This week four experts testified at a US Senate committee about the impacts of personal protective equipment (PPE) and drug shortages during COVID-19, the effectiveness of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), and what kind of steps leaders must take to be better prepared for the next public health emergency.
Anytime an executive order of any kind is brought to the table, one would think that only good can come from such efforts. However, a review of this magnitude could also potentially uncover the gaps in our nation’s supply chains.
To understand what’s happening in today’s global economy, one UMass economist said it’s helpful to picture it as a grid filled with connected nodes. When one of those nodes — manufacturing, distribution, shipping, you name it — is disrupted, the impact is felt by everyone. These days, those disruptions are occurring across the supply chain, and for many different reasons, causing costs to soar — both for businesses and their customers. It’s a major concern with no simple solution, and some worry that rising prices may derail what is otherwise looking like an economy in recovery.
The pandemic is not over. Sheldon Jacobson offers late data insights on the pandemic plaguing the United States and abroad.
COVID-19 skepticism and vaccine mistrust are ubiquitous. The number of people receiving vaccines each day has dropped to well under 2 million doses from a peak of over 3 million doses in mid-April. As such, the nation is approaching a vaccination wall that will prevent it from reaching the zone of herd immunity, believed to be between 70 to 90 percent of the population protected. The recent announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that fully vaccinated people can return to pre-pandemic activities without face coverings and social distancing may provide new incentives to get vaccinated.
Ashley Smith
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INFORMS
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The genetic testing company 23andMe, which holds the genetic data of 15 million people, declared bankruptcy on Sunday night after years of financial struggles. This means that all of the extremely personal user data could be up for sale—and that vast trove of genetic data could draw interest from AI companies looking to train their data sets, experts say.
The Big Four firms are now integrating a new category of artificial intelligence (AI) into their businesses, according to Bloomberg Tax.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the new secretary of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s de facto healthcare czar. He will have influence over numerous highly visible agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, among others. Given that healthcare is something that touches everyone’s life, his footprint of influence will be expansive.
Health insurance has become necessary, with large and unpredictable health care costs always looming before each of us. Unfortunately, the majority of people have experienced problems when using their health insurance to pay for their medical care. Health insurance serves as the buffer between patients and the medical care system, using population pooling to mitigate the risk exposure on any one individual.
In their March 2025 forecasts, shipping and logistics experts are warning those who rely on the industry to expect continued disruption, and in order to survive a chaotic landscape, they are advising businesses to spend money conservatively, work with trusted partners, and make comprehensive contingency plans.
After the Trump administration announced Monday an agreement to pause potential tariffs against Canadian imports, one supply chain expert told 12News the whiplash of tariff news coming out of Washington D.C. is not helpful to U.S. businesses.
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban's question to Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, on energy costs took off on social media on Saturday.
Florida lawmakers have banned wind turbines off its shores and near the coast, saying the bill is meant to protect wildlife and prevent noise.