Welcome back to Five on Friday! There is quite a bit going on in the world of health care, and we’re glad to announce that there are a few things to be optimistic about. Join us, as we check out the articles shared with staff this week! 

Theressa shared an upcoming ECHO series offered by the American Liver Foundation (ALF). The program aims to educate primary care providers, CHWs, and health educators on best practices for prevention and treatment of Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatic liver disease (MASLD). There are four sessions through December, with the first session taking place on August 4, 2025. Liver Health ECHO Program by American Liver Foundation

Esther provided this article from PBS News, regarding the new plan introduced by the federal government – a private health tracking system that would link the health records and wellness data of a patient across providers and health apps. The information would only be available among hospital systems and companies that have joined the initiative, but there are concerns about whether sensitive health data stored in the system will be truly secure. The White House Announced a New Health Data Tracking System. How Would It Work?

Wendy sent in this article from Grist, an update on the status of OSHA’s heat stress rule, first introduced in July 2024. The rule was not among the workplace regulations the administration plans to revise or repeal, meaning that OSHA has moved the draft forward to receive public comment. Lawmakers and organizations alike are in support of the standard, which “would require employers to establish plans to avoid and monitor for signs of heat illness and to help new hires acclimate to working in high heat.” A Long-Awaited Rule to Protect Workers from Heat Stress Moves Forward, Even Under Trump​​​​​​

Renai forwarded this update from Science; instead of proceeding with the president’s plan to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget by 40 percent, a Senate funding committee approved a draft measure that will provide the NIH with a 400 million dollar raise. The bill will also protect all 27 NIH institutes and centers, which would have been reduced to eight under the proposed plan. With Boost to NIH budget, Senate Panel Rejects Trump’s Plan to Slash Agency

Weekly Win: We have one more thing to celebrate! Our last article comes from NPR and shares the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a key measure of the ACA, an outcome that ensures millions of people will continue to receive free, preventive care. The court’s verdict is likely to protect access to preventive treatments, including PrEP and immunizations, as well as screening services that measure blood pressure and detect breast and lung cancers. SCOTUS Upholds Key ACA Measure on Preventive Care for Millions

Have a safe and healthy weekend!