Stanford Health Economist Tapped to Lead NIH in Trump’s Latest Nomination
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“President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Tuesday evening that he had selected Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford physician and economist whose authorship of an anti-lockdown treatise during the coronavirus pandemic made him a central figure in a bitter public health debate, to be the director of the National Institutes of Health,” the New York Times reports.
“Dr. Bhattacharya is one of three lead authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, a manifesto issued in 2020 that contended that the virus should be allowed to spread among young healthy people who were “at minimal risk of death” and could thus develop natural immunity, while prevention efforts were targeted to older people and the vulnerable.”
The CCM-ITALUNG2 pilot in Italy tested various invitation methods for lung cancer screening, including phone calls and in-person outreach by healthcare providers, to improve equitable access beyond self-referral. The program used the Lung-RADS system for standardized assessment and ensured structured clinical follow-up, helping participants navigate screening effectively. Integrating smoking cessation efforts alongside screening further supports
HIV self-testing (HIVST) uptake among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in Nashville remains low, with less than 30% ever using HIVST and under 10% using it recently. Factors linked to higher HIVST use include older age, higher income, and engaging in condomless anal sex. This highlights the need for targeted efforts to
This large European study established age- and sex-specific reference values for handgrip strength in adults aged 50 and older across 27 countries, highlighting peak strength in the early 50s followed by decline with age. These values serve as practical benchmarks for identifying muscle weakness, a key predictor of frailty and health risks, enabling earlier preventive
Early removal of the thymus gland in early life leads to a premature aging of T cells, causing inflammation in visceral fat tissue and impairing glucose metabolism, which can contribute to glucose intolerance and increased frailty later in life. This immune-driven inflammation occurs independently of body weight and is linked to a shift toward memory
Klotho is a kidney-produced protein with powerful anti-aging effects that regulate phosphate and calcium balance, protect against oxidative stress, and influence key metabolic pathways. Its levels decline with age and kidney dysfunction, contributing to age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic disorders. Maintaining or restoring Klotho levels may help promote healthy
Low calf circumference is a common issue among older adults, often associated with poor muscle mass and increased risk of health complications like multimorbidity. This condition is not solely linked to age, as different groups of older adults with low calf circumference have distinct risk factors. Recognizing and addressing low calf circumference can be crucial
