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POLLING
BATTLEGROUNDS: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “Voters in battleground states and congressional districts tend to voice support for proposals in Congress that would expand access to health care or lower drug costs — often irrespective of their party affiliation — according to new polling from the University of Maryland. The poll, first shared with CQ Roll Call, surveyed people in 11 competitive states like Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada, and 28 competitive congressional districts, finding a lot of common ground. It focused on proposals circulating in Congress, including capping drug prices at what other countries pay and restoring Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits that expired last year.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hG9rTC
MORE: Via University of Maryland, Minnesota-specific poll results. One example:
SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3TKgH76
CONGRESS: Via CNN, VERBATIM: “The current Congress is among the oldest in US history — a trend that is expected to accelerate, especially in the Senate. A majority of Americans see the size of the over-70 caucus as a major problem and want to see more transparency around elected officials’ health, according to a new CNN poll. The midterm elections this November could be an opportunity for American voters to weigh in on the demographic makeup of Congress. Fifty-eight percent of Americans in the latest CNN poll, conducted by SSRS, say that the current share of elderly lawmakers serving in Congress poses a major problem. That rises to 68% among Americans younger than 35.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3S8DQQd
ABORTION: Via KFF, VERBATIM: “The latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that though a majority of the public has heard of the abortion medication mifepristone, public awareness of its prevalence and longstanding safety record is limited. Six in ten adults say they have heard of mifepristone, but just one in four (26%) correctly identify abortion pills as the most common way abortions are administered in the U.S. Additionally, while about four in ten (44%) adults say abortion pills are safe when taken according to a health care provider’s instruction, one in seven (15%) say they are unsafe and four in ten (41%) are unsure of their safety.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pWkiLy
MOMS: Via Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, VERBATIM: “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America today released new national polling with a striking finding: Americans overwhelmingly agree maternal health must improve, and they agree on how to fix it . . . Of the 15 policy proposals tested, 13 drew support from at least 80% of voters. All 15 drew at least 72%, and 79% said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported them.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pJLQ6w
DIET: Via Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, VERBATIM: “Six months after the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released, a new Physicians Committee/Morning Consult poll finds that while most U.S. adults are aware of the Dietary Guidelines, just 18% say they have changed their diet based on the recommendations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bnGUhU
PLANTS: Via Native News Online, VERBATIM: “A plant-based diet can prevent and reduce chronic diseases that disproportionately affect Native communities, and most Native people are willing to make the dietary shift. That’s according to a newly published survey by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). The poll was conducted online among 156 Native American adults, excluding Alaska Natives and Pacific Islanders. Seventy-six percent reported at least one urgent health issue, with high blood pressure and mental health being the top concerns. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they are willing to eat plant-based if it were affordable, accessible and culturally appropriate.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yNJhVl
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
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
POT: Via UofM, VERBATIM: “New research from the University of Minnesota Medical School found that rates of cannabis use during adolescence have declined since 2013, though some large disparities persist . . . The prevalence of past 30-day cannabis use declined among adolescents from 2013 to 2025, from 13% to 5%. For almost all social identities, marginalized youth (such as youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth) had significantly elevated odds of reporting cannabis use compared to the privileged group on that identity variable.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RjTk3G
CYCLOSPORA: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Yum Brands said its teams are working quickly and transparently in response to one of the biggest food-safety crises in Taco Bell’s history, after public-health officials linked the shredded lettuce garnishing some of its menu items to a rapidly expanding cyclospora outbreak . . . Taco Bell has seen a meaningful sales impact in recent weeks, executives said, with U.S. same-store sales down about 2% quarter-to-date in July. The company expects the impact to be temporary and said sales trends are already improving.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TOSHzL
OTHER CASES: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “While the cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce has caused thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis — and likely even more we may never know about — another outbreak with an unknown cause has increased, according to federal authorities. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week added this separate outbreak to its ongoing foodborne illness investigations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TtAeJ0
