Health department sees first direct impact of federal funding upheaval

Mar. 28—MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County Health Department Chief Financial Officer Devan Smith was prepared to come into Thursday morning's board of health meeting and report MCHD was so-far unscathed by the upheaval in federal funding initiated by the Trump administration.
Then, on Tuesday, federal health officials announced billions in COVID-related funds were being stopped.
The following day, the health department was notified by the National Association of County & City Health Officials that a contract through which MCHD was working with the health department in Fairfax County, Va to better engage healthcare facilities regarding infection prevention and control had been canceled.
As MCHD was working as a subcontractor, it must now go back to NACCHO to get paid for the work performed since Jan. 1. The $90, 000 contract was set to expire at the end of June.
Smith said he's identified additional grants that he believes could be in jeopardy. In those examples, MCHD is a subrecipient of funds passing through the state. Those grants would total about $83, 000 to the health department.
"We've been talking to folks at the state to see if they're hearing any notifications about rescission of funding at their level, because it would have the same impact, essentially, " he said. "As far as I'm aware, they have not received any formal rescission of funding that we receive as a subrecipient."
MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice said the health department is also closely following news that a funding freeze tied to Title X (family planning services) has been put in place.
He said the health department has yet to hear anything on that front.
"These are the things that we're going to have to be monitoring, " DeFelice said. "We're going to get some of these notices. We're proactively checking the rest of our contracts."
DeFelice previously estimated that 40 % or more of the health department's budget consists of federal grant funding coming from a variety of sources to fund the department's numerous offerings.
"It's really not clear how this is going to play out, because Congress hasn't laid out clear policy priorities within their continuing resolution ... Normally when there's an appropriations act or there's a continuing resolution, there's instructions from Congress about how that funding is to be spent, and this continuing resolution doesn't have that, " Smith explained. "So, that allows more discretion than is normal for this administration to choose and direct funding toward specific policy priorities. I don't think that has really seen itself play out yet."
Asked if the impacts to the health department could be substantial enough to force program cuts or staff reductions, Smith said he didn't have any indication that the immediate impact would be that substantial.
Even so, he said the health department is "going to be looking hard at what we can afford, " as it prepares to present its 2025-'26 operating budget in the coming weeks.
"I firmly believe that we are going to continue to serve public health in a really meaningful and awesome way. We're going to have some new things that we might even still be able to work on with community health promotion, " Health Officer Dr. Brian Huggins said. "But some of the services that we end up offering may change."
Huggins noted the health department will add a revenue source in April, when it begins conducting occupational drug testing for employers.

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Business Upturn

5 hours ago

• Business Upturn

Novo Nordisk A/S: Mim8 prophylaxis treatment shown to be well-tolerated when switching from emicizumab in people with haemophilia A in new phase 3 data presented at the ISTH 2025 Congress

