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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

How will the Trump Administration Affect Medicine and Healthcare

The Trump administration's impact on medicine can be analyzed through several key areas:

Healthcare Policy**

Affordable Care Act (ACA)**: Efforts will be made to repeal and replace the ACA, which could have affected coverage for millions.

Medicare and Medicaid**: Proposals to reduce funding or change eligibility could impact access to healthcare for vulnerable populations.

FDA (Food and Drug Administration

President-elect Trump stated he will clean up the FDA, to eliminate waste and improve transparency as well as modernize drug and vaccine approvals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr has been mentioned as a possible candidate to head the FDA.

Drug Pricing**

   - The administration will focus on lowering prescription drug prices, including initiatives to allow the importation of cheaper drugs and promoting price transparency.

Regulatory Changes**

 The administration aims to speed up drug approvals and reduce regulatory burdens, which could enhance innovation and raise safety concerns.

Public Health Initiatives**

   - Efforts to address the opioid crisis will include funding for prevention and treatment programs.

Research Funding**

   - Changes in funding for agencies like the NIH could affect medical research, with potential shifts in focus areas depending on administration priorities.

Global Health**

   - The administration's approach to global health, including funding for organizations like the WHO, could influence international health initiatives.

The Trump administration's policies could have a lasting influence on the structure, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare in the U.S., shaping the landscape of medicine for years to come.

Other important Cabinet nominees are:

Trump's Cabinet picks?

Susie Wiles, 67, has been chosen for Chief of Staff. She was a senior advisor to Trump's 2024 presidential election and the first major decision that Trump announced after his win. Although not a Cabinet position, this is a key role in the White House.

Mike Waltz, 50, has been chosen for National Security Advisor. He is a Florida Congressman, a retired Army National Guard officer, and combat-decorated Green Beret. This position reports to the Secretary of Defense.

Tom Homan, 62, has been tapped as 'border czar' to oversee border control, again. He previously acted as Trump's head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will join his new administration. Homan will report to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Elise Stefanik, 40, has been chosen for United Nations ambassador. She is a New York congresswoman and has served as House Republican Conference chair since 2024 and would fill Trump's first U.N. ambassador role. Nikki Haley held this post in the last Trump administration. Though not a Cabinet position, ambassadors report to the Secretary of State.

Stephen Miller, 39, has been chosen to return as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. He served as a senior advisor in Trump's first administration and White House director of speechwriting. This is a key advisory role outside of the Cabinet.

Lee Zeldin, 44, has been chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. He is a former New York congressman and officer in the United States Army Reserve. The EPA administrator is not in the Cabinet but is seen as a Cabinet-level role.

Kristi Noem, 52, has been picked to serve as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She is the Governor of South Dakota and is described as a "loyalist" who will be key to his domestic agenda.

Mike Huckabee, 55 a political commentator has been appointed as Ambassador to Israel

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