GMT

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POLLING

CYCLOSPORA: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Most Americans are following news about the outbreak of cyclospora at least somewhat closely and four in 10 say they are now buying or eating less produce because of it. Women are a bit more likely than men to be doing that, and older people more so than younger.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x7UUor

YOUNG ADULTS: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “About 1 in 6 parents (17%) said their 18- to 25-year-old doesn’t handle any basic healthcare responsibilities on their own, including scheduling needed appointments or providing proof of insurance, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wCOr4X

MORE: Via University of Michigan, more from the poll, including lifestyle issues the parents identified. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4hA3pUy

DRUGS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “There was some uncertainty about the future of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health last year, when the entire 17-member team responsible for it was laid off by the Trump administration. But the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released the latest report Monday, with data that lets researchers look at trends from 2021 to 2025. Fewer adolescents aged 12 to 17 reported using tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and binge drinking in the previous month, the survey found.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4q3DI1b

EBOLA: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “About four in ten adults (38%) say the U.S government is not doing enough to prevent an Ebola outbreak in the U.S., while one in four (23%) say the government is doing enough and 39% say they are not sure. Views are similar when it comes to the U.S. role abroad, with four in ten (40%) saying the government is not doing enough to help fight the outbreak in Africa, while one in five (18%) say the government is doing enough and 42% say they are not sure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hHd23M

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MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)

HEALTH HEADLINES

MED RECORDS: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “A tiny federal agency tasked with protecting the public from injuries caused by lawn mowers and coffeemakers is demanding that some of the nation’s biggest health systems turn over detailed, personally identifiable medical records of all patients who seek help at their emergency rooms. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, responsible for tracking and issuing recalls of dangerous products sold in the U.S., began discreetly pressuring hospital executives this year to share personally identifiable health data with a private contractor. But hospital lawyers and other industry experts have questioned the agency’s authority to collect, its ability to safeguard such a swath of sensitive information, and whether it has followed the legal process to overhaul its surveillance system.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pLgYTk

MEDICAID: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Democratic attorneys general and the Justice Department are facing off for the first time in court Tuesday over the fine line between being sick and being ‘medically frail,’ a distinction that could cost Medicaid recipients their health benefits. At stake is a key part of a new Trump administration rule imposing work requirements on Medicaid, the state-federal health insurer for low-income people, starting in January. How a Boston judge comes down will determine who in Medicaid’s expansion population — typically low-income people without young children — must work, volunteer or go to school for 80 hours a month to keep their benefits.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fYyEHD

FIREFIGHTERS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The physical demands of working 14 hour shifts in extremely hot conditions can take a real toll on the bodies of firefighters working to contain the wildfires that continue to burn in northeast Minnesota. So U.S. Forest Service officials say they place a serious emphasis on the hydration and nutritional needs of crew members.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yMfMTN

FOOD SAFETY: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “The next foodborne illness outbreak could be much worse. That’s the concern of food safety leaders across the U.S. who are raising alarms over federal cuts they say have made it harder to detect and stop the spread of foodborne illnesses, such as the recent outbreaks of cyclospora, which has sickened thousands in dozens of states. And they’re especially worried the next pathogen will be much more deadly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pKZneg

CYCLOSPORA: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on Monday called on Taylor Farms to provide information about its connections with the White House amid a parasitic outbreak potentially linked to the company’s lettuce supply. Garcia wrote a letter to Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor questioning whether the company used its influence on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) investigation into the outbreak.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x2QHCd

HIV FUNDING: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Donor government funding to combat HIV in low- and middle-income countries fell by $2.1 billion in 2025, a 25% decrease from the previous year, according to a new report by KFF and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Total disbursements dropped to $6.2 billion in 2025, down from $8.3 billion in 2024, marking the largest single-year decline since donor funding scale-up began and the lowest funding level since 2007, the report finds.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TYSpX2

ESSENTIA HEALTH SUPPORTS FREE CLINIC IN VIRGINIA, SERVING INCREASED NUMBER OF UNINSURED MINNESOTANS: Every Thursday night, physicians and care team members from Essentia Health-Virginia volunteer at the Project Care Free Clinic, providing treatment, screenings, and preventive care to patients who are uninsured or may be struggling to afford health care premiums. Essentia also provides lab and X-ray services at no cost to the clinic or its patients. Essentia is proud to support the clinic, ensuring everyone in the community can get the care they need. READ MORE: By volunteering at a free clinic, Essentia providers in Virginia ensure access to care for all | Essentia Health (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

IMMUNOTHERAPY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “An international phase 3 study performed at all three Mayo Clinic destination medical centers found that a new immunotherapy helped many patients with an aggressive form of bladder cancer keep their bladder instead of having it surgically removed. The treatment also kept many patients cancer-free for more than two years and caused mostly mild side effects.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x7XPNQ

DIET PILLS: Via NIH, VERBATIM: “Newer oral drugs related to semaglutide medications such as Ozempic reduced pleasure-driven eating in mice by quieting a deep brain reward circuit. The finding could open new avenues for understanding food cravings and potentially treating substance use disorder.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bQ3ksd

BRAIN: Via Baylor, VERBATIM: “A decades-old diabetes drug just got a surprising twist. Scientists have discovered that metformin doesn’t just work in the liver and gut—it also acts directly in the brain, where it taps into a hidden control center for blood sugar. By switching off a protein called Rap1 in a key brain region, the drug activates specific neurons that help lower glucose levels, even at tiny doses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hCucQ9

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

CELL PHONES: Via Phys.org, VERBATIM: “School cellphone bans might seem like a good way to improve learning for elementary school children, but new research published in Behavioral Sciences shows that simply owning a cellphone correlates with worse reading comprehension. Whether a child brings the phone to school made no difference in reading comprehension, the team of UCLA psychologists and researchers found.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xsE9of

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health take | Providers Accused of Gaming Billing Dispute Remedy

Mike Maybay — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:30:44 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

TRUST: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “As Congress considers President Trump’s nomination of Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC, the latest KFF poll finds that about half of the public (51%) express at least a fair amount of trust in the CDC to provide reliable health information, similar to the share who said so in January. The same share (51%) express trust in the FDA, also steady since January. Trust is lower for other sources, with fewer than half of adults saying they trust their state government officials, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., or President Trump to provide reliable health information.”

“Doctors and health care providers stand out as the one source trusted by large majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans alike. However, when it comes to some other sources of health information, partisans diverge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fwprFd

MCCONNELL: Via Daily Mail, VERBATIM: “American voters are demanding answers about Mitch McConnell‘s health after he was loaded into the back of an ambulance and disappeared from the public. A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll found that just 9 percent of voters are very confident the 84-year-old Kentucky senator will survive to the end of his term.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TPELFC

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HEALTH HEADLINES

CYCLOSPORA: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Food and Drug and Administration said Wednesday it is investigating an additional cyclospora outbreak that the agency said has sickened at least 72 people. It is the latest of four continuing cyclospora outbreaks being investigated by the FDA. The largest involves at least 1,644 cases, which have been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and served at Taco Bell in five states.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TfUmyg

TEEN SUICIDE: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Brainerd-Baxter community is grieving after two middle-school students died by suicide within a few weeks. The deaths have sparked difficult conversations about bullying and mental health, along with the roles of schools and communities in protecting young people.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4wXD5rU

MORE: Via Lakeland PBS, the Brainerd School District hosted a public meeting to discuss plans to address student needs. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wkSzGM

PREGNANCY: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has a new plan for teenagers learning about pregnancy: Beginning this summer, it will steer millions of dollars toward organizations that focus on anatomy, fertility tracking, hormonal production and ‘reproductive goals counseling.’ The plan will also emphasize abstinence from sex and the importance of marriage. In doing so, it will pivot away from programs that serve populations in areas with the greatest need and that use particular evidence-based programming to reduce teen pregnancies — and some say the new language puts a greater focus on planning for pregnancy rather than preventing it.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pE7itM

CHILD CARE: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Terri Boettcher knows all too well the challenges of finding care for children with complex mental and developmental health needs . . . Across Minnesota, thousands of families like the ones Boettcher works with wait for months or longer to access care for their children with developmental and mental health challenges. In recent years, the need has been rising, making the availability of care even more scarce. In downtown Minneapolis, a long-awaited expansion of St. David’s Developmental and Therapeutic Services will begin to alleviate the challenge by opening up additional, much-needed classrooms and therapeutic spaces for children with complex mental and developmental health needs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wQNJ3Q

AED: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Essentia Health donated an AED and gave CPR training to the Arrowhead Youth Soccer Association on Wednesday night. Dozens of coaches and parents from the Arrowhead Youth Soccer Association were in attendance, getting hands-on training for CPR and AED use.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wp067m

(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)

INSULIN: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Bipartisan legislation to cap the cost of insulin at $35 for people with private health insurance advanced through a key Senate committee Wednesday, but its future remains uncertain. The measure cleared the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee by a bipartisan 17-5 vote, with six Republicans joining every Democrat on the panel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fEkV7Q

SURPRISE BILLS: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “A controversial process for arbitrating medical billing disputes awarded nearly $15 billion in payouts to healthcare providers last year, according to new federal data analyzed by The Wall Street Journal, more than triple the total for 2024. Doctor groups representing radiologists, anesthesiologists and emergency-room physicians have been among the winners under the setup, which was created under a 2020 law meant to protect patients from surprise medical bills. Insurers have to make the awarded payouts, and they have generally ended up on the losing end since arbitration began four years ago.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fuC97d

MORE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration wants to reform a federal system for resolving medical billing disputes it says is being ‘gamed,’ a Medicare spokesman said Wednesday . . . ‘The system is being gamed to get higher prices, and C.M.S. is actively working to clean it up,’ said Christopher Krepich, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which runs the program and published new data on cases and payments Wednesday. The agency declined to comment on any specific actions officials were pursuing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vPSTvY

DEI: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.” It stated that the Biden administration ‘forced illegal and immoral discrimination’ through diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In an emailed statement, EPA spokesperson Mike Bastasch said the administration is ‘fully committed to being a great steward of taxpayer dollars.’ He added that the “radical agenda” of DEI and environmental justice ‘preferencing’ are not within the agency’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment. Environmental health advocates argue, though, that the decision to cut the grants was not rooted in science.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wp1CX6

MINNEAPOLIS: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Allina Health celebrated the upcoming opening of the Richard M. Schulze Surgical and Critical Care Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, marking the completion of the largest infrastructure project in the organization’s history. The new facility will expand critical care capacity, advance surgical care and enhance the patient and family experience through modern care environments and advanced technology.”

TOMORROW: Allina will host a ribbon cutting at the hospital from Friday.

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

SCIENCE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “President Trump’s science adviser told lawmakers on Wednesday that the Trump administration intended to drastically overhaul the country’s approach to scientific research, including by shifting research funding away from universities toward individual researchers and private companies. At a House hearing, Michael Kratsios echoed points he laid out in a report released Tuesday, titled ‘Science: A New Golden Age.’ He said the administration would prioritize artificial intelligence, robotics and nuclear energy while reducing the government’s focus on what he called ‘life sciences.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fPKy6B

MEDICATION: Via Bora, VERBATIM: “Bora Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (TWSE: 6472; OTCQX: BORAY), a global leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing, and Onconic Therapeutics (KOSDAQ: 476060), a Korea-based biopharmaceutical company, have entered into a manufacturing agreement to support the U.S. clinical development of JAQBO potassium-competitive acid blocker tablets, or P-CAB, treatment for GERD, which affects approximately 20% of the U.S. population . . . Under the agreement, Bora’s newest OSD facility in Maple Grove, Minn., will also support quality control, stability testing, and the preparation of related chemistry, manufacturing, and controls documentation for Onconic’s planned U.S. Phase 3 clinical trial of JAQBO.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wnw43Y

CANCER: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “You may have heard that colorectal cancer is increasingly affecting young adults. However, it is not the only gastrointestinal (GI) cancer that doctors are diagnosing in patients below the age of 50, explains Christina Wu, M.D., an oncologist at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Arizona.” QUOTE: “People under 50 are not too young to develop gastrointestinal cancers,” Dr. Wu says. “If young adults notice new or persistent symptoms, it’s important to get them worked up.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wZt8dM

ANTIBIOTIC: Via Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, VERBATIM: “Scientists have found a way to revive vancomycin, a powerful antibiotic that some dangerous bacteria have learned to resist. Instead of creating an entirely new drug, researchers paired vancomycin with a small molecule called pghi-4, which blocks a bacterial enzyme linked to resistance. The combination restored the antibiotic’s ability to kill drug-resistant E. faecium, raising hopes that similar chemical helpers could rescue other failing medicines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x0vDfP

MINI BRAINS: Via Johns Hopkins, VERBATIM: “Miniature brain models grown from patients’ cells revealed striking differences in how Alzheimer’s-related tissue responds to an antidepressant. The organoids and the particles they release could eventually guide more personalized treatments and provide new clues for diagnosing the disease.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tle0c0

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

SUSTAINABILITY: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Allina Health earned national recognition from Practice Greenhealth for its sustainability efforts. The system and individual sites, including all its hospitals, received awards.”

MORE: Via Practice Greenhealth, the complete lists of winners. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4fwUzV0

health take | FDA Backtracks on Suspected Cyclospora Source

Mike Maybay — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:30:18 GMT

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POLLING

MIDTERMS: Via Ipsos, VERBATIM: “When asked to describe the most important factors influencing their vote in the 2026 midterm elections, the economy and high prices were the most cited issues among registered voters at 54%. Additional voting priorities among registered voters include immigration (28%), Iran/Israel/foreign policy (20%), honesty/ethics/corruption (17%), and health care/abortion (15%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tsc5Cr

DISCRIMINATION: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A 2024 survey found that nearly half of the participants experienced discrimination when accessing healthcare services. Consequently, one in three individuals chose to forgo necessary care. In June, the Minnesota Department of Health’s Health Economics Program published findings from this survey regarding patient experiences with discrimination in healthcare settings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hmNbOv

MORE: Via MDH, from the survey:

READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gQ6K1C

SMOKE: Northern Michigan’s UpNorthLive asked its viewers if they’d experienced health issues related to wildfire smoke – 59% said “yes”. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3RKY4zm

BEANS: Via Humane World for Animals, VERBATIM: “Nearly three in five meat eaters (57%) say they would be willing to replace meat with beans at least once a week, while 62% are open to reducing their overall meat consumption. About two-thirds of meat eaters are concerned about the impact of their meat consumption on household finances/grocery costs (67%), personal health (64%), and animal welfare (64%), while nearly three in five say the same of impact on the environment and climate (58%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yuEaJq

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HEALTH HEADLINES

TOMORROW: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Allina Health will host a special celebration and ribbon-cutting event to mark the opening of the Richard M. Schulze Surgical and Critical Care Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. The new 620,000-square-foot facility expands critical care capacity, advances surgical care and enhances the patient and family experience through modern care environments and advanced technology. The center represents the largest infrastructure investment in Allina Health’s history and includes 190 private patient rooms, advanced surgical suites and a 27,000-square-foot rooftop healing garden. Patients will begin receiving care in the facility on August 29, 2026.”

