Trump Administration steps back from public health sector, breaks off from WHO

The Trump Administration has made moves affecting the public health sector. Most notably, they have pulled out of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Will Humble, Executive Director of the Arizona Public Health Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to talk about these recent moves within the Trump Administration.

WHO, the United Nations health agency that helps protect the health and security of the world’s people, receives about a fifth of its budget from the U.S. President Trump has blasted WHO as “corrupt” and accused it of fiscally ripping off America.

Humble describes The World Health Organiztion as “Its part of the United Nations Network of Activities, and its really designed to be a place that helps. Especially developing countries to have healthcare and public health”

But experts have warned a withdrawal of WHO’s most influential member could harm global health. President Trump also announced he was stopping all cancer trials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Trump Administration has imposed a wide range of restrictions on the NIH, including cancellations of research grant reviews, which could impact vital funding for cancer research.

Insights from Humble

“So my initial reaction to leaving the “WHO” is, oh no, this is going to be bad. But the more I thought about it the more I thought, okay, they have a whole year to plan to fill that 18% gap in their budget, and they also don’t have to deal with this administration and their decision-making” said Humble.

Humbles says his guess is that they will decide to overrule some of these advisory committees and not fund some of them because they do the kind of research that the review committees are considering. 

Lastly, President Trump signed an executive order reversing initiatives aimed at reducing prescription drug costs for Medicare and Medicaid recipients, expanding the Affordable Care Act and increasing protections for Medicaid enrollees.