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What We’re Reading: Fauci Announces Retirement; Abortion Ban Affecting Medicine; Monkeypox Containment Passes
Anthony Fauci, MD says he will retire when President Joe Biden’s current term ends; the overturning of Roe v Wade has affected access to medicines outside of abortions; former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, warns that the window for monkeypox containment may have closed.
Fauci to Step Down
Anthony Fauci, MD, has revealed that he will be retiring as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser at the end of the president's current term. Fauci was the primary medical voice during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for vaccinations and masks to help slow the virus' spread. He was also instrumental in advocating for HIV/AIDS response on a bipartisan level, including founding the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which the State Department estimates has saved 21 million lives. Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that he believes now that COVID-19 is in a steady state and that there will be people to continue his work in HIV treatment and prevention.
Abortion Laws Affecting Medical Practices
The overturning of Roe v Wade has led to ramifications outside of abortion clinics. Reproductive medicine and other aspects of health care have been hurt by the overturning of Roe v Wade, including treatment of ectopic pregnancies and availability of medicine that could potentially cause miscarriages. For example, methotrexate is used to treat lupus and ectopic pregnancies, but it also can cause miscarriages and could theoretically be used to induce abortion. The Arthritis Foundation and American College of Rheumatology have both issued statements detailing their concern about the accessibility of the drug.
Monkeypox Containment May Have Passed, Gottlieb Says
Scott Gottlieb, MD, former FDA commissioner, warned that the window to get control of the monkeypox outbreak may have closed, with cases increasing nationwide. Gottlieb said that monkeypox is on the verge of becoming an endemic virus, which means that it will be a persistent problem for the nation to contend with. As of Friday, the CDC has identified 1814 cases in 43 states. A monkeypox vaccine is in the works but supply may be lower than what is needed to contend with the outbreak. Monkeypox spreads through close contact with an infected individual, mostly through bodily fluids, contaminated materials, and respiratory droplets.
Disparities in Biomarker Testing Impact Nonsquamous NSCLC Outcomes: Surbhi Singhal, MD
September 6th 2025Surbhi Singhal, MD, of the University of California Davis, discussed disparities in biomarker testing among patients diagnosed with stage IV nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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AI in Health Care: Balancing Governance, Innovation, and Trust
September 2nd 2025In this conversation with Reuben Daniel, associate vice president of artificial intelligence at UPMC Health Plan, we dive into how UPMC Health Plan builds trust with providers and members, discuss challenges of scaling AI effectively, and hear about concrete examples of AI's positive impact.
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Infertility Coverage Boosts ART Use and Pregnancy Success: Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA
August 26th 2025In this episode, Richard A. Brook, MS, MBA, discusses his study showing that infertility treatment coverage increases assisted reproductive technology (ART) use and improves pregnancy outcomes.
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