NEXT WEEK: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, on Aspirus Health‘s closure of the Lake View Silver Bay Clinic. The hearing will be held at the Aspirus Health Lake View Two Harbors Clinic located at 325 11th Ave., Two Harbors, MN 55616.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RlpFqM

MEDIA: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A Delaware judge dismissed UnitedHealth Group’s defamation lawsuit against the Guardian, the U.K. news outlet that published a May 2025 story alleging the Eden Prairie-based health giant made secret payments to reduce costly hospital transfers. In a ruling Monday, Delaware Superior Court Judge Calvin L. Scott, Jr., dismissed all six defamation claims in the lawsuit. In one count, the judge wrote that UnitedHealth Group’s lawsuit ‘cherry picks’ language to allege the Guardian was making claims that weren’t actually part of its report.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yuOHnW

CYCLOSPORA: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “The source of the Cyclospora illness outbreak remains unknown, after the Food and Drug Administration announced Sunday that a previous test identifying the parasite in a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico was not actually contaminated with Cyclospora. The agency reviewed the results and said in a statement it ‘concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.’ On social media, however, the FDA clarified that ‘this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vM18ZP

DOGS + HEAT: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Extreme heat has engulfed most of Minnesota recently, bringing with it a surprising medical trend. According to a local expert, the ‘dog days of summer’ often correspond with a literal rise in dog bites. Dr. Craig Matticks, Medical Director of The Urgency Room in Golden Valley, says the clinic treats patients with dog bite injuries on a weekly basis. This influx tends to spike significantly during the spring and summer months as families and pets spend more time outdoors together.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3TwnXDs

DIGITAL HEALTH: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Upcoming high school senior Clara Rebhan visits her favorite café in West St. Paul, Amore Coffee, to take a break from screens. She meets with friends in the summer or, during the school year, finds a space to sit and do homework assignments at the café. ‘This is definitely a spot that I continue to go to,’ she said. Rebhan is Cheyenne River Lakota and a student at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights. She participates in a club dedicated to digital well-being — a club she will lead when the academic year begins in September.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Tt7kIQ

OPIOIDS: Via Anoka County, VERBATIM: “Anoka County today released a continuing medical education resource on FacesOfHopeAnoka.org, a free online platform created to support efforts to prevent opioid use disorder through sharing educational tools and hopeful stories.” QUOTE: “Prescribing opioids for pain management involves risks, not only for patients, but also for others who may have access to their prescriptions,” said Dr. Susan Ferron who created the program with Dr. Georgia Panopoulos. “These educational resources present a comprehensive approach to effective management of pain that either makes opioid prescribing unnecessary, or includes opioid prescribing that minimizes these risks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fsGA2z

NEXTGEN: Via Fierce Healthcare, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration is moving ahead with a visa rule change that will require some medical trainees to seek government approval to remain in the country long enough to finish their programs. The Department of Homeland Security’s policy change for F, J and I nonimmigrant visas was floated as a draft last August and finalized last week with a Sept. 15 effective date. Medical educators and hospitals say the shift away from the current system—which is referred to as ‘duration of status’ and allows nonimmigrant students to stay for the duration of their education programs—could disrupt physician training, bring new administrative burdens and impact current and future care delivery.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45eLwDn

HIV FUNDING: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration will not renew direct federal funding of community-based organizations that work on HIV prevention, according to multiple groups impacted by the freeze. The move is the latest step in the administration’s push to eliminate funding for DEI-focused initiatives that help the LGBTQ community. But this one directly contradicts the White House’s push to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fqu6bP

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

CLINICAL TRIALS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Network Open found that bringing some or all clinical trial-related activities directly to patients can help overcome barriers that prevent many people from participating. Increased participation and expanded access to research was observed for people in rural communities and underserved populations. The study evaluated Mayo Clinic’s decentralized clinical trials program, which allows many research activities to take place outside a traditional research site through services such as remote informed consent, video visits, in-home blood draws, remote monitoring and home delivery of oral study medications.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vFZau0

WOMEN’S HEALTH: Via Minneapolis-based Visana, VERBATIM: “Visana Health, a virtual 50-state medical group for women, today announced that it has redesigned its annual well-woman visit around a simple idea: women shouldn’t have to choose between a free preventive visit and getting answers to the symptoms affecting their health today. The Complete Women’s Health Visit from Visana combines preventive care, symptom evaluation, and expertise across gynecology, primary care, and endocrinology to help women get answers sooner and leave with a personalized, evidence-based care plan based on their individual health goals.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hqD3Ep

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

FLU: Via European Molecular Biology Laboratory, VERBATIM: “Scientists uncovered how influenza A commandeers human cells, including a surprising strategy that dissolves tiny structures in the nucleus and releases proteins the virus may use to reproduce. The detailed molecular map could reveal new drug targets and help researchers study dangerous flu strains such as H5N1.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wmUg6E

health take | The Daylight Saving Time Health Debate

Mike Maybay — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:30:20 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

FRAUD: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “A majority of voters believe there is at least some fraud in government health programs and most say that addressing fraud would lead to reductions in federal spending overall, though fewer say it would lead to reductions in their own health care costs.”

“Still, larger shares of voters perceive fraud in areas other than health: about half of voters say there is ‘a lot’ of fraud in the federal tax system (52%), federal military and defense contracts (46%), and foreign aid programs (46%), compared to about four in ten who say there is ‘a lot’ of fraud in government health programs such as Medicaid (40%) and Medicare (36%). About three in ten voters say there is ‘a lot’ of fraud in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces (29%), the lowest share of all the areas asked about in this survey.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gH666z

988: Via NAMI, VERBATIM: “The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) marks today’s fourth anniversary of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline with new polling data on 988 and an issue brief around state efforts to bolster 988 and crisis response. The new NAMI poll, conducted with Ipsos, finds a large majority of U.S. adults (74%) are aware of 988 and most would be likely to contact it during a mental health crisis — with young adults, LGBTQ+ individuals, low-income Americans, and parents reporting higher rates of reaching out to 988. The poll also finds strong trust in 988, but highlights opportunities for continued awareness and education efforts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w7H6tN

ICYMI… Tuesday’s health take featured polling that showed only 31% of adults 50 and older are aware of 988. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/44ujNyp

VOTER ISSUES: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Health care costs top the list of voters’ health care priorities for the midterm elections, with half (51%) of all voters and more than half of Democratic (60%) and independent (55%) voters saying the issue is extremely important for candidates to talk about, according to a new KFF Health Tracking Poll. At the same time, Trump administration statements about and actions targeting suspected health care fraud appear to be registering with Republican voters—more than half (55%) of whom say it is extremely important for candidates to discuss the issue of fraud in government health programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45c2JNG

SINGLE PAYER: A poll of voters in the swing state of Michigan found 82.8% support “a single payer system in which everyone was covered by a Medicare style system of health care.” Via Click On Detroit, READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wL4TQf

WORKFORCE: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Medical assistants are some of the first faces you see when visiting the doctor, but a new survey finds it’s getting harder to hire for those positions. The Medical Group Management Association, MGMA, recently released its 2026 Management and Staff Compensation Data Report. According to MGMA polling, 56% of practices said MA hiring became more difficult over the past year, compared with 37% reporting no change and only 7% saying it got easier.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pvlV2E

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HEALTH HEADLINES

BAD AIR: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “At Children’s Minnesota, doctors like Chase Shutak are preparing to treat more kids with smoke-related health problems as the wildfire smoke moves into the Twin Cities metro this week.” QUOTE: “Whenever the air quality worsens, we do see more patients,” Dr. Shutak said. “I’m especially concerned about younger kids. They don’t know when they are overheated,” Shutak said. “They don’t know when they are thirsty. They don’t know when they are necessarily having a hard time breathing. They just want to play. They want to get out there and experience the world.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4f7Q58y

DOC FEES: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A neurosurgeon was recently paid $4,485 to remove a brain tumor, but the doctor’s surgical assistant received a fee from Minnesota’s UnitedHealthcare that was more than 10 times larger — $55,000. The reason? Arbitration rulings under the federal No Surprises Act, which protects patients from high out-of-network bills, are socking health insurers with grossly inflated fees, executives at parent company UnitedHealth Group alleged Thursday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pvfoVG

NOTE: The statement was made during UnitedHealth’s conference call to announce its most recent earnings. You can find those details in today’s lunch take HERE:

ACQUISITION: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “In what could be a portentous signal for the fate of a healthcare mega merger, skeptics from labor unions filled a St. Paul church this week to voice concerns — sometimes raucously so — about the proposed joining of two big nonprofit health systems: Allina Health and Sutter Health. The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General held the first public forum this week on the proposed acquisition of the Upper Midwest’s health giant Allina by the even bigger California system, Sutter Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fFRYJC

MEDICARE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Federal lawmakers are turning up the pressure on UnitedHealthcare and two rival Medicare Advantage insurers over their use of artificial intelligence and their prior authorization rules for post-hospital rehab care. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, and Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, sent letters this week to the CEOs at these insurance companies, demanding more information about their process for denying or approving these coverage requests. The requests come amid intensifying scrutiny of the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yv6nQw

NEXT WEEK: Via States Newsroom, VERBATIM: “Significant changes to Medicaid – the publicly-funded health insurance for people with low incomes – are expected to put new pressures on states, healthcare providers and those who depend on the coverage. Families and individuals are already feeling caught up in unpredictable and confusing changes, at times when they’re dealing with significant health crises. Join healthcare policy experts from KFF and journalists from States Newsroom who cover these issues at the state and national level for an in-depth discussion on the impacts that federal funding cuts, work requirements and state policy are having on healthcare in the U.S.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4wSnie9

TRUMPRX: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “A centerpiece of President Trump’s push to make prescription medicines more affordable is a government website for drug discounts that carries his own name. TrumpRx, launched in February, now boasts 92 deals on brand-name prescription drugs made by pharmaceutical companies that announced highly publicized agreements with the Trump administration. But nearly six months after the website’s launch, those deals on TrumpRx represent fewer than 12% of the more than 800 brand-name drugs made by the participating pharmaceutical companies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ff2h64

CDC: Via Fierce Healthcare, VERBATIM: “Erica Schwartz, M.D., the latest nominee to lead the beleaguered Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told lawmakers on Wednesday that she was committed to scientific integrity and transparency to restore trust in the country’s top public health agency. ‘As CDC director, my sacred responsibility is to provide the American people with public health guidance that is clear, honest and evidence-based. I will never betray the science,’ Schwartz said during a confirmation hearing with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Schwartz is President Donald Trump‘s third CDC nominee in less than two years. The CDC has been rocked by leadership shakeups and turmoil since the start of Trump’s second term.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fIUEoX

ASPR: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, appeared exasperated, at times even livid, during today’s confirmation hearing for Sean Kaufman, MPH. Kaufman, a senior adviser in global affairs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an agency with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kaufman has a track record of vaccine-skeptic positions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wanp4M

ABORTION: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Acting attorney general Todd Blanche pledged on Wednesday to take action to stop abortion medication from being available through the mail. Blanche committed to Republican senators he would prioritize taking action on mifepristone if confirmed but declined to go into specifics.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SWpXVx

VETERANS: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “A sweeping veterans benefits measure pitched by Republicans as a boon for tens of thousands of veterans has instead become a divisive wedge for the normally tight-knit military advocacy community — and split the GOP caucus. The fight over the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, expected to be on the House floor Thursday, threatens to complicate future work on military and veterans reforms, which are frequently viewed as non-controversial political crusades for lawmakers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wOjaM9

HEP C: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “A bipartisan pair of House members is introducing legislation aimed at treating millions of Americans of a deadly-but-curable liver disease, the culmination of a yearslong push from public health advocates.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f7ZNrw

TESTOSTERONE: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “The U.S. military will begin testing the testosterone levels of some service members and recommending hormone therapy if needed, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday. The new policy comes amid a larger push by the Trump administration to promote and expand public access to testosterone replacement therapies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f7HQJD

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

DAYLIGHT SAVING: Via New York Post, VERBATIM: “This week, the House of Representatives passed the ‘Sunshine Protection Act,’ which would make daylight saving time (DST) — the time we use in the summer — permanent, meaning no more twice-a-year clock changes. Beyond doing away with the annoyance of reprogramming the time on your microwave every March and November, this would mean the sun rises one hour later in the winter — and sets one hour later in the evening.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aSZlLg

MORE: Via Today, VERBATIM: “Research has indicated that ditching the biannual clock change would improve public health, regardless of whether daylight saving or standard time is made permanent. Losing an hour in the spring in particular has been linked to increased risk for car accidents and heart attacks, as well as milder effects like headaches.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w7mGRL

TRY AGAIN? Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “In 1973, Congress passed a law instituting permanent daylight saving time for what was supposed to be a trial period from January 1974 to April 1975. It lasted until October, when it was repealed after public outcry. Among the concerns was worry that schoolchildren would have to start the school day without daylight. These days, some school starting times have started to shift later.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RmtGev

CHOLESTEROL: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Food and Drug Administration approved a daily pill on Thursday that can lower cholesterol levels far below what can be achieved with statins, the cheap cholesterol-reducing pills. The drug, enlicitide, whose brand name is Lipfendra, is made by the pharmaceutical company Merck. Clinical trials have shown that it can bring levels of LDL — the dangerous type of cholesterol — down to 50 or 60 or even lower. Adults not taking cholesterol-lowering drugs usually have levels above 100.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yhDuaa

GLP-1: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Why do some people lose substantial weight with GLP-1-based medications while others see more modest results? A Mayo Clinic study offers a potential answer by identifying a distinct biological subtype of obesity that responds especially well to tirzepatide, a medication that mimics two naturally occurring hormones involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation, moving the field closer to precision medicine for obesity.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TEOPRH

GRANT: Via UofM, VERBATIM: “A University of Minnesota Medical School research team received a 5-year, $10 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to discover new ways that animals fight virus infections. This has the potential to be translated into novel therapies against emerging viruses in humans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ypHNQV

SALUDA: Via Bloomington-based Saluda, VERBATIM: “Saluda Medical, Inc. (ASX: SLD), a commercial‑stage medical device company advancing closed‑loop neuromodulation for chronic neurological conditions, today announced the first U.S. surgical cases using the newly FDA‑approved Evoke® CAP24 paddle lead.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aSS8Lc

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

GECKO: Via University of Nottingham, VERBATIM: “An unusual leopard gecko that naturally develops aggressive tumors may become an important new model for cancer research. Scientists found its tumors share key genetic changes with human cancers, offering a rare opportunity to study the disease as it develops naturally.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RBg7rE

FROGS: Via University College London, VERBATIM: “A deadly fungus has wiped out amphibian populations around the globe, yet some mysteriously recover. Researchers discovered that survivors develop powerful immune defenses while they are still tadpoles, giving them a head start before the fungus can attack after metamorphosis. The study also uncovered a vast collection of previously unknown antimicrobial peptides that could someday inspire new drugs to fight infections.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pJil57

health take | CDC's "Significant Undercount" of Cyclospora Cases

Mike Maybay — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:30:10 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

HEALTHCARE: Via Searchlight Institute, VERBATIM: “The Searchlight Institute recently partnered with the progressive new media organization Zeteo to field a joint survey regarding the level of government involvement voters would prefer in the American health care system . . . We find that majorities of voters support the government covering many additional forms of health care. At the same time, majorities of voters also hold mixed or lukewarm attitudes about the very progressive proposals that would empower the federal government to administer national public health insurance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44pLE2G

MORE: Via Zeteo, VERBATIM: “Our joint survey, conducted by Tavern Research, found single-payer proposals received either majority or plurality support, depending on how they were worded. The poll found strong support for the idea of having the government cover a variety of healthcare costs. It also found widespread skepticism about the government’s ability to run a national healthcare program, even though many Americans already get health insurance through the government.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3T4L0oM

988: Via WILX-TV, VERBATIM: “Four years after the nationwide launch of the 988 Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, a new University of Michigan poll finds that many middle-aged and older adults remain unaware of the free service. Among adults aged 50 and older, 31% said they have never heard of any mental health crisis line. Since its launch, Americans have dialed or texted 988 a total of 26 million times.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4bnTGwK

MORE: Via University of Michigan, from the poll:

SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3RBb9ev

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HEALTH HEADLINES

NEXT WEEK: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “At 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 21, three experts will join Health Wonk Shop series moderator Larry Levitt in an hour-long discussion of health care affordability. During the discussion, panelists will consider affordability from a variety of perspectives, including how to define affordability and the question of affordability for whom, how to measure it, and what can be done to address affordability and the underlying cost of health care.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3TzTLat

CYCLOSPORA: Via U.S. News & World Report, VERBATIM: “The federal government may be in the process of learning that it’s hard to control what you choose not to observe. In this case it’s cyclospora, a parasite that can infect humans and cause what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refers to as ‘explosive bowel movements.’ The CDC says it knows of 843 cases of cyclosporiasis across 31 states. But a look at data collected by state shows that’s a significant undercount.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wNKQkl

MORE: The Minnesota Department of Health has not reported any cases here related to the current outbreak. However, we do get them. DATA: https://fluence-media.co/4bCmMZh

POSSIBLE SOURCE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “In a news release issued Monday, health officials in Michigan identified a possible source of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an illness resulting from infection with the parasite cyclospora, which is transmitted through food and water contaminated with feces. ‘Current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for this outbreak,’ officials said via the release, though they cautioned that the source was not yet definitive, and that other food items could not be ruled out. They also did not specify a grower or supplier.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aQJZGZ

BLOOD: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “The American Red Cross is declaring an emergency blood shortage as the blood supply fell nearly 25% in June. American Red Cross officials say blood donors are urgently needed to give now to help ensure patients receive lifesaving medical care without delay. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and types O positive and B negative blood.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gDEkI6

MORE: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “As an additional incentive to give blood, the Red Cross is rewarding people who donate blood July 13-31 with a Fandango Movie Ticket.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w45oVy

TRANS CARE: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration is abandoning its most aggressive attempt to end gender-affirming care for youth nationally, according to an official document obtained by NPR. The document shows that the Department of Health and Human Services will not be finalizing a proposed rule that would have blocked all Medicaid and Medicare funding for hospitals that provide pediatric gender-affirming care.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3Rhmb8t

FRAUD: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “The federal watchdog for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) generated $5.56 billion in expected recoveries and projected savings over a six-month period, according to a report issued Monday, and it barred just more than 1,200 individuals and companies from federal programs. The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), in a semiannual report to Congress, said it returned $12.70 for every dollar it spent between October 2025 through March 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4feztuj

TYLENOL: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “A U.S. appeals court on Monday reversed a trial judge’s decision to dismiss lawsuits against the makers of Tylenol, reviving hundreds of cases filed by families who claim that their children developed autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after their mothers took Tylenol during pregnancy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ffhm7Q

VIRGINIA: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “A free medical clinic in Virginia opens its doors every Thursday evening, offering care to anyone in the community regardless of their ability to pay. Project Care Free Clinic, which has operated since 2011, is staffed by about a dozen volunteers, including Essentia Health providers, like Dr. Lisa Seeber.” SEEBER: “This is why I went into medicine, and there’s no other reason to be here providing medical care for people unless you’re gonna do it for the people who really need it.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4wIEUJo

ABUSE PREVENTION: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has released new tools for parents and caregivers aimed at preventing and identifying abuse in infants age 6 months and younger. The Minnesota Legislature passed Statute 144.124 in 2025, which directed MDH to make resources available to educate parents and caregivers on the signs of physical abuse in infants and how to report it.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vtjw9K

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

STUDY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Researchers at Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, have developed a real-time monitoring system designed to give transplant teams a more complete picture of a donor liver’s health during machine perfusion. Published in Nature Communications, the study represents an important step toward more accurate evaluation of donor livers, laying the groundwork for future advances in organ preservation and transplantation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wO2OTT

OPIOIDS: Via Minnesota News Connection, VERBATIM: “Minnesota and other states are trying to sustain recent progress in reducing opioid overdose deaths, even as response leaders say front line teams are being asked to do a lot with limited resources. In Minnesota, opioid overdose deaths have fallen sharply from recent pandemic-era spikes, mirroring national data but rates remain higher than they were before COVID-19. Dr. Karen Scott, president of the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts, said partners are still trying to address teens’ access to counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. The foundation’s recent grant awards emphasize organizations affected populations often turn to first.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pl5568

INNOVATION: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Innovation is often viewed as the domain of entrepreneurs, engineers and technology companies. Mayo Clinic is challenging that notion by teaching innovation as a practical skill that healthcare professionals can learn, apply and use to improve patient care. Through its growing Biodesign educational initiatives, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science is training clinicians, trainees and students to identify unmet needs in healthcare and develop solutions using a structured, evidence-based methodology.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ymmHD0

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

GLP-1: Via UC-San Diego, VERBATIM: “Researchers found that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, slowed biological aging markers in adults with HIV, marking the first clinical evidence that the drug may influence human aging. Although the findings are encouraging, scientists say larger studies are needed before concluding that the medication can help people age more slowly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R6VO5f

EXERCISE: Via University of Bristol, VERBATIM: “Regular exercise may benefit the heart in a way scientists are only beginning to understand. Beyond improving cardiovascular fitness, new research suggests that moderate aerobic exercise reshapes the nerves that regulate the heart. The findings could eventually help doctors develop more precise treatments for common heart conditions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4525PUr

health take | Health Cuts as a 2026 Election Issue

Mike Maybay — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:31:19 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription

POLLING

POT: Via Marijuana Moment, VERBATIM: “As a hearing on Trump administration’s federal marijuana rescheduling proposal proceeds this month, a new poll shows that most cannabis consumers aren’t optimistic that reform will be fully implemented by the end of the year . . . A majority—52.5 percent—said they do not think full cannabis rescheduling will happen by the end of the year, while 47.5 percent said they do expect to see the reform announced by then.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f2QCbT

POT V. BOOZE: Via Crescent Canna, VERBATIM: “Crescent Canna fielded its second annual THC Beverage Consumer Survey from May 29 to June 11, 2026, hearing back from 1,637 adults 21+ who have tried a THC beverage at least once.”

