WATER & BUGS: From UCare via Facebook, VERBATIM: “There's still plenty of outdoor excursions and trips to the lake ahead. UCare's Dr. Bruce Cantor wants you to be safe in the water and protect yourself from insect bites.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3UtDYr7 (SPONSORED: UCare)
All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
FOOD: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Most U.S. adults consider their diet to be generally healthy and report paying close attention to nutritional information on food labels, especially sugar and calories. Slightly fewer, but still a majority, say they pay attention to food warnings and nutritional recommendations.”
“Overall, 24% of U.S. adults describe their diet as being “very healthy,” while 60% say it is ‘somewhat healthy.’ The combined 84% of Americans who report that their diet is at least somewhat healthy has been generally stable since Gallup first asked the question in 2001.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oGOCZh
MORE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Confidence in the government’s ability to ensure food safety in the U.S. has hit a new low — a drop driven largely by distrust among Democrats, according to a poll released Monday. Gallup’s latest survey of consumer habits found 53 percent of Americans said they have at least a ‘fair amount’ of faith in federal regulators maintaining a safe food supply.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41gCUut
SOCIAL MEDIA: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “With public trust in government health agencies as reliable messengers declining, the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds that over half (55%) of adults, including larger shares of young adults and Black and Hispanic adults, say they use social media to find health information and advice at least occasionally. Large shares of adults report seeing information on social media in the past month on about weight loss, diet, or nutrition (72%) and mental health (58%), and about four in ten (38%) report seeing vaccine-related content. Smaller shares say they saw information on social media about abortion (30%) and birth control (22%) in the past 30 days.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lywwWA
CONCERNS: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “Parent perceptions about child health issues can influence their parenting decisions, their support for advocacy or political campaigns, or their interest in searching for information. The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked a national sample of parents of children 1-18 years about their views on an array of child health topics. Overall, 69% of parents think the physical health of US children and teens is getting worse, and 83% think the mental health is getting worse.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3V9d1t2
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
TIKTOK: From a news release sent this morning from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office about a lawsuit it has filed against TikTok, QUOTE: “Concurrent with the rise of TikTok, Minnesota has documented significant increases in rates of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in Minnesota youth. Numerous studies have found that excessive use of TikTok and other social media platforms can severely harm the mental health of young people, with one study in particular finding that increased use of social media can double the risk of negative mental health outcomes like depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation. A recent survey found that 54% of Minnesota’s 11th graders reported feeling down, depressed, or hopeless at least several days a week, and nearly 70% reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oK2UbF
MORE: You can read more about the lawsuit and find a link to this morning’s news conference in lunch take HERE: https://fluence-media.co/4mQr82n
RESEARCH: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Research grants make up a substantial part of the University of Minnesota’s budget — and the majority of those research funds come from the federal government. In the 2024 fiscal year, the University received $628 million in federal research grants — about 14% of the university’s total budget. But like other universities around the country, the U has seen federal agencies pull some of these funds as President Donald Trump attempts to exert greater control of higher education institutions. As of July 17, 98 federal grants have been terminated or suspended at the University of Minnesota, according to a list provided by the university in a public records request.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HEMTmE
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)
GOLDEN VALLEY: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The city of Golden Valley is recommending that you and your pets stay off the skating rinks at four of its parks. The recycled asphalt used to build the base for the rinks contains a diesel byproduct contaminate at levels exceeding what’s allowed at a park by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oJYmCi
VA: Via news release from AANA, VERBATIM: “The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) applauds and supports the Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Medical Center's (VAMC) recent decision to adopt a proven, patient-focused anesthesia care model that will ensure that veterans continue to receive the care they deserve . . . The recent VA Office of Inspector General report shows a 38% increase in facilities that cite a severe shortage of anesthesiologists. VA's continued use of inefficient anesthesia models is no longer tenable, and the decision by the Minneapolis VAMC is the right one for veterans who deserve anesthesia care without delay. AANA and our members are proud to serve our nation's veterans by providing an outstanding level of care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45F3UVL
NEXT YEAR: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Starting Jan. 1, Minnesota workers will have new coverage options to take paid family and medical leave that guarantees partial pay replacement and a return to their position. The agency managing the program expects hundreds of thousands of people each year to tap into benefits that defray the cost of taking time off to recover from illness or injury or care for family members. Before the new program takes effect, here’s a look at how it will work and some common questions about how Minnesotans can use it.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Hyjs5W
OPIOIDS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Fentanyl has spread to every corner of the country in recent years and has caused overdose deaths to surge everywhere it’s gone. For years, young, white and often rural people have been the public face of the opioid epidemic. Lately, public officials and journalists have also been raising the alarm about high overdose rates among Native Minnesotans and people of color, more generally. But one particularly hard-hit group in Minnesota is getting little attention from policymakers: older Black men such as Graham.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/45spGNK
