Health

Axios - Vaccination rates among American kindergartners decreased during the 2024-2025 school year, Axios' Josephine Walker writes from new CDC data. The drop comes as U.S. measles cases reach a 33-year high, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenges long-standing vaccine norms.

Exemptions from getting one or more vaccines grew in 36 states and D.C. 17 states reported exemption numbers exceeding 5%. Idaho and Utah had the highest percentages of kindergartners exempted from one or more vaccines, at 15.4% and 10.3%, respectively. Share this story.

Newsworthy News -   The leading professional association for gynecologists is cutting financial ties with the federal government, citing Trump administration policies it says prevent it from providing evidence-based guidance. The decision by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists appears to be the first time a medical society has divested itself over conditions the administration has placed on government contractors and grant recipients.

• Professional medical groups routinely contract with the federal health agencies to administer or contribute to public health initiatives. ACOG has about 60,000 members and lists diversity and equity among its core values.

ACOG sent an email to members last week notifying them that it will stop accepting federal funding for current contracts.

• "After careful deliberation, ACOG has made an organization-wide decision to stop accepting federal funding for all ACOG programs and activities for current contracts," the organization said in a statement shared with Axios. Read more

 NPR -  For millions of Americans, the medications they take for common issues like high blood pressure can pose additional risks during extreme heat. Some can interfere with one's ability to sweat or stay hydrated, and others can affect the way bodies perceive or react to heat. Doctors advise that people continue to take their meds, but it's important to develop a plan to stay cool.

- Heart strain, kidney issues, brain damage and even death are possible when internal temperatures climb too high for too long.
-The CDC has a list of medications that may interfere with the body's ability to manage heat and explains how each type of drug functions. Blood pressure medication can affect your ability to sense thirst. Beta blockers keep blood from flowing toward the skin, where it can get cooled by a breeze or evaporating sweat. Diuretics could contribute to dehydration. Antipsychotics can make it harder to sense your own temperature. 
- Making sure you have access to a cool space and keeping yourself from getting too hot in the first place should be priorities if you take these medications.