“Only 0.5% said they are consuming more alcohol. Another 1.4% were already nondrinkers before they tried a THC beverage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RuoRzI

(DISCLOSURE: Plift is a Fluence client)

VACCINE MYTHS: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Over the past several years, fewer than one in ten adults have said each of these myths are ‘definitely true,’ while much larger shares (but fewer than half of adults) say they are ‘definitely false.’”

“At the same time, at least half consistently fall in the ‘malleable middle,’ expressing some uncertainty and saying the myths are either ‘probably true’ or ‘probably false.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eSdEC5

AI: Via Black Book, VERBATIM: “Black Book Research today released findings from its AI in the EHR Adoption Readiness Poll, a 507-respondent assessment of healthcare executives, informatics leaders and clinical operations respondents fielded in Q2-Q3 2026. The poll finds that AI has moved from strategic conversation into active EHR workflows, but most healthcare organizations have not yet built the operating model required to scale it safely, consistently and measurably.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SI283H

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HEALTH HEADLINES

LIST: Via Journo Research, Minnesota tied for 4^th in a ranking of the best states for hospital care. Wisconsin ranked first. VERBATIM: “In Minnesota, more rural facilities have higher reviews from patients, including Aitkin, Crookston, Fairmont, Glencoe, Glenwood, Fergus Falls, Mora, and Park Rapids, which all have 5-star hospitals according to patients.”

MERGERS: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, community members expressed concern over two potential hospital mergers that would shake up the Twin Cities healthcare landscape. The healthcare workers, union members and faith leaders are citing out-of-state control and affordability, including the California-based Sutter Health and Minneapolis-based Allina Health deal announced in May. That same month, South Dakota-based Sanford Health and Twin Cities-based North Memorial Health also said it was planning to merge into a single nonprofit system.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3T72xfZ

CHILD CARE: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced over $1.4 million in child care economic development grants. Awarded to 11 programs and organizations around the state, the grants are projected to support the creation of more than 1,100 new child care slots. More than 80% of the awarded funds will go toward programs in Greater Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pdMadH

MENTAL HEALTH: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Earlier this year, Corey Sauer read an article in the Pioneer Press explaining that without about half a million dollars, state funding cuts would cause the closure by June 30 of two ‘clubhouse’ programs for people with severe and persistent mental illness. Sauer, a retired cartoonist who serves on the board of his family’s foundation, decided that he had the means and the motivation to keep the centers open at least a little bit longer. The clubhouses, operated by Vail Communities, serve as drop-in sites where people with mental illness can socialize, take part in structured activities and find meaningful employment.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vmubDm

HEALTHCARE: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “More Americans get health coverage through work than any other source — that’s more than 154 million people. And, the costs keep rising. While employers bear most of that burden, workers also feel the pressure in the premium deductions in every paycheck and higher deductibles. The total premium for a family plan now averages $27,000 a year, according to KFF’s latest annual Employer Health Benefits Survey. That’s enough to buy a new Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Every. Single. Year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h4W9ji

ACA: The Wall Street Journal lists BCBS Minnesota among major insurers with Affordable Care Act rate hikes in 2026 – its rates rose 19% with a request to increase another 10% in 2027. VERBATIM: “ACA insurers said they are dealing with the same factors that pushed premiums up in 2026. Healthcare spending, including on pharmaceuticals and hospitals, is still rising rapidly. At the same time, insurers said they expect the impact of reduced federal subsidies, which kicked in at the start of 2026, to roll through next year as well.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wzBI2y

2026 ELECTION: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “One of the most-watched House races in the country is setting the stage for how Democrats and Republicans will battle over federal health care cuts on the campaign trail. Swing seat GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, facing a tough reelection campaign against a moderate Democratic opponent, is being bombarded by attacks over his vote for President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy package, which cut Medicaid spending by nearly $1 trillion over a decade.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QKEHpN

HIV/AIDS: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Five faith-based organizations are calling on the White House to release funding for HIV/AIDS prevention abroad that Congress already appropriated. In a letter sent to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the groups urged full funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and Gavi.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vTEOhM

COVID VACCINE: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is preparing to make it easier for people to claim that they were injured by a Covid-19 vaccine and receive compensation. Kennedy is set to start the process of compiling a list of injuries that are presumed to be caused by Covid shots. People with those conditions could then ask for compensation from the government.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vwRRoI

OUTBREAK: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Nearly 1,000 people in Michigan have been diagnosed with a parasitic infection that can cause weeks of watery diarrhea, making it the largest such outbreak in state history and one of the nation’s largest in years. No deaths have been reported and the source of the cyclospora infections hasn’t been identified. Meanwhile, investigations into similar illnesses have been going on in 28 other states, including in Ohio, where people just across the Michigan border are also becoming sick.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eTVlMX

MORE: The most recent data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows we had 73 Cyclospora cases in 2024. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4eVcVQG

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

CLUES: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “By the time a disease is diagnosed, it may have been developing silently for years. Along the way, the body leaves clues: proteins shift, metabolism changes, immune responses evolve, and environmental exposures leave measurable traces. Until recently, many of these early signals were impossible to detect. Mayo Clinic researchers are now charting that hidden period between health and disease — a new frontier in medicine that could transform how conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic liver disease and chronic kidney disease are identified and intercepted before symptoms emerge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44hnJT0

CANCER TREATMENT: Via GE HealthCare, VERBATIM: “GE HealthCare and Mayo Clinic today announced the MI-BET (Molecular Imaging Biomarker-Based End of Therapy Trial) research collaboration, a novel theranostics study designed to explore a more personalized approach to radioligand therapy (RLT) for patients with advanced prostate cancer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R4ieUI

CANCER DRUGS: Via University of Warwick, VERBATIM: “Researchers have cracked the code behind bacteria’s ability to naturally manufacture multiple versions of powerful anti-cancer drugs. The discovery could make it much easier to engineer new cancer treatments inspired by nature, including improved versions of existing medicines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4frMW3l

VISION: Via Johns Hopkins, VERBATIM: “A surprising discovery is reshaping scientists’ understanding of how humans develop sharp central vision before birth. Instead of blue cone cells migrating away from the retina’s center, the study found they transform into red and green cones under the influence of vitamin A-related signals and thyroid hormones. The findings could improve lab-grown retinal tissue and lay the groundwork for future cell therapies to restore vision lost to age-related eye diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QP25m1

NEXTGEN: A student from Eden Prairie is among 15 recipients of UCB’s Myasthenia Gravis Scholarship “who are living with myasthenia gravis (MG) or supporting a loved one impacted by the disease.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fqV1VU

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

BOOK: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Minnesota has long been a leader in environmental health, and few people know that story better than Lindsay Dahl. A Minnesota native and St. Olaf graduate, Dahl has spent more than two decades advocating for stronger protections against harmful chemicals, helping pass more than 30 state and federal laws—including playing a key role in the most significant update to federal chemical safety legislation in 40 years. We spoke with Dahl about her new book, ‘Cleaning House: The Fight to Rid Our Homes of Toxic Chemicals,’ the power of finding common ground, and why change often starts close to home.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QMfifr

health take | Judge Sidelines New K-12 Health Ed Standards

Mike Maybay — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:30:36 GMT

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POLLING

GLP-1: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “The percentage of U.S. adults who currently take GLP-1 medications for weight loss purposes has risen to 11% in 2026, up significantly from 3% in 2024. And 15% report having used the medicine for weight loss at some point, an increase of nine percentage points . . . After peaking at a record high of 39.9% in 2022, the U.S. adult obesity rate has gradually dropped to 36.4% thus far in 2026, a statistically meaningful decline that continues to inversely track with increased usage of GLP-1 medicine nationally.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w9aZu5

EBOLA: Via Independent, VERBATIM: “Three quarters of Americans support restoring US disease prevention aid to help contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, according to new polling, despite the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to foreign aid last year. The survey, conducted by Echelon Insights on behalf of The Rockefeller Foundation, found that 75 per cent of respondents backed restoring funding to tackle the outbreak.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vdOORR

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HEALTH HEADLINES

TODAY: Via SEIU MN, VERBATIM: “Tuesday, July 7th, at 5:15 p.m., union healthcare workers, faith leaders, and community members will speak out about their shared demands for a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) ahead of a forum organized regarding the proposed acquisition of North Memorial by Sanford Health. Speakers will share details of the proposed CBA, which is also being demanded of the leaders of Sutter Health, who are trying to acquire Allina Health. Speakers will speak about the agreements they want to see before any acquisition, including demands that include protections for workers and patients and continued healthcare access for Minnesota communities.”

HEALTHCARE: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “MNsure health insurance enrollment dropped by more than 17,000 in May 2026 compared to May 2025. The dip in insurance coverage offered on MNsure — the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace — mirrors a nationwide trend in 2026. The drop in coverage was expected after most Republican senators blocked Democratic efforts to extend extra federal subsidies that offset the cost of health care premiums — what people pay upfront to be insured — for millions of Americans since 2021.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RlmM9i

MORE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “States across the country saw steep drops in the number of people covered by the Affordable Care Act over the past year, with Ohio and Oklahoma each losing nearly one-third of enrollees, according to new federal data that provides the first complete 50-state breakdown of sharp enrollment declines following the January expiration of enhanced subsidies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bxB5hN

HEALTH ED: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota officials hoped to phase in the state’s first-ever statewide K-12 health education standards by 2028, but that timeline is in jeopardy now after an administrative law judge objected to the state’s plan to implement the proposed standards. Dozens of educators, students and experts spent months putting together the new standards, which also include guidance on teaching CPR, nutrition, consent, media literacy and puberty as well as preventing abuse, pregnancy and suicide.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aHm78D

E-BIKES: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Sales of electric-assisted bicycles known as e-bikes are skyrocketing. Injuries to e-bike riders are rising too . . . The dramatic rise prompted AAA Minnesota, in concert with 13 other auto club groups, to take the lead in publishing the new ‘AAA E-Ride Safety Guide: What Parents and Riders Need to Know About Electric Bikes and Scooters.’ The 16-page brochure can be downloaded for free and is the first of a three-phase campaign to address e-bike and e-scooter safety.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R0MmQE

MORE: Via AAA, the guide. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4h0jAu0

MEDICAID: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “State Medicaid agencies are concerned that many sick and disabled enrollees will lose their coverage because the Trump administration is narrowing the definition of who is ‘medically frail’ enough to get an exemption from new work requirements. Under the tax and spending law President Donald Trump signed a year ago, states that have expanded Medicaid to cover more adults under the Affordable Care Act — 40 states plus the District of Columbia — must mandate that those adults work, go to school or volunteer for at least 80 hours a month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gpSKLR

TASK FORCE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “For the fourth time, the Trump administration has prevented an important public health panel from meeting as planned. The panel, the United States Preventive Services Task Force, has not met in person since March 2025. It typically meets three times a year to review scientific evidence for tests and medications to prevent conditions like cancer, diabetes and H.I.V. The panel’s recommendations guide doctors and determine what insurance companies cover for millions of Americans. But under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., it has been stymied, with little ability to make new recommendations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44cSNDp

RFK JR: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Dr. Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), decried the direction of the agency under Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘I think the secretary has caused a lot of irreparable harm, and when you look at many of the polls out there, the trust in public health, specifically CDC, has decreased dramatically, over 20 points in many polls,’ Houry told host Margaret Brennan in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS News’s ‘Face the Nation.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eQMTxY

SMOKING: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 14-year ad campaign, called Tips From Former Smokers, was highly memorable and, research shows, highly effective in motivating people to quit. Last year, though, as tobacco companies gave millions to political organizations related to the Trump administration, the campaign went dark.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SNgtvC

AMID RURAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, ESSENTIA HEALTH INVESTS IN NEW IRON RANGE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: Essentia Health is investing in a $13 million project to remodel and expand its emergency department in Virginia. With support from the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board and philanthropic partners, the project will improve emergency care and mental health resources through new technology, safety and security measures, and a behavioral health suite. READ MORE: Essentia expands Iron Range emergency room (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

MEDTECH: Via Fast Company, VERBATIM: “Whether designing a pair of robot pants or a prosthetic limb or a healthcare app, it’s important that people feel they’re getting a personalized upgrade—not just a solution. Consider prosthetic limbs. While this century has seen huge advancements in design and functionality, the not-so-distant future will deliver individualized, customized limbs that very much resemble and function like natural limbs for people, says Jeremy Brown, an associate professor at the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4p6eRt3

MEDTRONIC: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Medtronic’s latest quest for growth has focused on a key area: acquiring companies to quickly expand into new markets. To do that, it made more acquisitions in the past year than it had in the previous five, which was driven in part by trying to please some of the company’s new, aggressive shareholders. But amid the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and the separation of its diabetes business MiniMed last year through a public offering, the medtech giant has also dedicated considerable resources to investing in its own research and development (R&D). Medtronic’s focus on its cardiovascular business has shown a lot of promise, capped off by a record-setting revenue report at the end of the company’s fiscal year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fnhaV9

PULMONARY FIBROSIS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Researchers have validated a genetic scoring tool that may help physicians diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and identify which patients are at greatest risk for severe outcomes, including death or the need for a lung transplant. The findings come from a new international study of more than 570,000 people co-led by Mayo Clinic and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aBHoAK

FAST WALKING: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “Crossword puzzles and brain teasers have long been touted as ways to keep the mind sharp. But a new study points to another strategy that may matter just as much: staying fast on your feet. Researchers have found that people in their 80s who maintain an exceptionally quick walking pace, dubbed ‘super movers,’ are also far more likely to stay mentally sharp compared to their slower-moving peers of the same age.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4aIz4yZ

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

ALZHEIMER’S: Via King’s College London, VERBATIM: “Researchers have identified a previously overlooked mechanism of brain cell death that appears to play a major role in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. The finding could lead to new treatments aimed at slowing neuron loss by interrupting the process before cells are destroyed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vVRiFO

POLLEN: Via Northwestern University, VERBATIM: “Scientists have finally solved a nearly 30-year-old mystery surrounding two unusual molecules found in rye pollen that once showed an intriguing ability to help animals fight tumors. By determining their exact 3D structures, researchers have unlocked the blueprint needed to investigate how these natural compounds interact with the immune system and which parts may be responsible for their cancer-fighting effects.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gYwnNA

health take | The People Reducing Overdoses in North Minneapolis

Mike Maybay — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:30:25 GMT

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POLLING

HEALTH CARE: Via YouGov, VERBATIM: “About half (52%) of Americans support eliminating private health insurance companies and replacing them with a national health plan in which all Americans get their health insurance from the federal government. Only 30%) oppose such a plan. Such a proposal would draw support from most Democrats (73% vs. 13% who oppose) and a majority of Independents (54% vs. 22%). Republicans are much less likely to support such a proposal, but only a bit more than half would oppose it (30% support vs. 54% who oppose).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v7dnzW

RURAL HEALTH: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “People living in rural America are more likely to view cancer as a death sentence, a new survey reports. About 43% of people living in rural areas say a cancer diagnosis means inevitable death, compared to 35% of people in urban or suburban locales, according to the new poll from the Prevent Cancer Foundation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eSIJnR

DRY EYES: Via Optometry Times, VERBATIM: “Bausch + Lomb Corporation released findings from its third annual State of Dry Eye survey, showing that dry eye symptoms affect not only physical comfort but also patients’ emotional wellbeing . . . According to the survey, one in five sufferers reported that dry eye symptoms affect their self-confidence (22%) and emotional wellbeing (20%). About one in three said symptoms affect their stress or anxiety levels (33%), while nearly three in ten reported effects on productivity (29%) and mood (28%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oZXDNP