By GlobeNewswire Published on June 23, 2025, 00:35 IST New FRONTIER5 data show that a direct switch to investigational Mim8 (denecimig) prophylaxis treatment from emicizumab, without the need for a washout period, was well-tolerated with no safety concerns in adults and adolescents with haemophilia A, with or without inhibitors 1 . . Switching to Mim8 led to a sustained increase in thrombin generation into the normal range, but without causing thrombin levels that might pose a thrombotic risk 1 . . FRONTIER5 Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) assessment found the Mim8 pen-injector easy to use, with strong user preference over their emicizumab injection system 2 . . These results add to the overall safety profile of Mim8 based on the FRONTIER clinical trial programme3. Bagsværd, Denmark, 22 June 2025 – Novo Nordisk today presented results from the phase 3b FRONTIER5 trial showing that a direct switch to investigational Mim8 (denecimig) prophylaxis from emicizumab treatment, without a washout period or Mim8 loading dose, was well-tolerated with no safety concerns in adults and adolescents living with haemophilia A, with or without inhibitors1. Additionally, a FRONTIER5 Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) assessment found the Mim8 pen-injector easy to use, with an overall strong user preference for the pen-injector compared to the previous emicizumab injection system2,3. The results were presented at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Congress in Washington, D.C. In the study, the first Mim8 maintenance dose was administered on the next planned emicizumab dosing day. Patients were given the option of switching to once-monthly, once every two weeks or once-weekly dosing frequencies of Mim8, regardless of their prior dosing frequency1,3. Steady-state Mim8 concentration was achieved by Week 16, and emicizumab elimination was completed by Week 261. Switching to Mim8 led to a sustained increase in thrombin peak levels without an exaggerated thrombin response1. 'Continuous prophylactic coverage is critical to avoiding breakthrough bleeds in people living with haemophilia; with new non-factor therapeutic options, many people could have hesitations about switching treatment options. These data demonstrate that switching to Mim8 from emicizumab can be done without requiring a washout period,' said Allison P. Wheeler, MD, Washington Center for Bleeding Disorders, Seattle, WA. 'This is critical in ensuring that individuals maintain continuous protection against bleeding events as we seek to help address the ongoing needs of people living with this complex disease.' The open-label phase 3b FRONTIER5 study consisted of 61 adults and adolescents, aged 12 years and older, with haemophilia A. Mim8 was well-tolerated with no safety concerns. No thromboembolic events, hypersensitivity reactions, or treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) leading to discontinuation were observed, and there was no clinical evidence of neutralising anti-Mim8 antibodies1. The PROs data from FRONTIER5 indicated a strong overall preference for the Mim8 pen-injector, with 97% (n=57/59) of patients reporting a 'very strong' or 'fairly strong' preference in comparison to their previous emicizumab injection system2. Of the participants who completed the Haemophilia Device Handling and Preference Assessment (HDHPA) questionnaire at week 26, 98% (n=58/59) found the Mim8 pen-injector 'very easy' or 'easy' to use, and 95% (n=56/59) found it 'much easier' or 'easier' compared with their previous administration method. All participants (100%) were 'extremely confident' or 'very confident' in using the pen-injector correctly, and most participants (83%; n=49/59) found it 'very easy' to inject the dose2. 'The FRONTIER5 safety and patient-reported outcomes data support Mim8 as a potential future treatment option for people living with haemophilia A and demonstrate our continued commitment to developing innovative treatment options for this community', said Stephanie Seremetis, chief medical officer and CVP for Haemophilia at Novo Nordisk. 'These results give valuable insights into haemophilia A management, highlight the feasibility of directly switching to Mim8 from emicizumab, and reveal a strong patient preference for the Mim8 pen-injector device.' Novo Nordisk expects to submit Mim8 for regulatory review during 2025. Data from the ongoing phase 3 FRONTIER programme will be disclosed at upcoming congresses and in publications in 2025 and 2026. About haemophilia Haemophilia is a rare inherited bleeding disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding4. It is estimated to affect approximately 1,125,000 people worldwide5. There are different types of haemophilia, which are characterised by the type of clotting factor protein that is defective or missing4. Haemophilia A is caused by a missing or defective clotting Factor VIII (FVIII), and haemophilia B is caused by a missing or defective clotting Factor IX4. Inhibitors are an immune system response to the clotting factors in replacement therapy. Currently, it is estimated that up to 30% of people living with severe haemophilia A develop inhibitors6 that can cause replacement therapies to stop working. About Mim8 Mim8 is an investigational FVIIIa mimetic bispecific antibody optimised with the aim to deliver improved potency and sustained efficacy across flexible dosing intervals up to once-monthly prophylaxis for people living with haemophilia A, with or without inhibitors7-10. Administered under the skin, Mim8 bridges Factor IXa and Factor X. This action replaces FVIII function, which helps restore the body's thrombin generation capacity into the normal range, helping blood to clot7,11. The use of Mim8 in people living with haemophilia A is investigational and not approved by regulatory authorities or available anywhere in the world. About the FRONTIER5 trial FRONTIER5 is a single-arm, open-label, 26-week, phase 3b trial evaluating the safety of switching from previous emicizumab prophylaxis treatment directly to Mim8 prophylaxis treatment using the Mim8 pen-injector in adults and adolescents with haemophilia A, with or without inhibitors3. The FRONTIER clinical programme investigates Mim8 as a prophylaxis treatment for people with haemophilia A, with or without inhibitors. This programme includes FRONTIER1, FRONTIER2, FRONTIER3, FRONTIER4 and FRONTIER53,12-15. About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 77,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit , Facebook , Instagram , X , LinkedIn and YouTube . Contacts for further information _______________________ References Oldenberg J, Benson G, Chowdaryet P, et al. FRONTIER5 direct switch study: Safety of initiating Mim8 prophylaxis without washout of emicizumab. Oral presentation presented at the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2025; June 21-25 2025; Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C., US. Session code 13686. Mahlangu J, Ahuja S, Cockrell E, et al. FRONTIER5 device handling and patient-reported outcomes. Oral presentation presented at the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2025; June 21–25 2025; Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C., US. Session code 13786. A Research Study Looking at How Safe it is to Switch From Emicizumab to Mim8 in People With Haemophilia A (FRONTIER5). Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. MedlinePlus. Hemophilia. Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. Iorio A, Stonebraker JS, Chambost H, et al. Establishing the Prevalence and Prevalence at Birth of Hemophilia in Males: A Meta-analytic Approach Using National Registries. Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:540–546. doi: 10.7326/M19-1208. Kim JY, You CW. The prevalence and risk factors of inhibitor development of FVIII in previously treated patients with hemophilia A. Blood Res. 2019;54:204-209. doi: 10.5045/br.2019.54.3.204. Ostergaard H, Lund J, Greisen PJ, et al. A factor VIIIa-mimetic bispecific antibody, Mim8, ameliorates bleeding upon severe vascular challenge in hemophilia A mice. Blood. 2021;138:1258-1268. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020010331. Mancuso EM, et al. Efficacy and safety of Mim8 prophylaxis in adults and adolescents with hemophilia A with or without inhibitors: Phase 3, open-label, randomized, controlled FRONTIER2 study. Abstract presented at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2024 Congress. Kenet G, et al. Patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes with subcutaneous Mim8 prophylaxis in paediatric patients with haemophilia A with or without factor VIII inhibitors: phase 3 FRONTIER3 study. Abstract presented at the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) 2025 Annual Congress. Session 6. Chowdary P, Banchev AM, Kavakli K, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Mim8 Prophylaxis Administered Once Every Two Weeks for Patients with Hemophilia A with or without Inhibitors: Interim Analysis of the FRONTIER4 Open-Label Extension Study. Abstract presented at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2024 Annual Congress. Session: 322. U.S. National Library of Medicine. F8 gene. MedlinePlus Genetics. Available at Last accessed: June 2025. A Research Study Investigating Mim8 in People With Haemophilia A (FRONTIER1). Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. A Research Study Investigating Mim8 in Adults and Adolescents With Haemophilia A With or Without Inhibitors. Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. A Research Study Looking at Mim8 in Children With Haemophilia A With or Without Inhibitors. Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. A Research Study Looking at Long-term Treatment With Mim8 in People With Haemophilia A (FRONTIER4). Available at: Last accessed: June 2025. Attachment Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.

