• California: 23andMe, which recently filed for bankruptcy, has agreed to allow a court-appointed overseer to take charge of protecting its customers' genetic data after several states argued that the company did not provide enough data security. The appointed consumer protection ombudsman will be able to review 23andMe's security policies and procedures for handling customers' genetic information. The ombudsman will also review any sale of the company's business and data during the bankruptcy process and report how a sale would impact customers' data. Currently, 23andMe is negotiating with potential buyers for the business. The company's founder Anne Wojcicki has also expressed interest in buying back the company. (Knauth, Reuters, 4/30)
• Florida: Last week, Florida lawmakers passed SB 700, or the Florida Farm Bill, in an 88-27 vote, setting up the state to ban fluoride in public water systems. Although the bill does not specifically mention the word "fluoride," it prohibits "the use of certain additives in a water system," which would effectively ban the chemical compound. Currently, the bill has been sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and if signed, Florida would become the second state after Utah to ban fluoride in water supplies. According to supporters of the bill, fluoride does not improve water quality and removing it from water systems could help local governments save money. However, opponents have argued everyday citizens rely on fluoride to help protect their dental health. In a statement, Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County, said she was "deeply disappointed" by the Legislature's decision to ban fluoride, which will "have long-lasting health consequences, especially for our most vulnerable families." Previously, Cava had vetoed a county-level measure that would have banned fluoride in drinking water. Currently, several major public health groups, including CDC, the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all support adding fluoride to water. (Alsharif, NBC News, 4/29; Myers, CBS News, 4/29)
• Georgia: According to new CDC data, the United States is currently seeing a surge in whooping cough. So far, more than 8,000 cases of whooping cough have been reported this year, more than double the cases reported in the same period last year. In 2024, there were over 35,000 whooping cough cases, the highest number in a decade, and if cases continue to grow at their current rates, the country could see the highest number of infections since the vaccine was first introduced in 1948. According to infectious disease experts, the rise in bacterial infections, including whooping cough, have been on the rise over the last few years due to declining vaccination rates and decreased immunity among adolescents. "We have clear indication that our vaccine rates are falling," said Sapna Singh, CMO of pediatrics at Texas Children's. During the 2023-2024 school year, the national vaccination rate for whooping cough among kindergartners was 92.3%, a decline from 95% in 2019. (Carbajal, Becker's Clinical Leadership, 4/24)

According to an  analysis  published in JAMA Pediatric, high levels of fluoride exposure were associated with lower IQs in children — findings that add to the ongoing debate about fluoride's potential harms and whether they outweigh its benefits.