Health

(WASHINGTON) — The first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term have been filled with mass firings, cancellations of research grants, university funding cuts and questions over what should be studied.

Thousands of people have been let go at federal agencies and critical research has been put on hold. Additionally, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccines and antidepressant medications despite dozens of studies proving they are safe and effective.

Doctors and public health specialists critical of the administration tell ABC News they view these actions as an “attack” on science, damaging the reputation of respected agencies and by questioning what is believed to be established science.

“It’s completely unprecedented,” Steve Cohen, senior vice dean of Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies and a professor of public affairs at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, told ABC News. “It’s frankly a little unhinged. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The White House did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

An HHS official told ABC News that framing the actions of the admiration as an “attack” is “fundamentally dishonest.”

“Further reviewing pharmaceutical products with gold standard science and common sense is not an'”attack on science’ — it’s what the American people have asked for and deserve,” the official said. ” Let’s be clear: Secretary Kennedy is not anti-vaccine — he is pro-safety, pro-transparency, and pro-accountability.”

Thousands of layoffs

Earlier this month, HHS began to lay off 10,000 workers as part of a massive restructuring plan.

Sources previously told ABC News that affected offices included most of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health, key offices in the Center for Tobacco Products, most of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the entire assisted reproductive technology team at the CDC.

There have also been local impacts in communities due to federal layoffs. ABC News previously reported in March, the CDC was poised to send its lead ‘disease detectives’ to Milwaukee amid an ongoing lead crisis in schools, but the entire division was cut under sweeping HHS layoffs, leaving local health officials without help they were relying on.

Erik Svendsen, the director of the division that oversaw the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention branch, previously told ABC News that what’s happening in Milwaukee is a real world example of the impact of their absence.

“Without us, there is no other unit at the federal level that is here to support them in doing what they need to do,” he said.

On Monday, officials in Milwaukee announced two additional schools are closing due to this crisis

Despite Kennedy saying some programs and employees would soon be reinstated because they were mistakenly cut, it still leaves thousands of federal employees without jobs.

Scientists have also been laid off at NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Cohen said these firings have put studies on hold and have greatly reduced the capacity of the federal government to review research.

“Scientists inside agencies, whether they’re environmental scientists or medical scientists or people focusing on vaccines or drugs, are being fired, and so some of the research capacity in Washington, in the federal government is being eliminated, and also their ability to judge proposals from universities,” he said.

“The only place I haven’t seen [firings] happen yet are the laboratories,” Cohen added.

Cuts that are currently proposed or have already been implemented include the elimination of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV Policy, created by Brett Giroir, the former U.S. assistant secretary for health.

Giroir, who helped convince Trump in his first term to set a goal to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S., wrote in a post on social media last week that the president could ruin his legacy and mission with such cuts.

Canceling research grants, funding cuts to universities

Millions of dollars’ worth of grants have been terminated at the National Institutes of Health related to studies involving LGBTQ+ issues, gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) because they do not “effectuate” the “priorities” of President Donald Trump’s administration, according to copies of termination letters sent to grant recipients and viewed by ABC News.

Dr. Harold Varmus, a cancer researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and former director of the NIH, said these terminations are “detrimental” because they may be affecting people in the middle of clinical trials, or affecting the early stages of experimental work.

Research projects focusing on minority populations have major benefits, Varmus noted.

“The purpose of health research in this country is to address problems faced by everybody and to explore every facet of a population that may affect their health,” he said. “To single out certain categories of individuals who would not be appropriate to study seems ludicrous to me … one of the great strengths of America is that we are diverse.”

Universities have also been threatened with funding cuts — or have seen funds frozen — if they don’t fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus and to end race-based programs.

Cohen believes universities are at odds with the administration because some on the political right view universities as “left wing.” By “weakening the finances of universities, they can force them to change the ideologies that they believe are being promoted in the classrooms,” he argued.

The problem with this idea, according to Cohen, is that the administration’s actions are hurting the least ideological parts of universities, such as engineering schools or medical centers. At Columbia, for example, several institutes and centers are conducting Alzheimer’s research, he said.

