700 KITS: From UCare via Facebook, VERBATIM: “A cheerful shout-out to our outstanding UCare alumni volunteers for packing 700 hygiene kits filled with essential items to be donated to our community partners. We're so grateful for their continued support and the joy they bring to every volunteer.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/439jtoC (SPONSORED: UCare)
All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
POLL: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “Amid sweeping overhauls of federal health agencies in the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term, majorities of the public oppose major cuts to staff and spending at these agencies (61%) and say recent actions by the administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have gone too far (54%). In addition, six in ten (59%) say the administration is ‘recklessly making broad cuts to programs and staff, including some that are necessary for agencies to function,’ while a smaller share (41%) say ‘the administration is carefully making cuts to programs and staff to reduce fraud and waste, and to improve government efficiency.’”
“Support for major changes at federal government health agencies is driven by the most enthusiastic segment of President Trump’s political base – Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who identify as supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4372Da1
MORE: Via News From The States, VERBATIM: “The survey comes just days before House Republicans are expected to release a bill that will likely propose cutting hundreds of billions in federal funding for Medicaid. That legislation, as well as bills from several other committees, is supposed to help Republicans offset some of the $4.5 trillion deficit impact that comes with extending the 2017 tax law.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4dhkVcl
LTC: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “Whether they’re counting on Medicare to pay for something it doesn’t currently pay for, thinking they can deal with the issue later, or thinking they won’t need it at all, a new poll reveals major gaps in knowledge and preparation regarding long-term care among Americans aged 50 and over. Nearly two-thirds (62%) believe Medicare would pay for their care if they needed to permanently move into a nursing home. But Medicare generally doesn’t cover this kind of care. It also doesn’t pay family caregivers to take care of someone at home.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jYPVQk
STROKE: Via The Independent, VERBATIM: “A new poll by the Stroke Association (UK) has revealed 35% of stroke survivors are able to sing better than speak in the weeks and months after their stroke. The survey of 1,000 people who have had a stroke found 33% lost the ability to speak after a stroke. Some 26% said they could sing or hum before they could talk at all. And 61% said music helped improve their communication skills after their stroke, with half (51%) saying it helped their memory.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EB2na2
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
VACCINE CLINICS: Via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “The Brian Coyle Neighborhood Center was home to a handful of free pop-up vaccine clinics held by the Minneapolis Health Department last year . . . Last year, the Minneapolis Health Department held 87 vaccine clinics in underserved areas around the city, targeting communities with lower immunization rates and higher barriers to accessing health care. Despite plans by city health officials to continue their work through this year, including five more pop-up clinics that had been scheduled for this month, the program was cut following the Trump administration’s revocation of remaining funds – about half of the initial $3 million.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GyhuBw
TESTING: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan that would require placebo-controlled studies for all new vaccines, surprising some experts who noted that such testing already routinely takes place. In a statement, Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said that ‘all new vaccines will undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials’ before approval, and called the move a ‘radical departure’ from existing standards.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3EOVO3C
MORE: Via The Washington Post, VERBATIM: “The HHS statement raised concerns among medical and public health experts who said the move could be a significant shift in how the country has ensured the safety of vaccines for decades, as well as cast doubt on vaccines that are safe, effective and key to public health. The potential change comes as public trust in vaccines continues to decline amid a growing measles outbreak and worries over Kennedy’s mixed messaging about immunizations. Medical and public health experts also expressed dismay that the testing change could require coronavirus vaccines, and potentially others, to undergo costly and, in their view, unnecessary studies that would probably limit vaccine production and access — and leave more Americans at risk of preventable disease.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GMsATs
UNIVERSAL: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “In a shift away from next-generation Covid-19 vaccines, the Trump administration is investing $500 million in a vaccine project championed by two scientists who were recently tapped to serve in senior roles within the National Institutes of Health, according to emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The unusually large sum comes as the nation’s health agencies are cutting budgets, shrinking staff and terminating hundreds of active research grants. The project involves producing vaccines from chemically inactivated whole viruses, a throwback to how flu vaccines were made decades ago. The goal, one that scientists have chased unsuccessfully for decades, is to make ‘universal’ vaccines that protect against multiple strains of a virus at once.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GMsGdM
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)
REGENERATIVE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Regenerative Medicine Minnesota has awarded funding to three projects aimed at strengthening Minnesota's capabilities for developing and delivering therapies that replace, restore, rejuvenate or regenerate damaged cells, tissues or organs. Co-led by the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota brings together the state's leading research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs and bring new therapies to patients across the state.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iIcNlU
FOOD BANKS: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Food bank managers across the country say their supplies have been strained by rising demand since the covid pandemic-era emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits ended two years ago and steepening food prices. Now, they say, demand is compounded by recent cuts in federal funding to food distribution programs that supply staple food items to pantries nationwide. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $500 million from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which buys food from domestic producers and sends it to pantries nationwide. The program has supplied more than 20% of the distributions by Feeding America, a nonprofit that serves a network of over 200 food banks and 60,000 meal programs.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cY4elH
NAMI: Via National Alliance on Mental Illness, VERBATIM: “After nearly a quarter century of visionary leadership, Sue Abderholden announced today that she will retire as Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota effective October 15, 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4374FXH
