Are you or someone you know living with a cancer diagnosis and wondering if a clinical trial is right for you? NCCN's webinar "Why Should I Consider a Clinical Trial?" addresses your questions about cancer clinical trials. Learn about their purpose, role in treatment, risks, benefits, and how to access them. The trials can be important for your own treatment and can help future patients; the standard treatments of today all came from past trials. Access this valuable resource now at the NCCN website or via YouTube.

Credit: Native News Online / Kris Hanning / University of Arizona

The big idea: Native American tribes are asserting their right to data sovereignty - owning and controlling their own health statistics and other data about their communities. This movement is led by researchers like Stephanie Russo Carroll and Abigail Echo-Hawk who argue that tribes, as sovereign nations, should have full access to data about their people, according to Native News Online.

Meeting the moment: The issue has gained urgency as the Trump administration removed racial and ethnic datasets from federal websites. While some data has been reinstated, key search features that tribes use to track health conditions in Native youth have been eliminated, hampering tribes' ability to address public health concerns in their communities.

The stakes: Without access to their own health data, tribes cannot effectively address severe health disparities, including lower life expectancy, or develop targeted responses to issues like disease outbreaks, maternal health problems, and chronic conditions. Data sovereignty is tied to treaty rights and tribal self-determination, yet tribes often provide data to federal agencies without receiving it back, creating what one expert calls a "one-way data highway." 

From the source: “That information is about our children, and it is the legal right of both now the tribal epidemiology centers and the tribes to have access to that previously gathered information,” Abigail Echo-Hawk, a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, told Native News Online. 

Read more at Native News Online.

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The big idea: New York State requires all hospitals to provide emergency medical care to everyone regardless of insurance status or immigration status, and offers Emergency Medicaid to cover these costs for low-income individuals, including undocumented immigrants.

The stakes: Without this safety net, vulnerable populations might avoid seeking urgent medical care due to financial concerns or fear of immigration consequences, potentially leading to worsened health outcomes or preventable deaths, according to Documented.

The fine print: Emergency Medicaid comes with important limitations: it only covers true emergencies, not preventive or chronic care, and income requirements apply (roughly $1,800/month or less for single adults). While you can apply up to 90 days after receiving emergency care, pre-enrolling is recommended when possible. Importantly, using Emergency Medicaid will not impact immigration status or trigger public charge concerns. New York offers different application processes for those under 65 versus those 65+ or disabled. A key benefit for families: all children in New York are eligible for health insurance regardless of immigration status, through programs like Child Health Plus which provides free or low-cost coverage for those under 19.

From the source: “There’s no wrong door in terms of where people can get emergency care,” Max Hadler, Director of Policy and Immigrant Initiatives at NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, told Documented.

Read more at Documented.

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The big idea: The Supreme Court case Kennedy v. Braidwood Management Inc. threatens to overturn the Affordable Care Act's mandate that requires insurers to cover preventive care services like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention) at no cost to patients, according to Capital B. This medication has been crucial in reducing HIV infections, particularly among vulnerable populations, since the coverage mandate took effect in 2021.

The fine print: The case stems from Christian-owned businesses claiming that the structure of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force violates the Constitution because its members aren't appointed by the president with Senate confirmation. While the plaintiffs also argue that PrEP coverage violates their religious freedoms by "encouraging homosexual behavior," the Supreme Court is focusing narrowly on the constitutional structure question, with a decision expected in summer 2024.

The stakes: A Yale School of Public Health report warns that eliminating no-cost PrEP coverage could result in over 2,000 preventable HIV infections annually, with Black Americans bearing the disproportionate burden. Despite accounting for half of HIV diagnoses in the U.S., only about 12% of PrEP users are Black Americans, and less than 2% of eligible Black women use the medication—disparities that would likely worsen without coverage guarantees.

What you can do: If you're concerned about potential changes to PrEP coverage, speak with your healthcare provider about your options now, while the coverage mandate remains in effect. Consider contacting patient assistance programs offered by drug manufacturers. Stay informed about the Supreme Court case developments and contact elected officials about the importance of preventive care access. Organizations like Aspirations in Louisiana provide testing and connections to care for those at risk.

Read more at Capital B.

Highlighting the innovators transforminghealth outcomes in our communities

The story: Gabriel Maldonado draws strength from his ancestral legacy, believing that innovation thrives in struggle and those facing adversity develop deeper creativity, according to palabra. As a descendant of Black, Latino, and Indigenous ancestors who survived tremendous hardships, including his Mexican grandfather who was deported despite working on land originally taken from his ancestors, Maldonado carries their resilience in his DNA. In California's Inland Empire, where over 3,700 people experienced homelessness in 2023, Maldonado has transformed personal trauma into community action. What began as a kitchen-counter initiative has evolved into a $25 million campus providing housing, healthcare, and essential services.

At the center: Maldonado's organization, TruEvolution, was born from adversity when, as an 18-year-old college student confronting homophobic rhetoric during California's Proposition 8 campaign, he created a nonprofit to support vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth. As he navigates today's political climate with cuts to DEI programs and HIV medication distribution, Maldonado remains steadfast: "I'm not changing who I'm serving, nor am I changing my services. You have to reshape the narrative without abandoning your principles."

Read more about Maldonado in palabra.Credit: palabra / Arisa Spencer/TruEvolution

This content may have been created with AI assistance or collection. As always, share thoughts about this newsletter with us at [email protected].