“Those are the places that are being attacked,” Cohen said. “It’s pretty ironic, but the greatest danger, actually, is that one of America’s fundamental economic strengths is the creativity and the innovation of our scientists, and that is now under attack by the Trump administration.”

Questioning safety, efficacy of vaccines

Kennedy has shared vaccine skepticism in the past and has continued to do so as HHS secretary.

In the wake of several ongoing measles outbreaks and over 800 cases so far this year, Kennedy has shared contradicting views about vaccines.

In a post on X on April 6, he said that “most effective way to prevent the spread of measles” is to receive the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. However, in a post later that evening, he said more than 300 children have been treated with an antibiotic and a steroid, neither of which are cures for measles.

Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said the statements Kennedy has made in support of the MMR vaccine are “half-hearted.”

“The reason I say ‘half-hearted’ or insufficient is because each time he talks about using the MMR vaccine, he qualifies it,” Hotez told ABC News. “He then draws this false equivalency between either getting the MMR vaccine or this cocktail of interventions that would do absolutely nothing.”

Last month, HHS confirmed that the CDC will study “all the potential culprits” including whether vaccines cause autism despite numerous existing studies already showing there is no link.

Hotez said epidemiologic studies show that children who received either the MMR vaccine, or vaccines containing thimerosal — a compound used as a preservative in vaccines — are not more likely to be diagnosed autism than kids who didn’t receive those vaccines.

Additionally, Hotez said about 100 genes have been identified that are involved in the development of autism, many by the Broad Institute at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He believes rising rates of autism diagnoses are likely due to wider testing and expanding diagnostic criteria. Hotez added that there could be an environmental exposure influencing autism genes, but that it’s not vaccines.

In 2017, he discussed with Kennedy an investigation looking at “about half a dozen chemical exposures” in early pregnancies but Kennedy “had no interest,” according to Hotez, who later documented these conversations in a book he published in 2018.

“He apparently seems to not understand the science or doesn’t care about the science. He’s got his fixed beliefs and doesn’t want to let any of the facts or scientific findings get in the way of his fixed belief,” Hotez said. “And it’s completely irresponsible having someone like that as Health and Human Services secretary.”

Claims around antidepressant use

Earlier this year, Trump issued an executive order to study the use of several medications including antidepressants and antipsychotics.

The order called for the formation of the “Make America Healthy Again” commission — to be chaired by Kennedy — with an aim to understand chronic diseases.

Among the goals of the commission is to “assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs.”

Dr. Joseph Saseen, associate dean for clinical affairs and a professor in the departments of clinical pharmacy and family medicine at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Colorado, said there are plenty of studies and analyses in the medical literature looking at the prevalence of SSRIs.

“We have an overwhelming amount of information,” he told ABC News. “These medicines, particularly SSRIs, are the most frequently prescribed antidepressants for patients with major depressive disorder. There is a plethora of information evaluating efficacy in a broad range of patient populations for which these medicines are indicated.”

Saseen says these medications do have side effects, just like any drug, but the benefits significantly outweigh the risks for most people in the general population who have major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders.

Kennedy has also falsely linked the use of antidepressants to school shootings and claimed during his Senate confirmation hearings that members of his family had a harder time stopping SSRI use than heroin use.

Experts have said there is no evidence that equates ending the use of antidepressants to ending the use of heroin or to suggest that people on SSRIs are more likely to be violent.

Saseen said it’s reasonable to question scientific research, either to reaffirm or dispute findings, but it must be done following the scientific method.

“Question it the real way, not the cowardly way,” he said. “The cowardly way is labeling things as threats or as bad without taking a scientific approach. The key is you need to use appropriate methodologies, not vocal inflections and very triggering and polarizing words to create an uprising.”

ABC News’ Dr. Jade Cobern, Cheyenne Haslett, Will McDuffie and Sony Salzman contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — New treatments and simple blood tests could change how doctors detect and treat Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association.