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HEALTH HEADLINES

OPIOIDS: Via Minnesota Department of Health, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health, in partnership with Hennepin Healthcare, is helping Minnesotans manage their pain without opioids. NOPAIN MN is a comprehensive, searchable public resource that maps the locations of non-opioid pain management providers across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b3ez02 MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4aA6LTr

MPLS: Via MPR, the story of . . . VERBATIM: “ . . . an informal but vital overdose response network across north Minneapolis made up largely of healthcare providers, community coalitions, a fire station and neighbors equipped with naloxone. Collectively, advocates say it has helped address the opioid crisis that has gripped the area in the years during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. A data analysis by MPR News found the number of people going to the emergency room with opioid-related illness decreased in north Minneapolis.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eTRyO9

KRATOM: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday took steps to temporarily ban supplements containing a synthetic version of kratom, a plan that had been sought by makers of a rival product with strong ties to the Trump administration. The agency said it plans to classify an addictive psychoactive compound called 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, in the same category as heroin and LSD — drugs that are illegal to buy or sell.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gXYHQ6

HIJABS: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “In most cases when going into surgery, patients are typically given a bouffant cap. However, those caps are typically see-through and do not provide enough coverage for those who practice religious modesty. North Memorial system director Jessi Kingston said a staff member asked if there was a disposable option the hospital could provide, then she got to work.” READ/PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4ygUUnw

RURAL EMS: Via MPR, the story of a farm worker who recently thanked the paramedics who responded to his accident. VERBATIM: “But he might want to thank Minnesota lawmakers, too, because they authorized a pilot program in Grant County that speeds up paramedics’ response times and gets them to the site of emergencies in rural areas more quickly. It’s called the Sprint Medic program — a two-year state funded pilot to test the efficiency of roving paramedics in rural Minnesota. It’s part of a bill that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed in 2024 to aid rural emergency medical services in the midst of long-running workforce shortages.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4vk5IP6

ABORTION: Via States Newsroom, VERBATIM: “Republicans celebrated last year when they barred Medicaid payments from going to Planned Parenthood for one year, predicting the financial impact would hollow out the organization. A year later, with that section of the ‘big, beautiful’ law set to expire July 4, GOP lawmakers are trying to find a way to keep the nationwide prohibition in place, though they won’t be able to accomplish that before the deadline.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44doegO

RADIATION: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “The federal government is proposing to overhaul radiation safety regulations for nuclear power, including by eliminating a long-term principle for nuclear safety. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) this week proposed to get rid of the requirement for nuclear plants to ensure that radiation exposure is ‘as low as is reasonably achievable.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/444OoSZ

LIFE EXPECTANCY: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “New mortality data from the federal government suggests that life expectancy probably hit another record high in 2025, as death rates have continued to fall since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were about 689 deaths for every 100,000 people in the US in 2025, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the lowest rate recorded in more than a century of tracking.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vLj2Np

RESEARCH

STUDY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “A new Mayo Clinic study shows that integrating telomere length evaluation and genetic testing into pulmonary care can significantly change how physicians diagnose and treat pulmonary fibrosis — in some cases even redirecting the course of care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fgeZTi

BRAIN: Via Virginia Tech, VERBATIM: “A surprising discovery is overturning a long-held assumption about how the brain’s movement center works. Researchers found that two key cerebellar cell types—thought to be tightly linked—often don’t behave in predictable ways, even though one directly influences the other. The finding suggests scientists may have been relying on the wrong signals when studying disorders such as dystonia, ataxia, and tremor.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f0aI57

EPILEPSY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic researchers have created a detailed map of the pulvinar, a deep brain region that could help doctors more precisely target brain stimulation therapies for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveal that brain regions separated by only a few millimeters connect to entirely different brain networks. The discovery provides a blueprint for placing electrodes more precisely during deep brain stimulation, an emerging treatment for epilepsy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4paG1yP

VITAMIN C: Via PLOS, VERBATIM: “Could something as simple as vitamin C help support a healthier aging brain? In a study of more than 2,000 older adults in Japan, researchers found that people with lower vitamin C levels in their blood also tended to have less gray matter and weaker connections in a key brain network involved in memory, attention, and other cognitive functions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4paFuNl

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

RECOVERY: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, the Brainerd Lakes Area played host to the first ever Northern Minnesota Recovery Summit. Held at the Gichi-ziibi Center, the full-day event brought together individuals in recovery, their loved ones, healthcare officials, and the community.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4eIp9fn

health take | 3 Million Fewer Enrolled in ACA

Mike Maybay — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:17 GMT

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POLLING

VACCINES: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “With childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. continuing to decline as measles cases rise across the U.S., KFF’s latest Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust shows that several commonly circulated vaccine myths remain pervasive among the public. Many adults say they have heard false claims about the measles and COVID-19 vaccines, including that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines have been proven to cause autism in children (66%), that more people have died from the COVID-19 vaccines than the virus (46%), that mRNA vaccines can alter DNA (36%), or that measles vaccines are more dangerous than measles itself (29%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vF8q2B

SCAMS: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Six percent of U.S. adults (an estimated 15 million people) report being personally scammed in 2025. An additional 4% of adults say that while they themselves were not scammed, another member of their household was.”

“The emotional toll is pervasive among people who were directly targeted as well as those who live with someone who was scammed. Among adults whose household member (rather than themselves) was the primary scam victim, a majority (65%) still reported a negative impact on their own wellbeing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aqgaNh

YOUNG ADULTS: Via News Medical, VERBATIM: “A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds young adults are missing out on the health benefits of having a primary care doctor. The national poll of 1,006 adults found only 71% of adults ages 18-29 have a primary care doctor compared with 97% of adults age 65 and older. Among younger adults who do have a doctor, only 47% have had a checkup in the past year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fdumf6

MAHA: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “This spring, [The Politico Poll] asked Americans 10 questions on whether they support or oppose four major pillars of MAHA: reducing the number of vaccines Americans receive; cleaning up American diets and increasing exercise; reducing exposure to pesticides or other harmful chemicals; and limiting the influence of pharmaceutical companies. The results show that the ‘MAHA’ umbrella includes people with opposing ideologies and different politics, even around health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3StGmR5

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HEALTH HEADLINES

TOMORROW: Via Pioneer Press, VERBATIM: “Starting on Wednesday, social media users in Minnesota will begin to see pop-up health warnings on their screens whenever they log on to platforms like TikTok, Facebook or Instagram — unless a judge sides with the companies in an ongoing lawsuit. Minnesota will be the fourth state to enact a law requiring social media companies to display a ‘conspicuous mental health warning label’ for users. Backers say excessive social media use can feed into depression, anxiety and social isolation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vHkOix

THIS WEEKEND: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “If you’re planning to shoot off a Roman candle in your backyard this week to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday, a word of advice: be careful.” QUOTE: “Wear gloves, wear eye protection, keep kids away from them whenever possible,” says Minnesota Medical Association President, Dr. Lisa Mattson. “Try and have the right equipment so that when they go off, they’re going off in the direction, and not heading towards a group of kids or a group of people.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4f9UW90

MEDICAID: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “It may sound like semantics for policy wonks, but the definition of a term will deeply impact Minnesota’s race to conform with federal Medicaid mandates. The phrase in question is ‘medical frailty.’ As part of changes brought on by the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was tasked with defining it before a June 1 deadline. This determination impacts who will be exempt from new Medicaid work requirements. Minnesota and other state leaders, needing the information to start implementing the policy, were closely watching the agency’s decision. This month they learned the definition will be far stricter than expected.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oVxr75

MENTAL HOSPITAL: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Capitol Park Mental Health Hospital in St. Paul opened last fall amid great hope, because it was adding desperately needed inpatient beds to Minnesota’s strained system of psychiatric care. Less than a year later, current and former employees say the standalone psychiatric hospital is struggling to provide safety for staff and proper care for some of its most vulnerable patients.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SylUOY

MAYO: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “In September 2025, Mayo Clinic Health System announced the closure of Caledonia’s clinic and five others in rural communities: Belle Plaine, Montgomery, St. Peter, North Mankato and Wells. The changes also included some service reductions at Mayo Clinic Health System’s hospital campus in Albert Lea. ‘What you see when you talk to people,’ said Steve Tufte, treasurer of the Albert Lea Healthcare Coalition, ‘is they express frustration with the drive it takes to go have an actual visit with someone, and then how far out things are getting pushed now.’ For Caledonia and Montgomery, a town of 3,200 in the lake country between Mankato and the Twin Cities metro, the move left them without another healthcare system-affiliated clinic in town.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fcszHi

PRISONS: via DHS advisory, VERBATIM: “Minnesota is pursuing a new initiative that will enable people who are incarcerated to access behavioral health services through Medicaid in the months leading up to their release. … The first phase of Minnesota’s demonstration will involve three state prisons, four county jails and one Tribal detention center. … The Department of Human Services is also administering $2.5 million in grant funding to ensure that participating sites have the operational, clinical and technical capacity to deliver Medicaid-covered services.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44yl2MS

DC + HEALTH

ACA: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data. In the report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or ‘phantom’ enrollment. But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gPUi1D

MEDICARE: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Sen. Ron Wyden and 14 Democratic co-sponsors plan to introduce legislation Thursday to cap consumers’ potential out-of-pocket costs in traditional Medicare, resurfacing a long-running debate over why the program doesn’t limit beneficiary spending. Even the bill’s backers say securing passage this year is a long shot. But the effort is one more opportunity for Democrats to highlight voters’ frustration about healthcare costs leading into the November election.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gblsjr

AI: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Healthcare AI is evolving beyond predicting outcomes to helping clinicians and researchers make informed decisions. This shift was a key focus of Mayo Clinic‘s AI Research Summit, where more than 750 researchers, clinicians, AI scientists, engineers, students and other innovators gathered June 4–5 in Rochester, Minnesota, and online.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SFGVHo

FDA APPROVAL: Via Bloomington-based Saluda, VERBATIM: “Saluda Medical, Inc., a commercial-stage medical device company focused on developing treatments for chronic neurological conditions using its novel closed-loop neuromodulation platform, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Saluda’s CAP24 paddle lead, allowing it to be marketed and sold in the U.S.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eWopC5

BEDDING: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “It’s time we all wake up to a better bedroom. And Natalie Gillquist, founder of Minneapolis-based Down for Good, wants to help. ‘Refreshing your bedroom often isn’t a priority like a kitchen or living room,’ she says. ‘But a better bedroom can have a big impact on your wellness.’ Gillquist, who had worked for eco-leader Seventh Generation, took a turn into the world of home textiles one evening after she and her husband struggled mightily to change their duvet cover.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RdSOnw

RESEARCH: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic is strengthening its commitment to advancing healthcare innovation by aligning the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange with Mayo Clinic Business Development, creating new opportunities to help promising discoveries reach patients and communities worldwide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xWMCRh

ALZHEIMER’S: Via University of Utah, VERBATIM: “A common brain protein may be giving Alzheimer’s disease an unexpected way to spread, carrying toxic Tau proteins from damaged neurons into healthy ones. By blocking these harmful protein packages before they reach new cells, researchers believe it may one day be possible to slow the disease’s relentless progression.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44IzGkA

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

NEXTGEN: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Sanford Health in Bemidji runs several youth educational programs throughout the summer to get kids and teens hands-on hospital learning experience with the hope of piquing future interest in the medical field. Their most recent event, ‘Native Americans With Stethoscopes,’ had a focus on meeting with local Native American students. Ultrasounds, stitches, and labor deliveries are usually done by trained professionals, but Sanford Health in Bemidji brings in students in 7th through 12th grade every summer to practice these sorts of procedures in a controlled environment.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4xXYNgW

health take | $9 Trillion in Healthcare Spending by 2034

Mike Maybay — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:31:10 GMT

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POLLING

LIFE: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Most Gen Zers say it is ‘very true’ or ‘pretty true’ that their life has meaning (66%) or that they have a sense of purpose (62%), according to a new survey from the Walton Family Foundation, Making Caring Common and Gallup Voices of Gen Z study. However, that leaves more than one in three who say it is only ‘a little true’ or ‘not at all true’ that their life has meaning or purpose (34% and 39%, respectively). Taken together, 45% of Gen Zers report lacking meaning, purpose or both in their lives.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xW35Wb

INFO SOURCES: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Overall, three in ten (31%) adults say they use social media at least monthly for health information and advice, similar to the share (29%) who say they use artificial intelligence (AI) tools or chatbots at least monthly for health. Larger shares of adults under 30, Black and Hispanic adults, those without a college degree, and those with lower incomes say they turn to social media for health information at least monthly.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QD3DPU

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HEALTH HEADLINES

$9 TRILLION: Via Fierce Healthcare, VERBATIM: “U.S. healthcare spending is set to climb to $9 trillion by 2034, representing 20.6% of the economy, according to new federal data. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of the Actuary released on Wednesday its annual projections around national health spending. The actuaries said that total health spending in 2024 was $5.3 trillion, or about 18% of the U.S. economy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eKJrnh

MORE: Via Health Affairs, from the report:

FULL REPORT: https://fluence-media.co/4xO0n4V

OUT-OF-POCKET: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Sen. Ron Wyden and 14 Democratic co-sponsors plan to introduce legislation Thursday to cap consumers’ potential out-of-pocket costs in traditional Medicare, resurfacing a long-running debate over why the program doesn’t limit beneficiary spending. Even the bill’s backers say securing passage this year is a long shot. But the effort is one more opportunity for Democrats to highlight voters’ frustration about healthcare costs leading into the November election.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oLqEN4

DENIALS: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “The three largest Medicare Advantage insurers turned down requests for post-hospital care at some of the highest rates among major plans, a federal watchdog has found. UnitedHealth Group, Humana and CVS Health, the parent company of Aetna, each denied many requests to move patients into long-term care hospitals or rehabilitation facilities after a hospital stay, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g0ZwHD

INSULIN: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “A group of Senate Republicans wants to ensure private insurance patients with diabetes don’t have to pay more than $35 a month for insulin. The move is a major shift for a party that’s long viewed price controls as anathema to free markets. And it’s the latest sign that GOP lawmakers are trying to address affordability issues ahead of the midterms.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vsD1A7

OPIOIDS: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “Two senators are renewing their push to greatly expand access to methadone treatment for opioid addiction. On Thursday, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are introducing an updated version of legislation that would allow doctors who hold board certifications in addiction medicine to prescribe methadone directly to patients for pickup at a pharmacy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43S3Gud

ABORTION: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “A major reproductive rights group is launching a multimillion-dollar midterm election campaign to mobilize voters and flip key battleground districts by electing Democrats who support abortion rights. Reproductive Freedom For All (RFFA) is investing $23.5 million this year, the most it has ever spent on a midterm election.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xLAYJ2

PROSECUTIONS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “In its quest to outlaw abortion across the country, the antiabortion movement has been largely unified around a core idea: Women who get the procedure should be spared punishment, while doctors and others who make it available should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But a growing number of conservative leaders are starting to argue that the only way to stop women from ending their pregnancies could be to arrest them. The shift is coming as activists express frustration that the number of abortions happening now is higher than when Roe v. Wade was overturned, largely because of the growing availability of abortion pills even in states where the procedure is banned.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3T20lWZ

FED WEBSITE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Ten Democratic senators, along with one independent, on Wednesday flagged ‘profound concerns’ with the Trump administration’s website for new and expecting mothers, with the lawmakers saying the site drives families toward crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) for treatment. Moms.gov, launched on Mother’s Day, features resources from 2,750 pregnancy centers, which Planned Parenthood calls ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ that it says are traditionally run by anti-abortion advocates.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oKEgIo

ANIMAL TESTING: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “In his first two years on the job, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has become a polarizing figure on Capitol Hill, largely because of his vaccine skepticism and distrust of the status quo. But one of his quieter pushes — ending animal testing in medical research — has earned him accolades among some Democrats and Republicans alike.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eOKi6t

FIREFIGHTERS: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “For the first time, federal firefighters will be encouraged to wear respirators to protect them against smoke-related hazards as they work to put out wildland blazes. The Forest Service announced Wednesday that firefighters were authorized to use N95 respirators on the fire line, a major policy reversal as the agency for decades did not allow such protections, even as studies demonstrated the health harms of wildfire smoke.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4g6TYeG

INDUSTRY & INNOVATION

ACQUISITION: Via St. Paul-based H.B. Fuller, VERBATIM: “H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE: FUL), the world’s largest pureplay adhesives company, today announced it has made a recommended cash offer to acquire Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (LSE:AMS).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4f4GtLq

VIRGINIA: From IRRRB via Instagram, VERBATIM: “A new chapter for health care access in Virginia. Bois Forte Health and Human Services celebrated the opening of its new downtown clinic, which will provide health care outreach, behavioral health, pharmacy-related support and other essential services for Band members in the Quad Cities area.” POST: https://fluence-media.co/4vypoj3

DISCOVERY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Researchers at Mayo Clinic have uncovered a previously hidden step in how the immune system prepares to fight cancer, a discovery that could help scientists develop more effective and longer-lasting cancer immunotherapies. Published in Nature Communications, the study found that some cancer-fighting immune cells begin preparing for their role much earlier than previously believed — while they are still maturing in the thymus, an organ behind the breastbone that plays a central role in training T cells, particularly early in life.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SjN4Jn

LIVER CANCER: Via Cornell University, VERBATIM: “Researchers found that a rare liver cancer evades immunotherapy by luring immune T cells away from the tumor and trapping them in nearby fibrous tissue. An FDA-approved drug called AMD3100 freed those T cells to attack the cancer, significantly improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy in tumor samples.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oNMxLy