DIET MEDS: Via Fierce Pharma, VERBATIM: “Several months after unveiling its direct-to-consumer NovoCare Pharmacy service with the launch of a $499 cash-pay option for a monthly supply of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk is expanding the discount to include its other GLP-1 heavyweight. Eligible self-paying patients with Type 2 diabetes will now be able to purchase their prescribed Ozempic for $499 per month, the Danish pharma announced Monday. The lower-cost doses—coming in at half the med’s list price of about $1,000—will be available for home delivery via NovoCare and from traditional pharmacies through a collaboration with GoodRx.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3JoCLPw
BUGS: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District operates in the seven Twin Cities metro counties, trapping mosquitoes and ticks for analysis and testing them for pathogens like West Nile virus and Lyme disease. The data allows the MMCD to take safety measures, including chemical interventions to target developing larvae or adult insects. Each week from the middle of May to September, the MMCD releases an update. Recently, tests showed a surge in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus, putting Minnesota and the greater Midwest at increased risk for West Nile virus transmission.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fJEJpV
ESSENTIA HEALTH INVESTS IN TWIN PORTS NURSES: Total payroll for Essentia Health Duluth-Superior nurses is $164 million, with $53 million paid in salary increases over the past 3 years. Essentia Health has also increased clinical support staff by 10% over the past 3 years, providing additional support for those nurses. Over half of Duluth area nurses have been with us for over 5 years and enjoy exceptional work-life balance. To join our team at Essentia Health, search for openings HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3FzLe0i (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
VACCINE: From University of Florida via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “A breakthrough mRNA cancer vaccine has shown the ability to supercharge the effects of immunotherapy in mice, sparking hope for a universal ‘off-the-shelf’ treatment that could fight multiple cancers. Unlike traditional vaccines designed to target specific tumor proteins, this approach simply revs up the immune system as if it were fighting a virus. The results were dramatic—when paired with checkpoint inhibitors, tumors shrank, and in some cases, the vaccine alone wiped them out.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mu72eC
COVID: Via ABC News, VERBATIM: “The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said on Tuesday that children ages 6 months to 23 months should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, in contrast with federal health officials. The recommendations are part of the AAP's annual childhood immunization schedule, which includes guidance for COVID, flu and RSV vaccines for those aged 18 and younger. The AAP has been releasing its own recommendations since the 1930s, but in a rare occurrence, the recommendations differ from those put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lKWvuo
HEALTH AGENCIES: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “Five months after the Trump administration rolled out its grand plans for a signature ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agency, Congress has shied away from taking steps to bring the new agency to fruition. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his plan for the agency in March amid a wide-scale restructuring of the department intended to streamline duplicative efforts and cut costs. But the department’s plans to consolidate the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and portions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the new Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA, have been stalled by ongoing litigation and a lack of congressional buy-in.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lTLrLz
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
BIRTH CONTROL: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “About two years after the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States, a new study suggests that many people who may not have had access to contraception before are now using the over-the-counter option. More than a quarter – 26.2% – of people now using over-the-counter oral contraceptives were using no modern method of birth control before, according to the study published Monday in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lG521B
DOCS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Physicians who wore a smartwatch and had access to their personal health data — including information on their heart rate, sleep, breathing patterns and physical activity — reported greater resilience and 54% saw a reduction in the overall odds of burnout compared to those who did not receive a study smartwatch, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open. Mayo Clinic investigators conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Colorado School of Medicine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4lyyp5C
MEDICAL ALLEY: Via Medical Alley, VERBATIM: “Medical Alley is proud to announce Jodi Niehoff as our new Senior Director of Government Affairs and Communications. Jodi brings more than two decades of experience in public policy, strategic communications, and government relations at both the federal and state levels.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41Jv6S8
RESEARCH: Via news release from Florida-based Headlands, VERBATIM: “Headlands Research, a leading multinational network of clinical trial sites, today announced the opening of Headlands Research Twin Cities (HRTC), its 23rd fully owned site. Strategically situated in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area, the new center offers pharmaceutical sponsors and CROs rapid, single-contract access to a wide range of Upper-Midwest patient populations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45nKl5C
CLINIC: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “The Urgency Room will officially open on Aug. 18 in an office complex along Golden Hills Drive. The new clinic helps those who need immediate medical attention but don’t need an ambulance or emergency room visit.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4fKcRSw
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
KETAMINE: From Cochrane via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “A sweeping review of 67 trials has cast doubt on the use of ketamine and similar NMDA receptor antagonists for chronic pain relief. While ketamine is frequently prescribed off-label for conditions like fibromyalgia and nerve pain, researchers found little convincing evidence of real benefit and flagged serious side effects such as delusions and nausea. The lack of data on whether it reduces depression or opioid use adds to the uncertainty.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oJ28vy
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