Blood tests to detect Alzheimer’s are not yet approved for everyday use, but in research studies, they have improved the accuracy of diagnosis by up to 91%. Right now, doctors rely on brain scans called PET scans to find amyloid plaques or do a spinal tap to check for abnormal levels of proteins like beta-amyloid and tau.

These tests are expensive, invasive and not always easy to access. Blood tests could make it much simpler to find early signs of the disease and be more widely available.

“If you get a diagnosis early, you’re actually able to access treatments that you cannot take later on in the disease process,” Elizabeth Edgerly, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Alzheimer’s Association spokesperson, said in an interview with ABC News.

The report highlights that diagnosing Alzheimer’s earlier could open the door to treatments when they have the best chance of working, helping people stay mentally sharper for longer and giving families more time to plan for the future.

In the past two years, the FDA has approved two new drugs — Leqembi and Kisunla — that can slow the progression of early Alzheimer’s. While they are not cures, they can help people preserve memory and thinking skills longer, offering more time with a better quality of life.

This marks a major shift from older Alzheimer’s treatments, which could only manage symptoms without slowing down the disease much. However, these new drugs carry significant challenges, including high costs, the need for frequent brain scans to monitor serious side effects and the risk of swelling or bleeding in the brain. In addition, only people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s are eligible to receive these treatments.

“Ultimately, we would love to see an array of treatments that are available that tackle different aspects of Alzheimer’s, different factors that are contributing to it,” Edgerly said.

She noted that more than 140 different treatments are now in development, aiming to target different symptoms and stages of the disease.

The report also lays out an updated understanding of Alzheimer’s risk factors, dividing them into two categories. Some risks — like age, genetics and family history — cannot be changed. Others — including diet, exercise, blood pressure, cholesterol, hearing and vision health — are within a person’s control. Addressing the modifiable risks can have a significant impact on a person’s Alzheimer’s risk, the report noted.

In fact, Edgerly said that nearly half of all dementias could be preventable by taking better care of modifiable risks earlier in life.

“I could help reduce my risk of getting Alzheimer’s in later life if I’m really good about treating high blood pressure in my 40s and 30s,” she explained.

The report also announced the launch of ALZ-NET, a new nationwide tracking system that follows patients in real time to collect data on the long-term safety and effectiveness of the new medications, and to better understand who benefits most from early intervention.

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a neurodegenerative condition that can start developing 20 years before symptoms appear. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

Currently, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, many of whom remain undiagnosed, according to the report. By the year 2060, that number is expected to grow to more than 13 million.

Edgerly said she hoped that faster diagnosis and earlier access to treatment will improve care for Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients.

“The opportunities it would present to find people earlier in the process without having to go through six months or a year to get to that diagnosis would make a huge difference in helping people access treatments during the timeframe where they could be helpful,” she said.

Dr. Allen Chang is the chief resident of the Geriatric Medicine Subspecialty Residency Program at Dalhousie University and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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(NEW YORK) — A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that some people with early-stage cancers may be able to skip surgery after being treated with the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab.

In the study, 82 out of 103 participants responded so well to the drug that they no longer needed an operation.

While the results are promising, the study was conducted at a single hospital — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City — and some patients have not been followed long enough to know if their cancer might return over time.

And because the study included many different types of cancer, there were relatively few patients with each specific cancer type, making it difficult to interpret the results for larger groups of patients.

It also focused on a very select type of patient whose tumors had a “mismatch repair defect,” a genetic problem that prevents cells from fixing DNA damage and makes it more likely they would respond to immunotherapy.

“They kind of selected themselves, in that they had a specific genetic alteration, and that genetic alteration occurs about 2% to 3% of all cancer patients,” said Dr. Luis Diaz, one of the study’s authors and head of the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology at MSK.

When people are diagnosed with early-stage cancers that form a lump or mass, they often need major surgery to try to remove it — and despite surgery, they can also face aggressive treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.

