POLITICO's Pulse Check

Congress has appropriated $1.8 billion for the “cancer moonshot” Biden began in 2016, and positive reaction to Biden’s recent request for more suggests it’s eager to maintain the momentum. But cancer researchers are less unified about the moonshot than Washington policymakers. Erin Schumaker talks with host Katherine Ellen Foley about Biden's cancer moonshot.

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Host Alice Miranda Ollstein talks with Josh Gerstein about a federal judge’s recent suggestion that a constitutional right to abortion could be conferred by the 13th Amendment.

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Doctors and advocates are urging people to pre-order and stockpile abortion pills while they still can in the face of a looming court decision that could wipe out access to the drugs nationwide. Host Ruth Reader talks with Alice Miranda Ollstein about the case.

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Amid an influx of fentanyl into the state and a rise in teen overdose deaths, state lawmakers may soon require schools to keep Narcan on hand. Host Ben Leonard talks with Blake Jones about the new push in California. 

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Adam Cancryn tells Ben Leonard about his exit interview with David Kessler, who reflected on nearly three years of fighting a pandemic as President Joe Biden’s chief science officer — and the political fallout. Plus, Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), co-chair of the Telehealth Caucus, on how technology can become a bigger part of health care delivery.

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With public opinion turning pro-legalization, 21 states now permit cannabis use for medical reasons or for recreation. Another 16 allow medical marijuana. But policymakers overseeing legalization were flying surprisingly blind about its effect on public health. Ben Leonard talks with Megan Wilson about the recent data on health impacts and the reaction from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

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In a first-of-its-kind enforcement action, the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday said it reached agreement with GoodRx on a fine and remedies after the prescription discount site shared customers’ health data with Google, Facebook and other third parties. Ruth Reader talks with Megan Messerly about why, if the court agrees, the decision could upend the business models of online businesses that routinely use or sell data to better target users with services and advertising.

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As of Wednesday, states can start reevaluating whether the millions of Americans who have remained covered by Medicaid during the pandemic are still eligible for those health insurance benefits. Megan Messerly talks with Erin Schumaker about how we got here and the approaches some states may take.

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The Biden administration will end the Covid-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11. Daniel Payne talks with Ruth Reader about this major step, meant to signal that the crisis era of the pandemic is over. Plus, Katherine Ellen Foley on the four biggest takeaways from Pfizer’s  earnings call.

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Megan Wilson talks with Katherine Ellen Foley about the rumors spooking health care lobbyists on K St. about incoming Senate HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

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