HHS on Friday lifted restrictions on using fetal tissue for medical research, reversing a policy implemented by former President Donald Trump's administration in June 2019 banning the practice, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

• District of Columbia: HHS on Friday lifted restrictions on using fetal tissue for medical research, reversing a policy implemented by former President Donald Trump's administration in June 2019 banning the practice. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said there were "no new ethical issues that require special review," so HHS decided to lift the restrictions. "We believe that we have to do the research it takes to make sure that we are incorporating innovation and getting all of those types of treatments and therapies out there to the American people," Becerra said (Mandavilli, New York Times, 4/17; Marchione, Associated Press, 4/16; Ollstein, Politico, 4/16).

• Ohio: Lake Health, a health system with more than 3,000 caregivers and 600 physicians, has officially joined University Hospitals after the two health systems announced their intention to affiliate in December 2020. As part of the deal, Lake Health will become the flagship health care provider for University Hospitals in Lake County (Paavola, Becker's Hospital Review, 4/16).

• Oklahoma: Saint Francis Health System has named Cliff Robertson as its new president and CEO, effective July 1. Robertson is currently the CEO of CHI Health and SVP of operations for CommonSpirit Health's Midwest division. He previously served as interim CEO of St. Luke's Health System and as COO of CHI Franciscan (Gooch, Becker's Hospital Review, 4/16).