Because these cancers often affect organs in the belly or digestive system, surgery can have a major impact on a patient’s life. Some people lose part or all of their esophagus or stomach, making it hard or impossible to eat normally. Others may need a bag to collect stool or lose the ability to get pregnant.

All 49 patients with early-stage rectal cancer who received six months of immunotherapy were able to avoid surgery.

“And it’s after six months of treatment, their tumors were completely gone,” said another one of the study’s authors, Dr. Andrea Cercek, head of the Colorectal Section at MSK. “They didn’t need any other treatment.”

Two years later, 92% remained cancer-free. Among the first group to reach the five-year mark, all four patients were still disease-free — and two of them had gone on to have two children each.

“The amazing thing is they would not have been able to conceive or carry children had they gone through standard therapy,” Diaz said.

As for patients with other early-stage cancers, 35 of 54 were cancer-free after undergoing immunotherapy and were able to avoid surgery. However, two patients still chose to proceed with surgery — one for peace of mind and the other to remove medical hardware related to the cancer.

Of the five patients whose cancers came back, most were successfully treated again.

Cercek explained that, while immunotherapy alone may not yet help most cancer patients avoid surgery, their work opens the door for the future.

“Just close your eyes and just imagine that one day you’re diagnosed with cancer and you don’t have your esophagus or your stomach or your rectum or your bladder, and you can avoid that,” Diaz said. “For these 3% we can completely eliminate the need for surgery. It’s quite transformational.”

By combining different approaches with this type of immunotherapy, Cercek hoped they can replicate their success in more types of cancer.

“So, we are continuing this trial and we are working on expanding the study outside of Memorial with more patients so that we can offer this therapy as a standard of care,” Cercek said.

Luis Gasca — an internal medicine resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Michigan, and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit — contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The number of measles cases in the U.S. has risen to 884, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data published Friday.

Cases have been confirmed in 29 states including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

At least six states including Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas are reporting outbreaks, meaning three or more related cases.

In Texas, where an outbreak has been spreading in the western part of the state, at least 624 cases have been confirmed as of Tuesday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Dr. Marschall Runge, dean of the University of Michigan Medical School and CEO of Michigan Medicine, said the number of cases — at the national level and in Texas — is likely an undercount.

“I think it’s likely that there are a lot of unreported cases in children who weren’t particularly sick or didn’t come to medical attention,” he told ABC News.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(NEW YORK) — Whooping cough cases are on the rise in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the week ending April 12, at least 8,064 whooping cough cases have been recorded nationwide. This is more than double the 3,835 cases recorded at the same time last year.

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is especially dangerous for babies and young children, and several deaths have been recorded this year.

In Washington, health officials confirmed a death in a child under age 5, which is the first in the state since 2011. In Louisiana, two young infants have died from whooping within the past seven months. In Idaho, officials reported an adult resident died from whooping cough in February 2025.

“Last year, the United States had about 35,000 cases of pertussis and about 10 deaths, give or take,” Chad Neilsen, head of infection control and prevention for Nemours Children’s Health in Florida, told ABC News. “If we continue this pace, we’ll have close to 70,000 cases of pertussis, making it one of the worst years we’ve seen in the U.S. in quite some time.”

If that occurs, it would be the highest number of whooping cough cases recorded since 1950, CDC data shows.

Whooping cough cases have been recorded in all 50 states, according to Nielsen, who believes the increase in cases is due to a decline in vaccination rates.

A vaccine for whooping cough was introduced in the late 1940s and the number of cases each year has since dropped dramatically, decreasing more than 90% compared to the pre-vaccine era.

Before the vaccine, there were an estimated 200,000 cases annually among children and up to 9,000 children died, according to the CDC.

There are two types of vaccines used today to protect against whooping cough: diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine for babies and children younger age 7 and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines for children aged 7 and older, adults and pregnant women.

However, vaccination rates have been declining. According to a 2024 provisional CDC report, more than 7% of children between 6 months old and 6 years old who developed whooping cough were unvaccinated. This is much higher than any figure recorded since at least 2021.