DULUTH: Via news release from Life Link III, VERBATIM: “Life Link III is proud to announce that the Duluth Airport Authority Board (DAA) has unanimously approved a proposed Development Agreement and lease terms for a new base location at the Duluth International Airport. This milestone marks a significant investment in the Arrowhead region and surrounding communities, strengthening Life Link III’s ability to deliver high-quality air medical transport services.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GvuBTZ
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)
AUTISM: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the government’s new autism findings this month, he painted a grim and highly controversial picture: Not only was autism becoming more prevalent, he said, but ‘most cases now are severe.’ The notion that severe symptoms are becoming more common isn’t substantiated by scientific evidence. Rather, new research being announced this week at the annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research in Seattle suggests that the share of autism cases with moderate or significant symptoms remained relatively consistent from 2000 to 2016.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iIIsUr
MORE: Via Disability Scoop, VERBATIM: “As the Trump administration lays out ambitious plans to address autism, many longtime leaders and well-known experts in the field have been left out, stakeholders indicate. National autism advocacy groups and top researchers tell Disability Scoop that they have not had any contact with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee — a panel comprised of government officials and members of the autism community tasked with coordinating federal autism efforts — has not met since January.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cU5upY
STUDY: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “For as long as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has falsely claimed that vaccines cause widespread harm — from autism to sudden death — he has pointed to the one source he says could immediately prove it. In speeches, interviews and writings, Kennedy has repeatedly claimed that the evidence of a massive public health cover-up lies buried in a little-known database of medical records of some 12 million Americans: the Vaccine Safety Datalink, or VSD . . . Kennedy now oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — including the Vaccine Safety Datalink — and one of his first initiatives as health secretary was to launch his long-dreamed-of study using the VSD to investigate the link between childhood vaccines and autism. It’s a theory that has already been disproven in dozens of studies, many using VSD data.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42DUbip
INFANTS: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration has cancelled federal participation in Safe to Sleep, a 30-year campaign to prevent babies from dying in their sleep, STAT and the Medill News Service have learned. The elimination of the National Institutes of Health’s role in the program, which helped slash infant deaths in the 2000s, comes at a time when sleep-related deaths among infants have increased.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cVKfEi
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)
THIS MONTH: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “May is National Trauma Awareness Month. It's a time to spread awareness about injury prevention and trauma. Falls are the No. 1 cause of nonfatal injuries among children up to 14 years old in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health. Many of these pediatric falls happen at home or on the playground. Tom Halada, a Mayo Clinic registered nurse and pediatric trauma coordinator, says some of these injuries can be prevented.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4lXbaUq
DEI: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “A new Trump administration executive order targeting the use of ‘DEI-based standards’ to accredit universities could shake up the small club of groups that set standards for the nation’s medical schools and residency programs. The order expressly calls out two organizations that accredit medical schools and residency programs for requiring institutions to have recruitment and retention policies that promote diversity in the medical workforce. It threatens to revoke federal recognition for accreditors ‘engaging in unlawful discrimination,’ adding that ‘the standards for training tomorrow’s doctors should focus solely on providing the highest quality care.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iSVjni
TRAVEL: Via MedPage Today, VERBATIM: “Some international doctors are skipping medical conferences in the U.S. this year out of concern over the Trump administration's treatment of foreign visitors at the country's borders. While none of the American medical associations contacted by MedPage Today reported a major dip in conference attendance this year so far, at least one doctor in the U.K. suspects that fewer international physicians will attend the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in late May.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iHApqQ
ABORTION: Via Time, VERBATIM: “Within his first month in office, Trump acted quickly on a number of issues related to reproductive health. He pardoned several anti-abortion protesters convicted of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a law intended to protect abortion clinics and patients by barring people from physically blocking or threatening patients. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it would be curtailing prosecutions against people accused of violating the FACE Act. The Department of Defense rescinded a Biden-era policy that helped facilitate travel for active service members and their families to obtain certain reproductive health care services, including abortion. Internationally, the Trump Administration’s freeze on foreign aid halted reproductive health care services for millions of people. Trump also reinstated what’s known as the Mexico City Policy or the Global Gag Rule, a policy often implemented by Republican presidents that prohibits foreign organizations receiving U.S. aid from providing or discussing abortion care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jYGWys
STUDY: Via Wisconsin Public Radio, VERBATIM: “When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion in 2022, the legal status of abortion was left up to individual states to decide. Since then, Wisconsin doctors have had to interpret and follow the state’s 19th century law that effectively bans abortion in the state. But according to a new study, hospitals across Wisconsin interpret the law differently. Led by Dr. Abigail Cutler, a practicing OB-GYN at UW Health, the new study intended to document changes in clinical practice among Wisconsin doctors as a result of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ShTJjI
DIABETES: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Diabetes deaths in the U.S. have fallen to some of the lowest rates in years, according to new preliminary figures published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reversing a surge in mortality that was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 26.4 deaths per 100,000 people from diabetes, according to early death certificate data for the third quarter of 2024 published this month by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42VEd21
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
SEASONS: From Nagoya University via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Nagoya University researchers in Japan have found that drug effectiveness, alcohol tolerance, and carbohydrate metabolism change with the seasons. Their findings are based on a comprehensive seasonal gene expression map, which investigated over 54,000 genes in 80 tissues in monkeys across one year. The study has implications for drug prescription and precision medicine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RHmd6r
Copyright © 2025 Fluence Media, All rights reserved.
You signed up or are media / a public official interested in health care news from Fluence Media.
Our mailing address is:
Fluence Media
PO Box 270031
Minneapolis, MN 55427