Boston Globe

12 hours ago

• Boston Globe

Mass. considers scrapping religious exemptions for vaccinations

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Miami Herald

13 hours ago

• Miami Herald

Some Johns Hopkins, UMD research stopped after Trump cuts. Others are scrambling to resume

BALTIMORE - Some Maryland university research projects on the Trump administration's chopping block have been fully discontinued, while others are scrambling to resume after a pause in funding. Johns Hopkins has lost more than $800 million in federal grant money. The University of Maryland lost tens of millions of dollars. But some cuts have been blocked by legal challenges, though litigation is ongoing. Researchers describe disappointment and uncertainty as they determine how to move forward. Alternative funding has been secured for a clinical trial in Bangladesh aimed at managing life-threatening diarrheal diseases in children, which was previously halted because of U.S. Agency for International Development funding cuts. The work has yet to resume. "It just takes a long time to rebuild the teams and get things in place again to start," said Judd Walson, chair of the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University, which partnered on the project. "The disruptions that are happening are really catastrophic." Over the past several weeks, 17 NIH awards have been terminated or had an unclear status, including two training awards supporting doctoral-level researchers, Walson said. "We're not getting a lot of communication, so it's a little bit hard to say exactly what the status of some of these awards are," he said. The National Institutes of Health didn't respond to questions about funding cuts to Maryland research institutions. In a lawsuit challenging NIH research cuts, lawyers for the federal government wrote in a recent court filing that its terminations of grants for DEI-related studies were "sufficiently reasoned," and that the NIH has "broad discretion" to decide what grants to provide. Johns Hopkins is a plaintiff in two lawsuits involving caps on reimbursement of indirect costs for research - one challenging the NIH and the other against the Department of Defense. The latter suit also lists the University of Maryland, College Park, as a plaintiff. Both schools have also filed a brief in support of a lawsuit filed by Harvard University against the Trump administration's funding cuts. New grant terminations have been arriving "nearly every week," Johns Hopkins University said in a recent update published on its website. There's also been a nearly two-thirds decrease in new awards compared with last year, the university said. Johns Hopkins atmosphere and ocean sciences researcher Darryn Waugh was disappointed upon receiving notice that his NASA grant to study air pollution in Baltimore was canceled by the Trump administration. The termination came as a result of President Donald Trump's executive order, "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing." "It wasn't clear to me that this actually falls under this diversity, equity, inclusion," Waugh said. "It was research that I think we still wanted to do - to understand how the air pollution varies through the city - and the environmental justice was only actually a relatively small component of it." Waugh was working through the second year of a three-year grant, totaling $1,465,950. "We've got kind of a preliminary analysis," he said, regarding the research. "But to get anything conclusive, we would need more than one year of funding." Waugh said he intends to find ways of continuing the research without the NASA grant. Daniel Mullins, at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, had a grant canceled for a "Health Equity Research Hub," which examined how to encourage greater participation in health-related research. Mullins said the loss of the grant affected five positions, and the individuals will be removed from the university because of lack of funding. He added that the termination stated that the grant was DEI-related, which he disputes. "I think under the DEI umbrella, a lot of times, the government will refer to it as just one racial ethnic group," he said. "We've worked in different geographies, in different racial and ethnic populations, but what's cool about what we do is it really does apply to all patients in all populations." Mullins said his research group has additional funding from other agencies and is writing new proposals. Walson said social determinants of health - involving factors like poverty and other "inequities" - are "foundational to our understanding of health." "So the idea that we would not be able to pursue work that focuses on identifying and managing those particular issues, which are the underlying, core issues at the heart of health issues, is really challenging," Walson said. The Trump administration's cuts have had an ieffect across the world. Walson said it's estimated the cuts will result in hundreds of thousands of deaths globally, and could eventually lead to millions of deaths over the next couple of years. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said it's "a lie" that people have died because of USAID cuts. During a congressional hearing in May, Rubio said the U.S. is the world's "largest humanitarian provider." "I would argue: How many people die because China hasn't done it?" he said. "How many people have died because the U.K. has cut back on spending and so has other countries?" Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.