Additionally, only 92.3% of kindergarteners were vaccinated against whooping cough in the 2023-24 school year, compared to about 95% before the COVID-19 pandemic began, CDC data shows.

“We think [the lack of vaccinations] is probably the primary driver of these cases right now in the U.S.,” Neilsen said.

He said he believes the reasons for the drop in vaccination rates include misinformation about the safety and efficacy of vaccines as well as vaccine fatigue leftover from the pandemic.

What to know about whooping cough

Whooping cough is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.

These bacteria attach to the cilia in the upper respiratory system and release toxins. The toxins damage the cilia, tiny, hair-like structures found on the surface of cells, and cause the upper airways to swell, according to the CDC.

Whooping cough is spread from person-to-person through coughing and sneezing. Infected people can be contagious for weeks without knowing they have whooping cough.

Early symptoms often resemble a common cold — runny nose, cough and low-grade fever — and typically last for one to two weeks. Symptoms, however, can progress to rapid, violent cough coughing fits that can last up to 12 weeks.

Infants under age one, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are at highest risk, but anybody can develop the condition.

Babies who contract whooping cough may have a cold-like illness, struggle to breathe or have apnea, the CDC said.

Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics and receiving treatment early can reduce the severity of the infection. Most whooping cough symptoms can be managed at home, according to the CDC.

To drive vaccination rates up, Neilsen said it’s important to explain the seriousness of whooping cough to the public.

“Pertussis, like measles, are not just run-of-the-mill diseases,” he said. “These can cause harm … to some of our youngest people. These are diseases that children get [and] they become extremely ill.”

He said the other important thing is to address the concerns of vaccine-hesitant parents, educating them on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Nielsen added that people may have forgotten how contagious or life-threatening whooping cough is because of how effective the vaccine has been at reducing cases.

“We’ve got new doctors who have never seen measles, they’ve never seen pertussis,” Neilsen said. “It was only something they saw on textbooks. The vaccines were so successful.

ABC News Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — During a press conference on Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a plan to start phasing out eight synthetic food dyes in the American food supply.

HHS and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and to work with food manufacturers to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes used in foods such as cereal, snacks, ice creams and yogurts.

Kennedy has previously been vocal about his opposition to artificial dyes, claiming they are harmful and calling for them to be removed from foods and beverages.

Studies have linked dyes to behavioral changes as well as to cancer in animals, suggesting this may extend to humans.

Some nutritionists and dietitians say that it’s best to avoid artificial food dyes, while others say more research needs to be done and the potential negative effects are still unclear.

What are synthetic dyes and where are they found?

Many years ago, some synthetic dyes were produced from by-products of coal processing, according to the FDA. Today, many dyes are petroleum-based and made through chemical processes.

They appear in many different types of foods including candies, ice cream, frozen desserts, crackers, chips, energy bars, cereals, beverages and more.

Halle Saperstein, a clinical dietitian at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, told ABC News her research has found there are about 36,000 products with Red No. 40, about 8,000 products that contain Red No. 3 and about one in 10 products that contain another type of synthetic food dye.

“The other thing to note is that many products contain multiple petroleum food dyes, not just one specific one,” she said.

Sandra Zhang, a registered dietician nutritionist and pediatric dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said synthetic dyes are very prevalent and are mostly used in packaged, processed foods that can be found in supermarkets and grocery stores.

“Synthetic food dyes are not found in nature, so they are man-made entirely,” Zhang said. “And so, they have no nutritional properties or benefits whatsoever. They are made only to enhance the appearance of foods.”

What have studies shown?

Research has suggested that some synthetic food dyes may be associated with behavioral issues in children and teenagers.

A 2012 meta-analysis from Oregon Health and Science University found artificial food colors may affect children’s behavior and exacerbate symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Another 2012 study found artificial food coloring is not a major cause of ADHD but can affect children whether or not they are diagnosed with the condition.

Additionally, a 2022 analysis from the California Environmental Protection Agency and two California universities found that there may be an association between synthetic food dyes and behavioral issues even in children without a diagnosed behavioral disorder.