FAUCI: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Dr. Anthony S. Fauci refused on Wednesday to answer questions from a Senate committee, repeatedly invoking his constitutional right not to incriminate himself before a panel dominated by hostile Republicans who accused him of causing the coronavirus pandemic and insinuated that he enriched himself while Americans died.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bOTneE
MORE: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Besides the illness and death, the disruption and the loneliness, Americans remember the pandemic for its vitriol. The handling of Covid divided the parties, the states, families and neighbors and it’s taken years, in many cases, to repair the damage. Former Covid czar Anthony Fauci’s appearance on Capitol Hill Wednesday brought it all back. Rather than an evaluation of what went wrong and right, or how to do better next time, the rage stood out.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pQ2fqi
CDC: Via PBS News Hour, VERBATIM: “A Senate committee on Thursday advanced Dr. Erica Schwartz‘s nomination to be director of the nation’s top public health agency, setting aside concerns that she will not stand up to political meddling. If confirmed by the full Senate, the 54-year-old would become the 22nd director of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her resume includes medical and law degrees, a stint as deputy surgeon general, and a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xfN6kA
BLOOD: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “This summer, blood donations have reached a four-year low, worsening the ongoing emergency blood shortage. In early July, the American Red Cross declared a national ‘blood crisis’ as the number of donations has not kept pace with hospital demand. Factors contributing to this crisis include extreme heat, poor air quality, and widespread foodborne illnesses, all of which the Red Cross said have contributed to lower donor turnout this season.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fsQsuu
NEXTGEN: Via Central Lakes College, VERBATIM: “The future of health care is looking bright! More than 100 students in grades 8–12 rolled up their sleeves at our annual Healthcare Career Exploration Camp, diving into hands-on activities and discovering the many paths available in healthcare. From learning new skills to exploring exciting career possibilities, these students got a firsthand look at what it means to make a difference in the lives of others.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/4wAgfaa
MORE: Via Lakeland PBS, more from the camp. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4g3WIJf
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)
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
MOLD: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “A first-of-its-kind U.S. study suggests invasive mold infections may be an underappreciated — and potentially deadly — threat. The researchers detected about 450 cases in Atlanta-area hospitals over five years. About a third of the patients died in the hospital. The findings, published this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, come from an attempt to better gauge how common these kinds of illnesses are. The government does not require doctors to report the illnesses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3TtB9Js
HPV: Via UofM CIDRAP, VERBATIM: “Screening for human papillomavirus (HPV) remains an effective way to find high-risk strains of HPV early. With self-sample HPV testing kits, women can collect their own swab instead of having a doctor or nurse conduct the test. Two studies examine how women respond to HPV self-sampling testing and find that, when it’s offered, women prefer it. The self-collecting tests could encourage more HPV screening in populations missed in annual screenings.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/44TG7Sh
FOSSTON: Via Essentia, VERBATIM: “As rural health systems experience mounting challenges, Essentia Health-Fosston is embracing innovation to ensure patients can receive care from expert specialists close to home. Teleconsult appointments are live video visits that occur in an exam room at the Essentia Health-Fosston Clinic. They are much like traditional appointments. A registered nurse rooms the patient, hears about their concerns and checks vital signs. A clinician then joins the conversation on secure video. Essentia Health-Fosston has been expanding specialty services and the use of teleconsult visits since April. Due to patient demand, the volume of these visits is steadily increasing in Fosston.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4yQw123
(DISCLOSURE: Essentia is a Fluence sponsor)
AI: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic and Einstein Hospital Israelita today announced a milestone in their collaboration to advance responsible artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled healthcare innovation. Einstein’s de-identified clinical data is now available through Mayo Clinic Platform’s secure, privacy-preserving global healthcare innovation ecosystem. The collaboration strengthens South American representation in global health datasets and enables researchers and innovators to develop, validate, and scale AI-enabled solutions across a broader representation of patient populations.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xwJXx1
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FRENCH FRIES: Via University of Illinois, VERBATIM: “A new cooking method could make French fries crispier in less time while significantly limiting how much oil they absorb. Researchers propose combining microwave heating, which keeps oil out, with conventional frying, which provides the crunch consumers expect.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4fHujHv
TEETH: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “A liquid brushed onto cavities in seconds may spare many young children from pain, infection, and surgery. A major U.S. trial found that silver diamine fluoride stopped decay in more than half of treated baby teeth. The treatment requires no drilling, shots, or sedation, although it does permanently darken the decayed area.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45BwmIs
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