LIVER FAILURE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “A multi-center study, co-led by researchers at Mayo Clinic and Michigan State University, found that patients who received tranexamic acid during liver surgery were three times less likely to develop post-hepatectomy liver failure than patients who received a placebo . . . Post-hepatectomy liver failure is one of the most serious complications following liver surgery and remains a leading cause of death after liver resection. Currently, there are no approved medications specifically designed to prevent this complication.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oKOfNP

ADHD: Via Johns Hopkins, VERBATIM: “Scientists have discovered a tiny group of neurons in an ancient brain region that acts like a built-in focus filter, helping the brain ignore distractions and zero in on what matters most. When researchers temporarily switched off these neurons in mice, the animals became unusually distractible—similar to what is seen in ADHD—but regained normal focus as soon as the neurons were reactivated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v7jaFW

EBOLA: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “A clinical trial testing two drugs against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which is driving a fast-moving outbreak in Central Africa, is set to begin next week, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday. The clinical trial — which will test both Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug remdesivir and MappBio’s monoclonal antibody MBP-134 — will be conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial is designed to test whether either of the therapies is effective against this form of Ebola, and whether using the two in combination would be a more effective way to combat the disease.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w4O6Ht

CHEMO DRUGS: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Doctors treating cancer patients nationwide are facing a shortage of essential generic chemotherapy drugs, a situation that many fear could lead to widespread rationing. The shortages stem from manufacturing problems, shipping delays and decisions by some companies to stop producing the medications, according to the Food and Drug Administration.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v02Zds

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

B12: Via The Conversation, VERBATIM: “Vitamin B12 is needed in microscopic amounts, but a shortage can have major effects on health and energy. The vitamin was first linked to a lifesaving liver treatment for pernicious anemia nearly 100 years ago. Today, researchers are finding that B12 may also help keep cellular powerhouses called mitochondria functioning properly. This could explain why some people experience fatigue and brain fog even before traditional signs of deficiency show up.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vrv3Hz

health take | POLL: Health Issues Impacting Midterms

Mike Maybay — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:30:39 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

MIDTERMS: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Majorities of Americans say they’re more likely to vote for candidates in November who support ideas to lower their health costs, according to the latest Axios-Ipsos American Health Index. Why it matters: Their support for ideas across the political spectrum — from renewing Affordable Care Act subsidies to expanding direct sales of prescription drugs — shows the power of voters’ demands for relief. The big picture: Health care policy was pivotal in the 2018 and 2022 midterms. The economy impacts every election.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xPEylC

MORE: Via Ipsos, from the poll results:

The poll also covered GLP-1 use, threats to public health, trust in federal vaccination recommendations, and other health-related topics. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/44vdavq

PUBLIC HEALTH: Via Fox News, VERBATIM: “When it comes to the U.S. food supply, more voters prioritize protecting public health than lowering food prices, according to the latest Fox News Poll. The survey, released Monday, also finds broad voter support for key elements of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, even as they give Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. negative job ratings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xL2WEI

MEDICAID: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “A survey of more than 3,800 people nationwide who gave birth in 2023 and 2024 found those using Medicaid described worse outcomes than those on private insurance, that access to care remains limited for some, and that women often feel unheard and disregarded during pregnancy and labor and delivery.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oMKmIv

MORE: Via Listening to Mothers, the survey results. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4w4sX0b

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HEALTH HEADLINES

MNSURE: Via MNsure, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s official health care marketplace is making a major improvement by moving to a new eligibility and enrollment system. In about a week, you’ll be able to go to MNsure.org and find a faster, easier website that will streamline finding health care coverage for you and your family.”

ABORTION: Via Minnesota Family Council, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Family Council today launched a grassroots effort calling on the Trump administration and members of Congress to end Biden’s dangerous mail-order abortion scheme and restore the in-person doctor’s visit requirement that must be met before a woman can obtain chemical abortion drugs. The abortion industry is shipping abortion pills into communities across the country with no medical oversight. Lives are being lost and women are being harmed. Concerned citizens across Minnesota will be contacting their members of Congress in the weeks to come, asking federal officials reinstate to reinstate the medical safeguards Biden stripped away.”

SODA BAN: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “A federal judge has blocked bans on the usage of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for soda enacted by the Trump administration. ‘Congress defined what ‘food’ is supposed to be, and it did not authorize the agency to amend or waive the definition it enacted. It did not authorize the agency to cut types of food out of SNAP entirely,’ U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote in a Monday filing, referencing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w61RFN

CLINICAL TRIALS: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “Federal health officials announced a pilot program Monday to speed up early-stage clinical trials, which they say will reduce development timelines by six to 12 months, in hopes of encouraging U.S.-based trials and combating Chinese dominance in the field. The pilot comes as the Food and Drug Administration, through the president’s 2027 fiscal budget, asks Congress to establish a permanent, faster process for the existing Investigational New Drug pathway.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w3x8sW

ORGAN DONATION: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “The troubled U.S. organ donation system is set for a pivotal series of changes as administrators begin overhauling the process for deciding which organizations work with hospitals to facilitate donations. Why it matters: More than 100,000 Americans are waiting for transplants, and the system has been dogged by patient safety concerns, instances of inappropriate conduct and conflicts of interest among organ procurement groups.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uXoiML

COMMUNICATION: Via MedPage, VERBATIM: “Patient portal messaging has surged in recent years, signaling a significant change in the way physicians deliver care, a cross-sectional analysis of electronic health record data showed. In an analysis of national data from Epic Cosmos, the number of patient-authored portal messages rose from 0.99 per patient per year in 2020 to 2.5 in 2025, reported Michal Mankowski, PhD, of New York University Grossman School of Medicine, and colleagues in JAMA.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ezYl0R

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

CANCER DRUG: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “A new drug to treat pancreatic cancer is expected to be available in Minnesota soon. The new drug, daraxonrasib, is being called a game-changer in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Minnesota Oncology Doctor Girum Lemma says the study found the drug was more effective for treating metastatic pancreatic cancer than standard chemotherapy.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4g2IWqO

PROTEIN MAPPED: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “After nearly four decades of research, Mayo Clinic scientists have revealed the molecular structures of protein kinase C beta (PKCβ), a key protein linked to cancer and neurological diseases. The findings, published in Nature Communications, provide the first detailed view of how the protein works and how the breast cancer drug endoxifen can target this protein.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vmN9KI

SPEECH: Via McGill University, VERBATIM: “A new study suggests that learning and remembering speech relies more on how the brain processes sounds and sensations than on the areas that control mouth and face movements. The discovery could reshape speech therapy and help improve future brain-based communication technologies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b0gIJN

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

FIREWORKS: Via Minnesota Medical Association, VERBATIM: “This Fourth of July, Minnesota physicians are once again urging their fellow Minnesotans to leave the fireworks up to the professionals.” QUOTE: “Every summer we hear of too many sad stories about people getting injured by fireworks,” said MMA President Lisa Mattson, MD. “Last July, a 13-year-old Minnesotan in Mahnomen County died from a fireworks accident. So, please stay away from firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, sparklers, and all of those dangerous items. It’s better to be safe, than sorry.”

health take | Is AI Biased About Hospitals?

Mike Maybay — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:31:06 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

AFFORDABILITY: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “For the first time in five years, fewer than half of Americans can consistently afford healthcare. According to the latest data from the West Health-Gallup Affordability Index, just 49% of U.S. adults are now classified as ‘Cost Secure,’ meaning they can afford access to quality care and have been able to pay for visits and prescriptions in recent months. The share of Americans who are Cost Secure has fallen seven percentage points from 2021 (56%), when measurement began, and is in steady decline from its peak of 61% in 2022.”

“Adults aged 18 to 29 have experienced the sharpest decline in healthcare affordability since 2021, with the share classified as Cost Secure falling from 46% to 32%. This group also exhibited one of the largest year-over-year declines between 2024 and 2025, decreasing by seven percentage points.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ePNkZ4

INSURANCE: Via SSRS, from a survey by The Commonwealth Fund, VERBATIM: “One of patients’ main concerns is uncertainty about whether their insurer will cover a health procedure or prescription drug that their doctor says they need, particularly for a serious medical condition. One in five (21%) U.S. working-age adults with private insurance reported that they or a family member had experienced an insurance company denial of coverage for medical care recommended by a doctor in the past year, either before or after the care was provided.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ePH97j

MORE: Via The Commonwealth Fund, from the survey:

READ: https://fluence-media.co/4expeky

ABORTION: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “According to Gallup’s May 1-17 Values and Beliefs poll, 48% of Americans would prefer abortion be legal in all (33%) or most (15%) circumstances, while 49% prefer it to be illegal (17%) or legal in only a few circumstances (32%). This split is similar to the close division of views on legality generally seen since 2022, but it contrasts with the quarter century before, when majorities of Americans consistently favored having abortion be legal in only a few circumstances or not at all.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fPk7i3

TECH: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Adults in the U.S. are turning to social media and AI to advise them on health issues. KFF’s latest Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds three in ten adults (31%) using social media at least monthly for health information and advice. This is similar to the share (29%) who now say they use AI tools or chatbots for health information monthly, a number that has nearly doubled in the past two years – up from roughly one in six (17%). Still, majorities say they either ‘never’ or only ‘occasionally’ use AI tools (71%) or social media (69%) for health information.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vXQGz9

DEMENTIA: Via University of Michigan, a poll conducted in that state that many outside of Michigan may find enlightening as well. VERBATIM: “Nearly all Michiganders age 50 and over say it’s very important to keep their brains healthy as they grow older, a new poll finds. But less than half (47%) of middle-aged and older Michiganders know that everyday actions can be very important for reducing their future risk of dementia. And half or less practice at least one of four key habits daily or most days that can protect their brain health as they age.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eyLCds

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HEALTH IN MINNESOTA

NEXT WEEK: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Allina Health Cancer Institute will host a ribbon cutting event Thursday, June 25, to celebrate the launch of its mobile lung and breast cancer screening programs, LIFE – Lung Imaging for Early-detection and Mammo on the Move. The event will highlight Allina Health Cancer Institute’s commitment to bringing lifesaving cancer screening directly to the communities it serves. Both mobile screening units are designed to make early detection more convenient and accessible for patients who may face barriers to screening or live near clinics that do not currently offer these services.”

AI’S PICK: Via 5W Public Relations, VERBATIM: “5W AI Communications today released the Healthcare volume of The 5W AI Trust Map of America — the first national measurement of how AI answer engines rank hospitals inside US states . . . Mayo Clinic dominates Minnesota. Cleveland Clinic dominates Ohio. Johns Hopkins dominates Maryland. Mass General dominates Massachusetts. NYU Langone dominates New York. MD Anderson dominates Houston. The pattern: AI engines reward academic affiliation, US News & World Report rankings, peer-reviewed research output, and named-physician primary-source coverage over national scale or marketing spend.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4guQd2J

VIRGINIA: Via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “Essentia Health-Virginia has begun construction on an expansion that is set to nearly double the capacity of its emergency department. The expansion includes a dedicated behavioral health suite and five additional exam rooms. With a targeted completion date of 2027, the $13 million expansion is being financed by Essentia Health and its regional foundation, along with private contributions and a $3.3 million grant from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Qt2RF2

(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)

WABASHA: Via KAAL-TV, VERBATIM: “The Wabasha Ambulance squad recently received a big boost to its equipment with two new LIFEPAK monitors. The upgrade was made possible through a grant from the Wabasha County Opioid Settlement funds, the sale of an old ambulance, and donations from the community.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4w1AOvC

FOOD: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Sitting inside her cozily decorated house in St. Paul’s North End, 69-year-old Kamee Yang began to list some of her favorite foods, like milk, leafy greens and squash . . . At a routine doctor’s appointment, Yang, who manages health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, screened positive for food insecurity. It triggered her eligibility for Fair Table, a program offered by her health care provider supplying free boxes of fresh food, prepared meals, food vouchers and ready-to-use food bags to patients in need.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vfTOpW

DC + HEALTH

SNAP: Via ProPublica, VERBATIM: “As a House committee debated President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill last year, Republican backers repeatedly emphasized that its changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, wouldn’t affect vulnerable people . . . But nearly a year after the measure was signed into law, the number of children receiving food assistance has plummeted by at least 776,000, according to a ProPublica analysis. At least 12 states break down program participation by age, and of the 1,670,011 people who are no longer receiving benefits in those states, 776,134, or 46%, were children.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ejjBaP

CDC: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Even as the world is racing to contain the deadly Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Trump administration is moving ahead with a plan that could decimate support for programs that detect and snuff out exactly such outbreaks. The new plan, proposed by the State Department, aims to overhaul the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s work on a landmark global H.I.V. program that also helps countries manage surveillance for emerging diseases, strengthen laboratory networks and support childhood immunizations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xBIxll

ADDICTION: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Recovering Hope is one of only a small number of residential addiction treatment centers in Minnesota where women with substance use disorder (SUD) can live with their infants and young children, and where the children receive daily childcare. Nearly all of its clients rely on Medicaid to fund their stay . . . If Medicaid funding disappears, Recovering Hope would need to pivot or shut down. Its clients and their children could lose access. But the impact would ripple, too, into the town of Mora itself, where the center has become an important, if not always popular, foundation of the local economy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43FSwsr

FUNDING: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday announced a $700 million investment into behavioral health programs, indicating an emphasis on faith-based recovery organizations. Kennedy, a recovered heroin addict, announced a $96 million funding opportunity for the Trump administration’s Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support (STREETS) program, along with $612 million in funding opportunities for additional behavioral health programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4a5dF2L

GENDER CARE: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “The Federal Trade Commission is suing the leading transgender health care group in federal court. The agency argued on Wednesday that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health made ‘deceptive claims’ in its health care guidelines for transgender children. The group’s members include psychiatrists, surgeons, pediatricians, endocrinologists and primary care doctors who work with transgender patients.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eBBzEp

VACCINES: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “Senate Democrats are opening an inquiry into the Trump administration’s remaking of federal vaccine policy, demanding officials produce records by next week. In a letter to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. viewed by STAT, Senate Finance Committee Democrats Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Maggie Hassan (N.H.) denounced the changes Kennedy has made to federal vaccine policy, focusing on the remaking of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Last year, Kennedy fired all previous members of ACIP and packed the panel with vaccine-skeptical allies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ScBSy5

FLU: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “U.S. health advisers are debating a new kind of flu vaccine Thursday, the first made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Moderna is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval of its new shot, dubbed mFlusiva, as an option for people 50 and older. The FDA advisory committee meeting is a step toward a final decision ahead of the winter flu season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ehPX5V

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

CANCER: Via Fox News, VERBATIM: “A cure for cancer could be on the horizon in the next decade, according to experts. During the WSJ Leadership Institute CEO Summit in London last week, Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato reflected on the pharmaceutical company’s projections on the future of cancer treatment.

In the next 10 years, the goal is to ‘try to eliminate cancer,’ Duato shared.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vXB4vh

IVERMECTIN: Via ABC News, VERBATIM: “Ivermectin, which surged in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic amid unproven claims that it could help fight COVID-19 infections, has now found a new following among some cancer patients. Prescriptions for the antiparasitic drug among cancer patients more than doubled in the first half of 2025, following the airing of a popular podcast episode promoting the drug, according to a study published in JAMA.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aWAllY

THE PLAGUE: Via University of Copenhagen, VERBATIM: “Plague was already a deadly killer 5,500 years ago, long before cities, farming, or the rat-infested conditions usually linked to historic outbreaks. By analyzing ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer cemeteries in Siberia, researchers discovered early plague strains in nearly 40% of the individuals studied and found evidence of rapid family-based outbreaks that wiped out many children and young teenagers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Q7Jpxy

health take | Half of Parents Digitally Track Young Adult Children

Mike Maybay — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:31:19 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

DIGITAL TRACKING: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “About half (52%) of parents report tracking their young adult child’s location using a cell phone or similar device. Tracking is more common among parents of young adults 18-20 compared to age 21-25, and more common for daughters than sons.”

READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xsnpxX

THE FEDS: Via News Medical, VERBATIM: “Trust in U.S. public health agencies, most notably the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has declined sharply one year into new federal leadership. By 2026, just 50% of the public trusts CDC recommendations, down steeply from 77% the previous year. Although trust in state and local agencies has also dropped, these remain more trusted than their federal counterparts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4azAQCq

MORE: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “This decline in trust is driven by deep partisan divides, the survey found. Between 2025 to 2026, trust in CDC health recommendations fell from 92% to 34% among Democrats, and from 77% to 47% among Independents.