In 2019, the FDA said an advisory committee did not establish a “causal link” between synthetic color additives and behavioral effects, but did recommend further research on the issue.

Are synthetic food dyes safe?

Experts are divided on the issue. Saperstein said she sees a credible link between behavior and synthetic food dye consumption based on the studies she’s read.

Zhang said she’s not sure if there’s a link between behavioral issues and synthetic food dyes and that more research needs to be done.

“At least from my patient care experience, I’m not observing … a kid consuming Gatorade every day makes a huge difference” in their behavior, she said.

She added, however, that scientific research linking dyes to neurobehavioral changes was done on animals.

Whether or not synthetic dyes are safe to consume, experts agree it is best to limit artificial food coloring consumption when possible.

Jennifer Pomeranz, an associate professor of public health policy and management at NYU School of Global Public Health, said she believes there is no need for artificial food dyes in the food supply because they don’t act as preservatives and they don’t have any nutritional benefits.

“There are natural dyes that [companies] can use,” she said. “And frankly, there’s really no need for such a brightly colored food supply.”

Earlier this year, under the administration of former President Joe Biden, the FDA said it was moving to ban the use of Red No. 3 in foods, beverages and medications after it was found to cause cancer in rats.

On the heels of Kennedy’s Tuesday announcement about eliminating other synthetic dyes, the International Association of Color Manufacturers, the trade association for the color additives industry, released a statement criticizing the HHS decision.

“Color additives have been rigorously reviewed by global health authorities, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, with no safety concerns,” the statement read. “Requiring reformulation by the end of 2026 ignores scientific evidence and underestimates the complexity of food production”

What about natural alternatives?

During Tuesday’s press conference, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary mentioned watermelon juice and carrot juice as natural alternatives to synthetic dyes.

Some food manufacturers use concentrated forms of natural pigments found in fruits and plants — such as beets, blackberries, paprika, saffron, tamarind and turmeric — as dyes.

As the food industry shifts to natural dyes, more research should be done to study their safety and to formulate regulations on the concentration levels, Zhang said.

The FDA said on Tuesday it is fast-tracking the review of four new natural color additives: calcium phosphate, Galdieria extract blue, gardenia blue and butterfly pea flower extract.

Gardenia blue and butterfly pea flower extract come from plants, Galdieria extract blue comes from algae and calcium phosphate is a chemical compound.

Expert say food companies use synthetic dyes to color their products because they are cheaper compared to natural dyes. Some companies have stated their products are safe for consumption, and they are following federal standards set by the FDA.

Saperstein said another reason companies might use synthetic dyes is psychological, because people are more drawn to brightly colored foods than foods with muted colors.

“We’ve seen stories of companies switching [to natural dyes] and they feel it’s not bright enough, so they switch back,” Pomeranz said.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced on Tuesday a series of measures to phase out eight artificial food dyes and colorings from America’s food supply by the end of next year.

Speaking at a news conference, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said the agencies are looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes used in cereal, ice cream, snacks, yogurts and more.

“Today, the FDA is taking action to remove petroleum-based food dyes from the U.S. food supply and from medications. For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” he told reporters. “The FDA is also announcing plans today to authorize four additional natural color additives using natural ingredients in the coming weeks, while also accelerating the review and approval of other natural ingredient colors.”

Makary claimed studies have found a like between petroleum-based synthetic dyes and health conditions, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obesity, diabetes, cancer and gastrointestinal issues.

‘Why are we taking a gamble?” he said. “While America’s children are sick and suffering, 41% of children have at least have at least one health condition, and one in five are on medication. The answer is not more Ozempic, more ADHD medication and more antidepressants. There’s a role for those medications, but we have to look at underlying root causes.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was also due to speak at the news conference.

Former President Joe Biden’s administration in January started the process to ban one artificial dye, Red No. 3, which will need to be removed from food by January 2027 and from medications by 2028 because it was shown to cause cancer in rats.