At the same time, trust for such recommendations among Republicans rose slightly, from 63% to 67%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uFOxqC

HEALTHCARE: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “Forty-six percent of U.S. adults — regardless of insurance type — reported struggling to afford healthcare last year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research think tank. The report analyzed findings from a December 2025 survey of 10,000 working-age adults across the nation. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the research comes at a time of U.S. cost-of-living concerns and economic woes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43zPea5

MEDS: Via Surescripts, VERBATIM: “Surescripts, the nation’s leading health intelligence network, released a new report with the results of a national survey of 1,007 U.S. adults conducted by The Harris Poll, revealing that more than half (56%) of patients experience challenges when accessing prescriptions, citing cost, delays and prior authorizations as significant barriers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4owCz0Y

MIDDLE AGE: Via Arizona State, VERBATIM: “For many Americans, middle age is becoming more challenging than it was for previous generations. People born in the 1960s and early 1970s report higher levels of loneliness and depression, along with poorer memory and reduced physical strength compared with those who came before them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xzmOun

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HEALTH IN MN

THIS MONTH: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “June is CPR and AED Awareness Month, and Minnesota Live is marking the occasion with a powerful and deeply personal story about sudden cardiac arrest. The new book Deadline follows Dave Ogle’s harrowing experience and the remarkable role his wife Kris played in saving his life.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4gmFkjs

NEXT MONTH: From the MN AG via Eventbrite, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Ellison will hold a community meeting about the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aTYCsW

MEDICARE: Via KARE-TV, VERBATIM: “Fairview Health Services is dropping UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans next year. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, Fairview said it will no longer schedule appointments or services for patients with UHC Medicare Advantage. In a statement, M Health Fairview Chief Medical Officer Jaya Kumar said,” QUOTE: “This decision was not made lightly. We worked in good faith for years to find a sustainable path forward, but ongoing prior authorization delays, claim denials, and escalating complexity have made it increasingly difficult for patients to access the timely, high-quality care they deserve.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ScJWyK

FOOD: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Sitting inside her cozily decorated house in St. Paul’s North End, 69-year-old Kamee Yang began to list some of her favorite foods, like milk, leafy greens and squash . . . Compared to a few years ago, comfort is a big leap. At a routine doctor’s appointment, Yang, who manages health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, screened positive for food insecurity. It triggered her eligibility for Fair Table, a program offered by her health care provider supplying free boxes of fresh food, prepared meals, food vouchers and ready-to-use food bags to patients in need.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vfTOpW

LEGISLATORS STEPPED UP FOR HCMC, BUT MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED FOR RURAL HOSPITALS: Savings from the 340B drug program help local hospitals sustain access to cancer treatment, specialty services, and technology investments in rural communities. While drug companies continue to raise prices and rake in profits, rural hospitals will be forced to stretch limited resources even further if legislators don’t step up to strengthen the 340B program. READ MORE: Tough times for rural hospitals after legislative session - KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)

DC + HEALTH

MEDICAID: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Forty states and DC currently receive $93 billion in annual federal Medicaid spending through state directed payments (SDPs) and may be at risk due to forthcoming limits on these payments, according to new KFF estimates.”

“Annual federal spending on SDPs is highest in California (an estimated $10.6 billion)—followed by Texas ($6.3 billion), North Carolina ($5.2 billion), and Illinois ($5.1 billion).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4azFGj4

VACCINE POLICY: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has requested an expedited appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked a series of decisions on vaccines made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including rescinding routine recommendations for immunizations against a half-dozen childhood diseases. Mr. Kennedy announced in a social media post on Friday that the administration had filed the motion to expedite appeal so that federal vaccine advisers could meet to decide whether to recommend shots before the fall flu season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S8N9zq

STUDY: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is demanding answers from a science journal on why a study regarding vaccination and sudden infant death was removed from the publication . . . The study in question was authored solely by Neil Z. Miller and was among those cited by Kennedy’s former personal lawyer Aaron Siri in a presentation he gave before a federal vaccine panel in support of altering the childhood immunization schedule.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gmxdU3

EXTENDING CARE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic is helping shape a new model for delivering hospital-level care beyond traditional settings through an initiative that brings advanced, high-quality care directly to patients in rural and underserved communities. The project is part of a larger federal effort known as the ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health) PARADIGM (Platform Accelerating Rural Access to Distributed and Integrated Medical Care) program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4owGRFC

ACQUISITION: Via Medtech Dive, VERBATIM: “Medtronic said Friday it has completed the $550 million takeover of neurovascular technology company Scientia Vascular. The deal, which Medtronic disclosed in March, covers guidewire technologies for stroke that are designed to equip physicians to access hard-to-reach parts of the brain.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SfCSBo

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

CWD: Via University of Calgary, VERBATIM: “A new study found that chronic wasting disease can sometimes spread silently, with infectious prions present even in animals that show no symptoms. While there is no confirmed human risk, researchers say the disease’s ability to evolve and spread across species warrants close attention.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ax34xG

health take | STUDY: The One Drink that Increases Death Risk

Mike Maybay — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:31:06 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

BLAME GAME: Via Healthcare Dive, VERBATIM: “Americans primarily blame insurance companies for rising healthcare costs, as widespread concern about unaffordable medical care coincides with growing public animus against insurers for care delays and denials, according to a new survey. The survey commissioned by the hospital-backed Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare found that 47% of people say corporate health insurers are the principal driver of rising spending, followed by 36% who blame the federal government and 34% who blame drug companies.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ejEnpK

MORE: Via SAH, the full results of the poll which was conducted by Morning Consult. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/49Thcky

TEETH: Via P&G, VERBATIM: “A national survey of more than 2,000 Americans, conducted by Ipsos in partnership with P&G and supported by the AAFP, found that while 76% of Americans say they are motivated to take care of their oral health, only 3% of Americans associate oral health with whole-body health when polled. The findings highlight that nearly half of Americans (44%) say they have never heard of the connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease, with awareness dropping even further for other conditions including diabetes (55%), respiratory disease (68%), pregnancy complications (67%), and Alzheimer’s disease (77%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aK2o8a

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HEALTH HEADLINES

LIST: We count nine Minnesota institutions on Newsweek’s list of “America’s greatest workplaces in Health Care.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3SBrMGU

HOSPITALS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has warned more than 500 hospitals that they are failing to provide the public with basic pricing information — arguing that the lack of disclosure is keeping healthcare costs higher than they should be. The Associated Press obtained exclusively the list of hospitals that since April have either received letters of warning or, in more severe cases, requests to submit plans to provide transparent pricing. Failing to comply with the warnings comes with penalties as high as $2 million annually for each recipient that doesn’t create a plan to post clear pricing data.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SjKZNg

MORE: Via AP, the list of hospitals which includes 18 here in Minnesota. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3PWV3LD

ACA: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Newly released state enrollment data show ObamaCare coverage losses could be even more severe than initially anticipated, due to Congress’s unwillingness to renew enhanced subsidies. Monthly enrollment data through April from Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York showed a significant number of people canceled their coverage or did not pay their premium bills after signing up for coverage in 2026, according to an analysis from Georgetown University.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xt4u6k

DOCS: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “American doctors want their leading lobby to drop its nice guy routine with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. At the American Medical Association’s annual meeting this week, members of the group’s House of Delegates are sending a clear message to their leaders: Call out Kennedy, even if it costs us in the pocketbook.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43uBGg2

AI: Via MedPage Today, VERBATIM: “Artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine must always be overseen by physicians, according to a policy adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA) on Tuesday. At its annual meeting on Tuesday, AMA’s House of Delegates passed a resolution requiring its leaders to advocate for legislation and regulation requiring AI tools to ‘integrate with the physician-led team and be used at the direction of the treating physician; respect the continuity of care and best practices related to transitions of care; have transparent, auditable data demonstrating safety and efficacy; [and] be subject to relevant and appropriate regulations (including but not limited to those related to liability and documentation).’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aJ5pWh

VACCINES: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has released a recommended vaccine schedule for pregnant people, one that diverges from the advice currently offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ACOG is recommending four vaccines be routinely administered during pregnancy, with several other vaccines recommended under certain circumstances. The new schedule is endorsed by 13 medical societies and health organizations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43qDQx9

TOBACCO: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump, who once declared he had ‘saved’ flavored vapes, grew his stock holdings this year to as much as $1.64 million in tobacco giant Philip Morris. He also had holdings in Altria and a third leading tobacco company, though an apparent discrepancy in his disclosures clouds the extent of his investments. In 2025, tobacco interests donated $6 million to MAGA Inc., a super PAC that supports the president, and Trump’s inauguration. And, on April 30, a week before FDA guidance that provided a critical boost to the industry, Reynolds American dropped an additional $5 million into the super PAC’s coffers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ehrOuZ

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

BOOZE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM; “A government alcohol study published on Tuesday concluded that the health risks of alcohol start at a single drink a day. The report was caught up in controversy after drawing the ire of the alcohol industry. For people who have one drink a day on average, the researchers found, there was an increased risk of premature death from an illness or injury directly attributable to alcohol, though it was small — one in 1,000 people. But the risk of premature death jumped to one in 25 for those who had two drinks a day, a level long considered safe for men, according to the study, which was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49XZwEy

GLUCOSAMINE: Via UF Health, VERBATIM: “A major study suggests glucosamine, a popular supplement for joint pain, could be linked to faster progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found a 25% higher likelihood of developing dementia among glucosamine users and uncovered biological clues that may explain why.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4av7dCf

SUNSCREEN: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Officials, environmental health advocates, and skin care industry groups are expressing hope that the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a sunscreen ingredient on June 9 — after consideration for two decades, and global use for nearly as long — will help restore Americans’ wavering faith in sunscreen.” QUOTE: “Bemotrizinol has been used safely in Europe for decades,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in the announcement about the approval. “FDA’s action will increase competition and consumer confidence in sunscreen products.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aHHd6C

TUMORS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “One of the most detailed maps to date of meningioma — the most common brain tumor in adults — reveals how the tumor’s surrounding environment helps drive disease behavior and patient outcomes, according to new research from Mayo Clinic. The study, published in Nature Genetics and conducted in collaboration with scientists at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, combines several advanced laboratory techniques to examine tumors at an unprecedented level of detail, offering clues to why some meningiomas grow slowly while others recur or become more aggressive. The findings could lead to more precise ways to predict risk and guide treatment decisions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eCOib6

1970-: Via Fox News, VERBATIM: “Americans born after 1970 are dying faster than their parents did, data shows. New analysis from Tufts University reveals that Gen Xers and millennials are failing to outlive their predecessors, dying at higher rates from common chronic illnesses and external causes than previous generations did when they were the same age.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xt65ZS

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

GLP-1: Via The Guardian, VERBATIM: “Weight-loss drugs are saving users’ households more than £400 a year on grocery bills, according to a survey, which found use of GLP-1s has nearly tripled in the past two years to 1.9 million adults.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4olpSq1

health take | Smartphones Linked to Birthrate Decline

Mike Maybay — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:30:13 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

TRUST: Via de Beaumont, VERBATIM: “A year after changes to federal leadership in the U.S. public health system, a new poll finds that trust in public health agencies has dropped dramatically. Only 50% of U.S. adults say they trust health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), compared to 77% in spring 2025.”

“The fraction who say they trust their state health department has declined from 80% to 66% and the fraction who say they trust their local public health department has fallen from 82% to 70%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eeJtUc

MORE: Via PBS, VERBATIM: “That partisan breakdown specifically is worrying, said Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, adding that the data demonstrate a ‘deep polarization of facts and science.’” CASTRUCCI: “We now live in a world where scientific fact is understood through a partisan lens,” he said, “and while we can make partisan differences between health facts, disease doesn’t discriminate.” Measles, Ebola and hantavirus “don’t really care what we think,” he added. “If we don’t have a united response, that is extraordinarily dangerous for our country.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43Xjpb8

MORALITY: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Americans’ views of the moral acceptability of five of the 20 behaviors Gallup tracks annually have fallen significantly since last year, with each dropping between six and nine percentage points.”

“Those behaviors include using birth control (83%), having a baby outside of marriage (58%), gambling (57%), sex between teenagers (35%) and cloning animals (27%). Birth control, gambling and cloning animals have all hit record lows this year after holding relatively steady throughout most of the trend.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RTYhjy

CHILDCARE: Via The Harris Poll, VERBATIM: “Research from The Harris Poll on behalf of KinderCare finds that working parents in the US spend more than a third of every month in complete burnout. And the cause is often the daily scramble to find childcare they can count on. The gap in care drives much of this strain with 81% of parents say they’re constantly thinking about childcare gaps. 60% say parenting pressures are harming their mental health. And 76% feel extremely frustrated by how little childcare support exists in the US.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4olpaZM

ICYMI… lunch take featured a Minneapolis Fed survey in which 80% of childcare providers said the industry is in a crisis. READ: https://fluence-media.co/43qqaSJ

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HEALTH HEADLINES

SMOKE: Via KQDS-TV, VERBATIM: “A new study finds wildfires may be making the U.S. smoggy again, potentially back-peddling long-standing efforts to clean-up the air. After more than a decade of progress in the U.S. to reduce smog levels, scientists now say since 2015, smoke from increasingly larger wildfires has been reversing those trends making the air dirtier and potentially deadlier.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4umunSj

NUTRITION: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Monday that numerous medical school accrediting organizations and assessors have agreed to increase nutrition requirements for U.S. medical education. HHS said in a release that eight medical school organizations had agreed to ‘increase nutrition requirements at every level of U.S. medical education, competency-evaluation, training, and residency.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ainoCQ

RFK JR: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Shortly after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in Africa a public health emergency, a reporter asked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. if he was worried about the virus. Six Americans had already been exposed. His response was brief: ‘Yeah, we’re working on it’ . . . Mr. Kennedy’s approach to the crisis reflects his broader management of the Department of Health and Human Services, which affects the health of 340 million Americans and provides health care to 40 percent of the population through Medicare and Medicaid. Mr. Kennedy has shown little interest in managing the details of work in his department, according to multiple colleagues. Instead, they say, he is single-mindedly focused on his top priorities, including food recommendations and pesticide exposures, and hunting for evidence to support his long-held beliefs that vaccines are harmful.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v7WmGU

SEX ASSAULT: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “A clinic in south Minneapolis will soon offer forensic sexual assault exams, giving survivors another option for care besides the emergency room. Southside Community Health Services, which previously operated out of an elementary school, recently opened its new location on East Lake Street. The community health center aims to support low-income and uninsured residents in a diverse corridor of the city.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43qnt3z

MENTAL HEALTH: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Vail Communities says new state and private funding will keep its Minneapolis and St. Paul clubhouses open for now after the nonprofit faced closure. The nonprofit said the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) surprised them in a March letter by saying more money was off the table, leaving Vail Communities facing closure as of this month. Following 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporting in April, DHS has seemingly reversed course in the nick of time.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/43matft

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

SMARTPHONES: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The enduring mystery of the fertility decline has a new culprit: the smartphone. Experts have long wondered if phones played a role in the birthrate decline — which began in 2007, the same year that Apple introduced the iPhone — but until now there had not been hard evidence to prove it. Two new papers, one published Monday and the other in May, are the first academic endeavors that test whether the smartphone was a cause.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eh3BoE

KIDS: Via CHOP, VERBATIM: “Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, found that a year after receiving their first smartphone at age 13, teens at 14 who spent significant time on their phones were more likely to experience depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4aBHU1i

AI: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have shown that an artificial intelligence (AI) tool can analyze routine pathology slides to help clinicians classify meningiomas, the most common primary brain tumor in adults, and better understand a patient’s risk of tumor recurrence.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PUTJc5

TELEHEALTH: Via Military.com, VERBATIM: “Rural veterans with chronic kidney disease and refractory hypertension are hospitalized more frequently and die at higher rates than veterans in urban or suburban areas. Many go years with their kidney care managed exclusively by a primary care provider who may not have the training or time to adjust the specialized medications these patients need. A new VA study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology shows that the VA’s telenephrology program is closing that gap, and saving lives in the process.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ebTamh

NEW CFO: Via Brooklyn Park-based CVRx, VERBATIM: “CVRx, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVRX), a commercial-stage medical device company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative neuromodulation solutions for patients with cardiovascular diseases, announced today that Jared Oasheim, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will be stepping down from his role to pursue other professional opportunities. To support a seamless transition, Mr. Oasheim will remain with the Company until a successor is appointed and remain available as an advisor through February 2027.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xfpbm0

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

GLP-1: Via University of Pennsylvania, VERBATIM: “A large study found that women taking GLP-1 drugs, the medication class behind Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, were about 30% less likely to develop breast cancer. Researchers say the findings are promising but not yet proof, and clinical trials are now being planned to test whether these drugs could help prevent breast cancer.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4eaXjXt

health take | 3,411 MN Medicaid Providers Disenrolled

Mike Maybay — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:30:42 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription

POLLING

SNAPCHAT: Via Mashable, VERBATIM: “Teens on Snapchat frequently encounter unwanted or dangerous content on the platform, according to a new survey. A third of the poll’s 1,016 respondents said they’d seen or received unsafe content or messages in the past week. More than half said they’d had at least one such experience in the past year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v16VeD

HEALTHCARE: Via Fierce Healthcare, VERBATIM: “One in five adults with private insurance coverage said that they or a family member had a medical service denied in the past year, even though it was recommended by their physician. The Commonwealth Fund released its 2025 Affordability Survey and the results of focus groups on the subject, which found that 8% of coverage denials were due to denied claims, while 13% were due to prior authorization denials. One percent of the denied services fell into both categories, per the report.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ukZe1Q

AI: Via Medical Economics, VERBATIM: “Physicians remain split on whether artificial intelligence (AI) is improving medicine, even as adoption of AI scribes climbs across primary care and specialty practices . . . The poll, which gathered responses from 103 physicians, showed that 55% believe AI is improving medicine, whereas 45% do not. Seventy percent of respondents currently use AI scribes or are evaluating vendors, but the time those physicians report actually saving varies widely.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ebSs8G

YOUTH: Via The Trevor Project, VERBATIM: “The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people, released The 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, analyzing the experiences of more than 16,000 LGBTQ+ young people ages 13 to 24 across the United States. In its seventh iteration, the national survey again found that LGBTQ+ young people are often placed at heightened risk for suicidality because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o5vdBr