Kennedy is now seeking to remove the six other petroleum-based dyes approved by the FDA. This includes Green No. 3, Citrus Red No. 2, Red No. 40, Orange B, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 and Blue No. 2. The agency is also taking steps to revoke the authorization for two synthetic food colorings — Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B — within the coming months.

The department is also authorizing four new natural color additives.

It is not yet clear what enforcement mechanism Kennedy will seek to implement the new changes.

The timeline to phase out synthetic dyes comes after Kennedy told food industry leaders at a meeting last month that he wanted their companies to remove artificial dyes from their products by the end of his four-year term, according to a memo describing the meeting, which was obtained by ABC News.

Kennedy’s announcement Tuesday speeds up that process — and alert companies that Kennedy intends to make good on his warning quickly.

From candy to breakfast cereal to medication, synthetic food dyes are in a wide range of products that Americans consume. Studies suggest their vibrant color makes food more appealing and could even increase appetite.

The health effects of the dyes are not fully understood, but many other countries have either banned the additives outright or required food packaging warning labels about the health risks.

All dyes have the potential to spark allergic reactions for a small minority. Several dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children or have been shown to cause cancer in mice or rats — but none have shown to cause cancer in humans.

Already, red and blue states alike have taken matters into their own hands in removing artificial food dyes from certain foods. Both West Virginia and California have passed laws to ban a handful of food dyes from school lunches, with plans to extend the ban to a broader, statewide level too.

In West Virginia, the ban on artificial dyes in school lunch will go into effect in August, making it the first state in the country to implement such restraints. In California, it will take effect in 2028.

Twenty-six other states, from Iowa to Washington and from to Texas to Vermont, are considering similar legislation around banning food dyes or other chemical additives in foods, according to a list compiled by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that focuses on chemicals and toxins.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment within California’s Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 concluded a two-year study into seven synthetic food dyes that found associations with certain neurobehavioral outcomes in some children.

Researchers also found that the FDA’s current level of “acceptable daily intake” levels for the dyes may be too high to protect children from the potential behavioral impact, the report said.

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(AUSTIN, Texas) — The measles outbreak in western Texas has now reached 624 cases, with 27 new infections confirmed over the last five days.

Nearly all of the cases are among unvaccinated individuals or among those whose vaccination status is unknown, according to new data published by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Tuesday.

Currently, 10 cases are among residents who have been vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while 12 cases are among those vaccinated with two doses.

At least 64 measles patients have been hospitalized so far, according to the DSHS, with the majority of cases presenting in children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17, followed by children ages 4 and under.

Gaines County, which borders New Mexico, remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 386 cases confirmed so far, DSHS data shows.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will move to phase out the remaining eight artificial food dyes from America’s food supply within two years, his department announced Monday, a significant escalation in his fight to rid the country’s food of additives that studies suggest could be harmful.

Kennedy and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary will offer details on Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C.

Tuesday’s announcement will target artificial dyes that are used in cereal, ice cream, snacks, yogurts and more.

Former President Joe Biden’s administration in January started the process to ban one artificial dye, Red No. 3, which will need to be removed from food by January 2027 and from medications by 2028 because it was shown to cause cancer in rats.

Kennedy will now seek to remove the eight other petroleum-based dyes approved by the FDA.

The secretary is expected on Tuesday to announce the approval of additional natural dyes, a person familiar with the plans told ABC News.

It is not yet clear what enforcement mechanism Kennedy will seek to implement the new changes.

The two-year timeline Kennedy is expected to announce comes after he told food industry leaders at a meeting last month that he wanted their companies to remove artificial dyes from their products by the end of his four-year term, according to a memo describing the meeting, which was obtained by ABC News.

Kennedy’s announcement Tuesday would speed up that process — and alert companies that Kennedy intends to make good on his warning quickly.

From candy to breakfast cereal to medication, synthetic food dyes are in a wide range of products that Americans consume. Studies suggest their vibrant color makes food more appealing and could even increase appetite.