AGING: Via Medical Xpress, VERBATIM: “LGBTQ+ folks 50 and older are less confident than their peers that they’ll be able to age gracefully. Aging LGBTQ+ adults already have higher rates of disability, loneliness and isolation than non-LGBTQ+ people their age, the survey found. It also found that fewer think they’ll be able to count on support from social services, health care, friends or family as they age.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e91dQL

POT + SLEEP: Via AASM, VERBATIM: “New survey results from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine explore the complex relationship between marijuana use and sleep. One-third (33%) of adults reported that their sleep is slightly or significantly better when they use marijuana. In contrast, 19% of adults reported either no impact (11%) or that their sleep is worse when they use marijuana (8%), and 47% of respondents indicated that they don’t use marijuana.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uQXfTZ

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THURSDAY FEED

MEDICAID: Via DHS, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Human Services finished a comprehensive top-to-bottom review of nearly 5,600 high-risk Medicaid providers on time on May 31. Completing the effort is a key part of Minnesota’s plan to stop the federal government from withholding up to $2 billion from its Medicaid program. The five-month review required providers to show they met heightened legal and eligibility standards required to operate and serve vulnerable people.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ojij2X

MORE: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Of the 5,583 high-risk providers, 2,061 were successfully revalidated, while 3,411 were disenrolled and will stop receiving payments. Nearly three-quarters of the providers that weren’t revalidated (2,491) were due to incomplete or unsubmitted documentation. Another 916 failed on-site verification visits, and four failed background checks.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e7RPwM

MORE: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Providers may appeal their disenrollment, DHS said, but in the meantime, some Minnesotans may see disruptions to their services.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v9OBQN

WORK RULES: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “Advocates for people with serious illnesses, like cancer and HIV, say the strict Medicaid work rules that the Trump administration released this week are likely to put ongoing treatments in jeopardy. States must put the work requirements into effect by January 1. That was already a tight timeline, says Adrianna McIntyre, assistant professor of health policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43Ump89

MED RECORDS: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pursuing federal government access to most Americans’ medical records, in a quest to research a link between vaccines and autism — a connection the medical establishment studied for decades and flatly rejects. The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking data from little-known state systems that allow hospitals and clinics to exchange detailed, identifiable patient information, KFF Health News has learned. In private meetings, some public health leaders have objected to giving Kennedy’s team access to such data, raising doubts that it’s legal or that the information would even be useful.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x9keLn

URINE TEST: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “A simple urine test might help identify children who are likely to have autism earlier than the best assessment tools now available, a new study says. Autistic children appear to have specific gut microbe profiles that can be used to distinguish them from neurotypical (or typically developing) children, researchers reported May 26 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fVGEtu

OVERDOSES: Via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “Authorities in the south Twin Cities metro have issued a warning after a spike in overdoses over the past week – some of them fatal. The Dakota County Drug Task Force said it has seen a flurry of fatal and non-fatal overdoses, with a noticeable spike between Tuesday and Wednesday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dQeXB2

TOBACCO: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Quit Partners of Minnesota is looking for former smokers to help others quit too . . . [Spokesperson Mike Sheldon] says they are simply asking former smokers to share what worked for them.” QUOTE: “We do want to make sure that folks understand that they have these, again, these free tools and resources that are available to them, to help them quit any type of tobacco product,” says Sheldon. “Whatever it is that they need support with.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4vycrFy

VAPES: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “E-cigarettes that offer a lot of extra puffs might become more toxic the longer they are used, a new study says. High-puff vapes can typically deliver into the thousands of inhalations before they run out, because they hold more e-liquid and are designed for extended use, researchers said. But toxic chemicals called aldehydes start building up in the e-liquid as it is repeatedly exposed to vapor-producing heat, researchers reported May 28 in the journal ACS Omega.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43Ad6uh

SUMMER LOADING…

SWIMMING: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “With the school year coming to a close for many and warmer weather here to stay, swimming safety experts are reminding eager swimmers that basic safety precautions can be the difference between life and death this summer.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/43k03Nh

SUNSHINE: Via Minnesota Medical Association, VERBATIM: “Now that summer weather has arrived, Minnesota physicians are urging their fellow Minnesotans to take the summer sun seriously and take precautions to prevent skin cancer.” QUOTE: “Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States,” said MMA President Lisa Mattson, MD. “Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven human carcinogen, and we must all take the steps necessary to limit our exposure and decrease the risk of skin cancer.”

CANCER SCREENING: Via Daily Yonder, VERBATIM: “A new research project in Minnesota hopes to save lives in rural parts of the state by increasing the number of people who recommend lung screening. Getting to people in rural parts of the state may come down to getting more people in a rural doctor’s office to recommend lung cancer screening to patients, according to Dr. Abbie Begnaud of the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota, who is working with the Minnesota Cancer Clinical Trials Network to increase lung cancer screening across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e5jhLG

STUDY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RSfREs

TRANSPLANTS: Via Minneapolis-based NMDP, VERBATIM: “NMDP, the nonprofit organization that operates the national registry of unrelated bone marrow donors and cord blood units through the federally-authorized C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which oversees the Program, hosted today a celebratory event recognizing their public-private partnership expanding patient access to lifesaving bone marrow and cord blood transplants also known as blood stem cell transplants. The celebration highlighted the Program’s milestone of facilitating 150,000 blood stem cell transplants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RRrcEK

TASK FORCE: Via Minnesota Medical Association, VERBATIM: “The MMA Advocacy & Policy Committee (APC) is seeking physician volunteers to serve on its newly created Medical Liability Task Force. The task force is charged with recommending changes to the APC on MMA policies that deal with medical liability, many of which have not been updated since the 1980s.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ue9zwk

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

DIET MED: Via Karolinska Institutet, VERBATIM: “Scientists have developed an experimental diabetes and obesity pill that works in a completely different way from drugs like Ozempic. Rather than reducing hunger, it activates metabolism in skeletal muscle, helping lower blood sugar and increase fat burning while preserving muscle mass. Early clinical results suggest the treatment is safe and well tolerated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4obJWLt

CLOCK: Via Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, VERBATIM: “A newly discovered genetic clock acts as the master timekeeper for development, orchestrating crucial bursts of gene activity throughout a worm’s growth. When the clock is disrupted, development stops, offering fresh clues about how growth-related disorders may arise.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vP7bO3

health take | Mayo & Microsoft Build AI Model

Mike Maybay — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:30:31 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

OFFICE SPACE: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Office life in Minnesota is tense these days after recent reorganizations, layoffs and now expanding in-office mandates at several of the region’s largest employers. And with the rollout of artificial intelligence at workplaces threatening to displace white-collar jobs, workers are riddled with fear about their futures. This cocktail of factors is contributing to higher levels of stress and anxiety among U.S. workers today than at any time in recent history, a new survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dZzlOT

MORE: Via SHRM, from the poll:

SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3PZY65B

HEALTHCARE: Via center right-leaning Washington Reporter, VERBATIM: “A recent national survey of 1,600 likely voters conducted by McLaughlin & Associates on behalf of the Great American Health Alliance and shared with the Washington Reporter found that 79% of voters believe the healthcare system is either in crisis or facing major problems. The survey also found that 76% of voters are intensely concerned about out-of-pocket healthcare costs, including premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. The polling found broad support for reforms that would shift more healthcare spending decisions directly to consumers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o2PRlL

FREEDOM: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “In 2025, a median of 82% of adults across 138 countries said they were satisfied with their freedom to choose what they do with their life, while 17% were dissatisfied. This is nominally the highest level of satisfaction on record, though perceptions have been relatively stable near 80% since 2017.”

“Four of the eight countries that have seen the steepest declines in satisfaction over the past two decades are G7 members: the United States (-16 points), France (-15), the United Kingdom (-13) and Canada (-10). In 2006, these countries’ satisfaction with the freedom to choose what they do in life averaged near 90%, among the highest globally.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u7fgwd

PRIDE: Via Elon University, VERBATIM: “Sixty-eight percent of American adults say they are proud to be American, and 79% agree the United States plays a uniquely important role in world history. At the same time, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would feel more disappointment than pride about modern American democracy.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dTD2pi

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HEALTH IN MN

AI: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “People have been seeking out health information online since the dawn of the internet. And now, tens of millions of people are turning to artificial intelligence for questions they once asked ‘Dr. Google.’ But the large language models behind most mainstream AI chatbots are trained on a wide variety of content — including huge swaths of the internet — meaning the advice can be iffy and occasionally dangerous. Microsoft and Mayo Clinic are now teaming up to address that by building an AI model trained specifically on medical data, including records, research and the expertise of the hospital’s clinicians, which they say will help both patients and providers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4u4wmdT

MORE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “The model is designed to synthesize diverse clinical data to support earlier diagnoses, more personalized treatment decisions and better patient outcomes. By expanding access to actionable insights and supporting care teams in complex decision-making, the collaboration aims to address some of healthcare’s most challenging problems.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RFEKDm

HOME CARE: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “Parents of Minnesota’s most vulnerable children say lawmakers let them down, and now they’re going to extremes to fight an insurance company that’s denying coverage. A WCCO Investigation found private insurers Medica and HealthPartners stopped fully covering nursing care. That left families who need registered nurses in their homes around the clock to keep their kids alive scrambling to find other options.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4x4tQag

PAIN HELP: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health, in partnership with Hennepin Healthcare, is helping Minnesotans manage their pain without opioids. NOPAIN MN is a comprehensive, searchable public resource that maps the locations of non-opioid pain management providers across the state. Minnesota is currently the only state in the country with a resource map of this kind.” NEWS RELEASE: https://fluence-media.co/4o2OXpx SEARCH: https://fluence-media.co/3PPvgot

COLD WATER: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “With boating and swimming season ramping up, authorities have a cautionary message about lakes and waterways that may look inviting, but can still be dangerous. ‘I mean, we’ve lost people who have just jumped into the water off a boat in May and never resurfaced because the water temperature was so cold,’ explains Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4uhxFX7

GRAD: Via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “More than a year after a devastating hockey injury changed his life, Jackson Drum walked across the stage to receive his high school diploma. Jackson Drum, an Alexandria, Minnesota, teenager, was injured during a hockey game in Vancouver, Canada, in January 2025. His mother, Erica Drum, said he suffered a severe spinal cord injury and doctors told the family he might not be able to eat, swallow, breathe or walk on his own again.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4voAS83

NEXTGEN: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “It’s not every day that a high schooler gets to visit the operating room — or get their hands on the tools orthopedic surgeons use every day. Students recently visited the WestHealth Surgery Center in Plymouth. Doctors and health care leaders hope visits like this begin to address a looming surgeon shortage.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4u4uTnT

NATION & WORLD

MEDICAID: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “Pregnant women, parents of young children, veterans with disabilities and several other groups will be exempt from Medicaid’s new work requirements, the Trump administration said Monday. The guidance was released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, meeting a June 1 deadline under President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ to explain how states should carry out the work rules. Beginning Jan. 1, many adults on Medicaid will need to work, attend school or volunteer for at least 80 hours a month to keep their coverage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4x9xDDq

MILK: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his love for milk again Monday. This time it was in the district of embattled GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden, whose western Wisconsin seat in America’s Dairyland is one Republicans really want to hold this November. The visit, just the latest in a string of them from Cabinet secretaries to Van Orden’s district, comes as Republicans seek to shore up incumbents in toss-up races who must win this November if the GOP is to keep its House majority.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dMPzfy

EBOLA: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “An outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is already the third largest in history, just weeks after it likely began. It is spreading rapidly in one of the most volatile and vulnerable regions of the world, worrying U.S. and international health officials. Cuts to international health aid over the past year and a half are adding to the burden, some public-health leaders say.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4onzW1P

VACCINES: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has announced it’s helping fast-track three Ebola Bundibugyo virus vaccine candidates from the University of Oxford, Moderna, and the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), as the world races to control the growing outbreak caused by the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vt0sck

COVID: Via Fierce Pharma, VERBATIM: “After a prior misfire in demonstrating its protease inhibitor ensitrelvir’s potential as a COVID-19 treatment for U.S. patients, Shionogi has secured an FDA green light for the medicine in the prevention setting. Sold under the Xocova moniker—and available in Japan since 2022—Shionogi’s oral drug has been cleared for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) of COVID-19 in U.S. adults and adolescents ages 12 and older following contact with someone who has COVID.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vqwHsB

RESEARCH & INDUSTRY

POT + BOOZE: Via Johns Hopkins, VERBATIM: “New research from Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that combining cannabis edibles with alcohol can impair driving more than using either substance alone. The study also found that standard field sobriety tests often failed to detect impairment caused by cannabis, whether it was consumed by itself or alongside alcohol.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RJS6hV

KIDNEY CANCER: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “An experimental drug combination may help overcome treatment resistance in advanced kidney cancer, according to early results from a first-in-human clinical trial led by Mayo Clinic researchers. The study evaluated the investigational drug darlifarnib in combination with the targeted therapy cabozantinib, a standard treatment for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of kidney cancer. Among patients whose disease had progressed despite prior treatment, 44% responded to the combination therapy, while disease control was achieved in 94% of participants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ap11eV

AIR AMBULANCE: Via Air Med & Rescue, VERBATIM: “Air ambulance provider Life Link III has opened a new facility at Willmar Municipal Airport in the US state of Minnesota. Construction of the base, funded by a one-time US$1.5 million federal grant, was completed in February, and the site was formally opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 8 May.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PSIiBE

F&N: Via Minneapolis-based F&N, VERBATIM: “Friends & Neighbors (F&N), a Minneapolis-based brand strategy and creative agency, today announced the appointment of Dan Hoedeman as Managing Director. He joins at a pivotal growth moment to strengthen client relationships, expand agency capabilities, and accelerate F&N Med, the agency’s specialized MedTech practice.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dGmPF4

MANKATO: Via KEYC-TV, VERBATIM: “Mankato Clinic names a new chief financial officer who starts today. The physician-owned clinic says Brandon Janike —a Waldorf native—will serve as CFO.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ShgcAD

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

WALK: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “Northwoods Caregivers has been providing elderly care in the Bemidji area for 25 years. Last year, several employees got together to start ‘A Walk Down Memory Lane’ event to raise awareness for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, and that tradition continued on Thursday.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/49xgBF5

FALCONS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A hospital building in Rochester known for life-saving medical treatment is also home to some fierce airborne predators: Peregrine falcons who live in a rooftop nest, where four fluffy feathered chicks hatched just a few weeks ago. To welcome the falcon hatchlings, hundreds of patients, staff and friends of the Mayo Clinic community gathered recently in Mayo’s Geffen Auditorium, where member of the peregrine falcon recovery team brought the four fledgling birds from their nesting box atop the Mayo building in downtown Rochester.” LISTEN/SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4aiQnpZ

health take | MN a Health Destination for the Rich

Mike Maybay — Thu, 28 May 2026 20:31:09 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

BOSSES: The Harris Poll finds six in ten employed U.S. adults say they have a toxic boss. VERBATIM: “Mental health takes the biggest hit. Nearly half of workers (47%) say their boss’s behavior is causing stress, burnout, or declining mental health. More than half (53%) have sought therapy because of a toxic boss.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43EHW4A

POT: Via Pew, VERBATIM: “The vast majority of Americans support legalizing marijuana in some way, according to a January 2026 Center survey. A majority of U.S. adults (55%) say that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use, and another 33% say it should be legal for medical use only. Just 11% say the drug should not be legal at all. These views have held relatively steady since 2019.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49tKupJ

STRESS: Via AMFM, VERBATIM: “AMFM Healthcare today released findings from a new national survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, revealing that nearly three in four Americans (72.7%) feel stressed on a regular basis, and that many are turning to a mix of healthy, harmful, and emerging digital behaviors to cope. The survey found that stress is being driven by a convergence of pressures.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fe3L25

BLADDER CANCER: Via The Harris Poll, VERBATIM: “More than 90% of patients who underwent bladder removal surgery or received Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment report negative impacts on their physical, emotional, and mental health. More than half describe those impacts as moderate or significant. What’s striking is how much emotional stress patients absorb alone. About three in four say they hide the emotional impact of their disease. One in three always, or often, conceals how they feel.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v7e10E

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HEALTH HEADLINES

DOG BITES: The U.S. Postal Service reports 29 dog incidents in Minneapolis last year. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RStgMJ

REAL ESTATE: The New York Times reports on a trend of wealthy retirees buying first or second homes in locations with desirable medical care. VERBATIM: “Pockets of the Midwest have been in on the trend for decades. The global reputation of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., has made the nearby Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul—located about 90 minutes by car north—a residential hub for medical migration. ‘Clients move to Florida to enjoy life, but when health issues get serious, they come right back,’ says Isaac Kuehn, a real-estate agent at DRG in Minneapolis. He recently helped a couple return from Florida after the wife’s accelerating Parkinson’s disease prompted them to seek Minnesota’s healthcare system. The state’s medical network also attracts wealthy buyers with no local roots, Kuehn says.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49rv6du

PRESIDENT’S HEALTH: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “The White House is saying little about President Trump’s check-up at Walter Reed Tuesday, his third in 13 months. Critics say the lack of transparency only raises more questions about his health.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4dNmjE2

MORE: Via Time, VERBATIM: “There is no constitutional or legal requirement for American Presidents to publicly share their medical records. And Presidents, like other Americans, are covered by medical privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Any details that are made public are typically shared by the White House, with the President’s consent. ‘At this point in time, what the law requires is for a President’s physician to respect a President’s confidentiality, and the President gets to choose what is disclosed,’ says M. Sara Rosenthal, a professor of bioethics at the University of Kentucky.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e8wtjY

BIDEN: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “Jill Biden’s new comments about Joe Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate have reignited a conversation that tore the Democratic Party apart during and after the now-former president’s performance. Biden told CBS News in an interview clip published Wednesday that her husband’s stumbles and apparent confusion ‘scared me to death,’ and she worried her husband was having a stroke.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o0vg1E

EBOLA: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Uganda on Wednesday ordered the closure of its border with Congo, where suspected cases of a rare type of Ebola are surging, and as cases have been confirmed at home after Ugandan health workers were exposed to the disease from Congolese patients. The measure, which goes against the guidance by the World Health Organization, underscores growing fears of contagion in East Africa from Bundibugyo, a rare type of the Ebola virus that is behind this outbreak and that has no approved medicines or vaccines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vhrK5j

MISINFORMATION: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “A hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch cruise ship in early May was followed by false health claims that mirror patterns documented in previous outbreaks, including unsupported claims that ivermectin is an effective treatment, that the outbreak was planned in advance, and that it was caused by COVID-19 vaccines.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oey0Zr

HEALTHCARE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The proportion of Americans without health insurance held steady at around 8% of the population in 2025, according to new findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national survey results, released Thursday, show the all-ages uninsured rate has stayed significantly down from where it was several years ago, but the ranks of the uninsured could soon expand as the Trump administration’s sweeping changes to the health landscape begin to take hold.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wVS5r6

INNOVATION

INVENTION: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports on the owner of a Twin Cities bicycle wheel manufacturer who invented a device that makes mammograms more comfortable for the patient. It all started with a painful mammogram followed by a prototype made from a shoebox and duct tape. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RNjwDp

RESEARCH: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers will present more than 30 studies at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, highlighting advances in precision oncology, early cancer detection, artificial intelligence (AI) and personalized cancer care. The meeting will be held May 29–June 2 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vgxzzW

HEP B: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “A new drug has essentially cured 1 in 5 patients with chronic hepatitis B infections, researchers reported on Thursday, a feat that has stymied scientists for years. ‘It’s the first major advance in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in decades,’ said Dr. William Jarnagin, a surgeon and liver specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The study included patients who, unlike most infected with hepatitis B, did not recover. Instead, the virus — transmitted by body fluids like semen or blood — takes up residence in the liver.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nYfIeG

CHILDREN’S: Via Children’s Minnesota, VERBATIM: “Children’s Minnesota today announced the appointment of Sameer Gupta, M.D., MBA, as executive vice president and chief medical officer, effective Aug. 1.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42X43mN

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

VISION: Via American Chemical Society, VERBATIM: “Researchers are developing a futuristic alternative to LASIK that reshapes the eye without lasers or incisions. Using mild electrical pulses and platinum contact lenses, they temporarily soften the cornea so it can be molded into a new shape. Early tests on rabbit eyes successfully corrected nearsightedness in about a minute while preserving the eye’s structure.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PJbTgQ

CRAVINGS: Via Institute for Basic Science, VERBATIM: “When the body runs low on protein, the gut sends powerful signals to the brain that reshape cravings and push animals to seek essential amino acids instead of sugar. Researchers say this newly discovered gut-brain network could transform our understanding of appetite, nutrition, and obesity.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dD9I7H

health take | Locals Push to Ban Flavored Vapes

Mike Maybay — Tue, 26 May 2026 20:30:53 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription

POLLING

FAMILY DOC: Via HealthDay, VERBATIM: “More than 8 in 10 U.S. adults (84%) have a family physician or primary care doctor, according to a new HealthDay/Harris Poll survey. But many of these folks have a family doctor only on paper, it seems. The survey found that nearly 3 out of 5 people who have a family doctor (58%) say they are unable to receive care when they need it – due to a lack of available appointments, an inability to reach a receptionist, a too-long wait for the next open date or other similar problems.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Y3mtj

COMMUNICATION: Via ASHA, VERBATIM: “A new national poll commissioned by ASHA and conducted by YouGov of caregivers to adults with communication difficulties highlights the importance of effective communication and reveals what caregivers and their care recipients face every day. Fortunately, professional support from audiologists and speech-language pathologists can make a positive difference and substantially improve the quality of daily life for everyone concerned. The timing of this new information is highly relevant, as May is recognized as National Speech-Language-Hearing Month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4e6cQsJ

STI: Via Annenberg, VERBATIM: “While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the total number of U.S. cases of three sexually transmitted infections (STIs) declined from 2022-24, infection rates remain 13% higher than a decade ago. CDC provisional data show more than 2.2 million U.S. cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in 2024. Now, a nationally representative survey of empaneled adults from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania finds that while most Americans understand how STIs spread, there are significant gaps in public knowledge about which infections can be prevented through vaccination.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dxq8OT

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HEALTH IN MN

NEXT MONTH: Via news release from the Attorney General, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is inviting members of the public to share their opinions on the proposed acquisition of North Memorial Health by Sanford Health at a community forum on Monday, June 8, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RvFDOI

VAPES: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “As the Trump administration takes action to loosen regulations on fruity flavored e-cigarettes, anti-tobacco activists in Minnesota are stepping up efforts to ban flavored vapes and other nicotine products at the local level. Several groups are joining forces to push for a ban or at least restrict the sale of flavored nicotine in Olmsted County, home to Minnesota’s third largest city, Rochester. They’ve formed a coalition called ‘Love Your Lungs Olmsted,’ arguing that flavored tobacco products are designed to entice and hook kids on harmful and addictive nicotine.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4f4Gsb1

RURAL: Via KSTP-TV, VERBATIM: “Rural health leaders in Minnesota say state funding rules and a stalled drug discount measure are leaving some hospitals with few options. One issue involves the federal 340B program, which allows hospitals to buy prescription drugs at discounted rates. This past session, the Senate voted for protections to expand the number of pharmacies that got the discount, but the House did not take up the measure. Rural health leaders said they are also upset over guidelines for a $500 million reserve fund that Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) and other struggling safety-net hospitals will have access to.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4v5Qo8Q

HCMC: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “In the wake of recent attention on HCMC’s financial woes and resulting bailout from the state Legislature, the training program –one of 11 residencies at the hospital – offers an under-the-radar example of the stakes for public health should the hospital continue to falter. Since its establishment in 1970, the residency has trained over 550 doctors – about 34 at any given time. Roughly 75% of graduates have stayed in Minnesota to practice, according to Hennepin Healthcare figures.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oaaQU1

SOUTH MPLS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “The Native American Community Clinic announced this week that its south Minneapolis health clinic and affordable housing project is expected to open in September. And those interested in applying for one of its units are able to apply today. The $55 million dollar project along Minneapolis’ American Indian Cultural Corridor is being spearheaded by the clinic and a coalition of public, private and philanthropic partners.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Rz5vZY

U OF M: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “A major expansion at a community health center in south Minneapolis will boost care for vulnerable residents in an era when they need it most. The Community-University Health Care Center serves low-income residents, immigrants and refugees, regardless of their ability to pay. Last year, it saw more than 12,000 patients. Collectively, the center’s patients speak more than 50 different languages, and the majority rely on public health insurance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v5QyNn

SALMONELLA: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has confirmed that two people in Minnesota became ill with Salmonella in April 2026 after consuming moringa capsules from the brand tnvitamins (lot 2793, expiration February 2028) purchased on Amazon. Neither person was hospitalized and both have recovered. MDH is warning people not to consume the tnvitamins brand of moringa leaf powder capsules.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4veYTi7

HEADLINES

HANTAVIRUS: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday said the hantavirus ‘situation is stable for now.’ Tedros provided an update stating that WHO has reported 12 cases of hantavirus and three deaths, with no other confirmed deaths since May 2.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4vbCnXo

TREATMENT: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is offering to shield drugmakers from legal liability as an incentive to develop treatments for the Andes hantavirus that caused a deadly outbreak on a cruise ship this month. Why it matters: The move is stirring criticism within Kennedy’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement and harks back to COVID-era protections the government gave to obtain antivirals, vaccines and other products during the health emergency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Q04Wbc

EBOLA: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its power to prevent individuals from entering the U.S. ‘in the interest of public health’ — including lawful permanent U.S. residents. An interim final rule, released Friday, cites the current Ebola outbreak as the reason for the change.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uv97L5

MORE: Via ABC News, VERBATIM: “Some public health specialists told ABC News that monitoring travel exposures is an important part of containing and tracing the spread of a disease. However, they warned that broader bans can have unintended consequences that may negatively impact global public health and hinder containment efforts that should be considered when making these decisions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4tU175r

ACA: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Both the Trump administration and state officials agree on the numerical fact: People this year are dropping their Obamacare coverage — to the tune of 1.2 million people out of a total enrollment of 24.3 million as of March, according to the latest federal data. But they are at odds over why. Trump officials say better federal policing of fraud on Healthcare.gov accounts for much of the drop. Meanwhile, some state Affordable Care Act exchanges blame higher costs, particularly after Congress decided not to extend beyond Jan. 1 the enhanced subsidies that brought premiums down for higher-income people.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4uxqwCN

APPOINTMENT: Via Essentia, VERBATIM: “Essentia Health is proud to announce that its CEO, Dr. David Herman, has been appointed to Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners, the organization’s governing body responsible for advising leadership and shaping strategy to advance healthcare quality and safety nationwide. Joint Commission is a global driver of quality improvement and patient safety in healthcare. The organization accredits and certifies more than 22,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.”

(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

HEART DISEASE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “In a small, preliminary study, an experimental gene-editing treatment dramatically lowered cholesterol levels, perhaps permanently, after just one infusion, scientists reported on Monday. If confirmed in larger studies, researchers hope the findings may lead to a one-and-done way to prevent heart disease in large numbers of people. Most gene therapies target rare diseases, but cardiovascular disease kills nearly 800,000 Americans a year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dy11vd

STROKE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Stroke can happen anywhere to anyone. In the U.S., someone has a stroke every 40 seconds. And Mayo Clinic experts say knowing the risk factors of stroke can help prevent long-term disability and even death.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4dRjcLp

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

NASAL SPRAY: Via Texas A&M, VERBATIM: “Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a nasal spray that appears to reverse brain aging by calming inflammation and restoring the brain’s energy systems. After just two doses, memory and cognitive function improved for months, raising hopes for future treatments targeting dementia and brain fog.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wT6hkD

GLP-1: Via University of Pennsylvania, VERBATIM: “By analyzing over 400,000 Reddit posts, researchers discovered that users of popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs frequently discussed unexpected symptoms like menstrual irregularities, chills, and hot flashes. The findings suggest AI could turn social media into a powerful early-warning system for spotting side effects that clinical trials may miss.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49Tluby

health take | New Shot Shows Promise in Treating Obesity

Mike Maybay — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:31:03 GMT

All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:

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POLLING

ADULTHOOD: Via Ipsen, VERBATIM: “Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY), a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced the findings of a major new survey conducted by The Harris Poll showing broad consensus that young people are under-prepared for the move from pediatrics to the adult healthcare system and more resources are needed to support young adults. The Healthcare Shift Survey found 71 percent of youth aged 14-26 find the adult healthcare system confusing, and two-thirds say they would have benefited from more preparation for the change to an adult primary care provider (66 percent).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4do1XlR

DOOMSCROLLING: Via SQ Magazine, VERBATIM: “Roughly 31% of American adults regularly doomscroll, with 51% of Gen Z and 46% of millennials caught in the same compulsive loop, according to a 2024 Morning Consult survey. The behavior has hardened into a measurable public-health pattern that links late-night phone use, news avoidance, and rising anxiety into a single feedback cycle.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49bkcsf

LONELINESS: Via CNBC, VERBATIM: “Americans are yearning for connection: 41% of U.S. adults say they feel lonely at least some of the time, according to the 2025 Social Connection in America Report. When they feel those pangs of loneliness, many don’t immediately turn to the people around them, according to the American Psychiatric Association‘s annual mental health poll. Fifty-four percent watch TV, movies or online videos, another 54% listen to music, 44% sleep, and 38% turn to social media.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v5PSI7

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HEALTH HEADLINES

FRAUD: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “Federal charges were filed Wednesday against 15 people accused of defrauding social service programs in Minnesota, Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald announced Thursday. The cases involve theft of more than $90 million in taxpayer money, McDonald said . . . The other allegations outlined in court documents show one person is accused of defrauding the Federal Child Nutrition Program and a state program providing grants to child care providers, in part by falsifying the numbers of meals served to children. Another, accused of defrauding a state program that helps child care centers pay staff, is alleged to have inflated the number of staffers and their hours worked. Some of the other cases involve allegations of Medicaid fraud.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v2nG90

MORE: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Among the defendants are an owner and an employee of autism clinics, who are charged with submitting $46.6 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid, the public health plan that covers low-income people. Additional defendants were charged with filing bogus claims to Medicaid for other services, including those that assist disabled people with obtaining housing and living independently.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PURlSs

ICYMI… lunch take had this morning’s news conference announcing the charges and more. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4wK7MBB

TASK FORCE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has fired the two leaders of an influential health group that determines when insurance must provide free preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies, for millions of Americans. In letters dated May 11, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. notified the two doctors who chaired the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that he was terminating their appointments immediately, before the end of their multiyear terms.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4utgwL4

OBESITY DRUG: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “An experimental shot helped participants in a large trial lose far more weight than obesity drugs already on the market, Eli Lilly, the maker, announced on Thursday. Among the heaviest patients in the trial, the results were on par with those seen with gastric bypass surgery, the only effective treatment for most with severe obesity. The drug, retatrutide, appears to be the most powerful yet in a wave of injections and pills that have transformed the treatment of obesity — so much so that some participants in other research have said they stopped taking retatrutide because they felt they were losing too much weight.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RTjZ72

TOBACCO: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “The tobacco company Reynolds American donated $5 million to a super PAC backed by President Trump last month, about one week before his administration rolled out a new policy that could prove lucrative to the tobacco industry. The donation, which came through a Reynolds subsidiary and brings to $8 million the total donated by the subsidiary to MAGA Inc., the Trump-backed super PAC, was revealed in a campaign finance report filed Wednesday night.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dzbFAz

EBOLA: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “There are now 600 suspected cases and more than 160 deaths in a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today, with numbers expected to rise.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fxpRg3

TICKS: Via Newsweek, VERBATIM: “Scientists have issued fresh warnings about Lyme disease as tick bites continue to climb across the United States. Emergency room visits for tick bites have climbed to the highest levels for this time of year since 2017 in every U.S. region except the South Central states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in warning earlier this morning.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v0QqyP

MAYO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Inspired by the memory of their infant son and Mayo Clinic’s vision for the future of healthcare, Paula and Randy Ringhaver of St. Augustine, Florida, have made a $75 million gift to Mayo Clinic in Florida. The gift will support Bold. Forward. Unbound., Mayo Clinic’s investment across the organization to transform healthcare through integrated digital and physical spaces.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PQviwh

DESPITE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FACING HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ESSENTIA HEALTH RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS: The Duluth News Tribune’s latest editorial highlights the vital role nonprofit hospitals play in our communities – from providing uncompensated care to supporting access to high-quality care close to home. Read more about why this community benefit matters now more than ever. (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)

INNOVATION & RESEARCH

ACQUISITION: Via Fierce Biotech, VERBATIM: “Medtronic has entered a deal to acquire SPR Therapeutics, a Cleveland-based company whose flagship product delivers short-term electrical nerve stimulation for chronic pain patients, for approximately $650 million in cash. The deal would add SPR’s FDA-cleared SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation System to the Irish medtech giant’s already broad pain therapy portfolio.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RjOqDm

MERGER: Via Allina, VERBATIM: “Allina Health and Sutter Health announced today that they have approved a definitive agreement, taking the next step toward their shared goal of creating an integrated nonprofit health system. The organizations will expand local access to high-quality, affordable care, while leading nationally in digital and technological advancements that transform care and meaningfully improve the experiences of patients and caregivers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4o1sCZz

BROOKLYN PARK: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “A Brooklyn Park manufacturing company is helping doctors and patients get quicker access to life-saving medical devices. Earlier this month, Velosity celebrated the grand opening of its new 100,000-square-foot manufacturing lab, located at 6835 Winnetka Circle. The company specializes in producing precision plastic and metal parts used across the medical device and defense industries.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3PDmD06

VIRGINIA: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “The Iron Range is getting a major investment in rural healthcare. On Wednesday in Virginia, Essentia Health broke ground on a $13 million dollar emergency department expansion — a big investment in rural health care that leaders say will nearly double the ER’s space, add more specialized treatment areas, and bring in new state-of-the-art emergency technology.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4nIYmSL

(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)

PATHOLOGY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology (MCDP) is advancing efforts to build an integrated innovation ecosystem that supports the future of pathology across clinical care and research. The work reflects Mayo Clinic’s broader digital pathology strategy, including investments in emerging companies, expanded use of digitized pathology data and collaborations designed to improve diagnostic workflows and speed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4upoRiG

FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com

ALZHEIMER’S: Via UC San Diego, VERBATIM: “Women not only face higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, but new research suggests they may also be more strongly affected by several common risk factors linked to cognitive decline. Scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine analyzed data from more than 17,000 middle aged and older adults and found that certain modifiable dementia risk factors appear to have a greater impact on women’s cognitive function than men’s.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4v0OLt5

JUNK FOOD: Via University College Cork, VERBATIM: “Eating too much junk food early in life may rewire the brain in ways that last into adulthood, even after switching to a healthier diet. Scientists found that high-fat, high-sugar diets changed feeding behavior and disrupted appetite-control regions in the brain. Excitingly, certain gut-friendly bacteria and prebiotic fibers appeared to help undo some of the damage.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42Pkx03