The health effects of the dyes are not fully understood, but many other countries have either banned the additives outright or required food packaging warning labels about the health risks.

All dyes have the potential to spark allergic reactions for a small minority. Several dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children or have been shown to cause cancer in mice or rats — but none have shown to cause cancer in humans.

Already, red and blue states alike have taken matters into their own hands in removing artificial food dyes from certain foods. Both West Virginia and California have passed laws to ban a handful of food dyes from school lunches, with plans to extend the ban to a broader, statewide level too.

In West Virginia, the ban on artificial dyes in school lunch will go into effect in August, making it the first state in the country to implement such restraints. In California, it will take effect in 2028.

Twenty-six other states, from Iowa to Washington and from to Texas to Vermont, are considering similar legislation around banning food dyes or other chemical additives in foods, according to a list compiled by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that focuses on chemicals and toxins.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment within California’s Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 concluded a two-year study into seven synthetic food dyes that found associations with certain neurobehavioral outcomes in some children.

Researchers also found that the FDA’s current level of “acceptable daily intake” levels for the dyes may be too high to protect children from the potential behavioral impact, the report said.

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(WASHINGTON) — Preventive care health benefits provided at no cost to tens of millions of Americans since 2010 under a popular provision of the Affordable Care Act are in the balance Monday at the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices consider whether the government task force behind the mandate to insurers is unconstitutional.

Among the services the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force designates for no-cost coverage under the federal health law are statins to lower cholesterol; colonoscopies for 45- to 49-year-olds; preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine to reduce the spread of HIV; medications to lower the risk of breast cancer for women; and lung cancer screenings for smokers.

The case was brought by a group of employers and individuals who oppose some of the task force’s recommendations for covered services on religious groups, specifically the PrEP medication to prevent HIV. They allege the group’s structure violates the Constitution and lower federal courts agreed.

If the justices uphold the decisions, the task force and its recommendations since 2010 could be invalidated — and along with them the guarantee of no-cost preventive services coverage many people enjoy.

“The case is not the kind of existential threat that we have seen in previous Supreme Court cases involving the ACA, but it’s certainly something that could affect a lot of people,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president at KFF, a nonpartisan health policy group.

At the heart of the dispute is whether the structure of the 16-member task force is illegal under the Constitution’s Appointments Clause. The provision requires “principle officers” of the U.S. government, such as Cabinet secretaries and ambassadors, to be confirmed by the Senate. It stipulates that “inferior officers” who are appointed by Senate-confirmed officials are permissible, provided they are supervised and reviewed.

The plaintiffs allege that members of the task force, who are appointed and supervised by the Health and Human Services secretary, are not properly appointed and have too much power. While they can be removed at will, their recommendations for covered health services cannot be reviewed or overridden by anyone.

“Americans have the constitutionally protected freedom to live and work according to their religious beliefs, and governments exist to defend that freedom,” said Daniel Grabowski, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group supporting the plaintiffs. “We urge the Supreme Court to restore this accountability within the federal government and to the American people.”

The Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled the task force unconstitutional and that its recommendations since 2010 be invalidated.

The Trump administration is defending the constitutionality of the task force and the health secretary’s power to oversee the body’s recommendations.

More than 150 million Americans rely on early screenings and interventions for chronic conditions under no-cost preventive services, according to American medical organizations. Public health groups say a decision striking down the task force could deeply affect the long-term health of Americans and disease prevention efforts. Insurers worry that it could inject instability into the insurance market, while hospital groups fear they may have to shoulder more of the burden from people who are sicker.

“The ACA’s preventive services requirement has been a game-changer, providing access to evidence-based preventive care and early detection of serious medical conditions,” said Wayne Turner, a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program, a nonprofit group that advocates for low-income communities. “The ACA’s coverage and cost-sharing protections are especially important for low-income persons, who will be harmed most if the Supreme Court refuses to allow the ACA provision to stand.”

Oral arguments in the case — Kennedy v. Braidwood Management — will be heard at the Supreme Court on Monday. A decision in the case is expected by the end of June.

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