Trump's FDA Is Backpedaling

Health

Trump's FDA Is Backpedaling

What's going on: For months, President Donald Trump’s administration touted leucovorin — a synthetic form of vitamin B9 long used to help ease the side effects of chemotherapy — as a treatment for autism symptoms. At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) weighed whether to expand the drug’s use. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary even said it could help “hundreds of thousands” of children. Yesterday, the agency did broaden leucovorin’s approved uses — just not the way Trump wanted. Instead of giving it the OK for autism symptoms, the FDA said doctors can prescribe the drug for cerebral folate deficiency, a rare neurological condition that affects fewer than one in 1 million people.

Why the FDA did what it did: Regulators spent months reviewing studies to determine whether the evidence supported leucovorin as an autism treatment. It didn’t. A handful of small studies from the US and abroad suggested the drug may improve speech and behavior in some people. But the data lacked the scale and rigor the FDA requires. One study, which suggested favorable results for the use of leucovorin, was even retracted earlier this year. The administration’s push still had an impact. After Trump touted the drug at a September news conference, off-label prescriptions for children jumped 71%, according to a recent study. Some parents struggle to find it. Now, many say the Trump administration’s mixed signals about the drug have only added to the confusion.

Related: Could Mushrooms Help the Smoker in Your Life Quit? (NPR)

The News in 5

🗞️ The Pentagon said the war in Iran has injured about 140 US soldiers. Meanwhile, nearly 700,000 civilians in Lebanon have been displaced as the conflict in the region expands, according to the UN.

🗞️ The race to fill former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House seat in Georgia will head to a runoff.

🗞️ YouTube launched a pilot program for journalists, politicians, and civic leaders to help them detect and report fake or AI-generated videos.

🗞️ Illinois is considering a bill that would give new and expectant mothers $1,500 plus $500 a month for six months after delivery. That’ll pay for some diapers.

🗞️ The Atlanta Hawks had plans to honor one of the most famous strip clubs in the country during a game… until the NBA called foul.

Education

Has Recess Gone Digital?

What's going on: Of all the insipid songs your kid could come home from school singing, the most cursed might be a car dealership jingle (second only to Baby Shark). Yet that’s what happened in upstate New York. One mom dug around and found the culprit: YouTube ads on a school iPad. Now, she’s part of a small but growing group of parents who say their districts blur the line between playtime and screen time, according to The New York Times. Along with anecdotal reports, an October survey revealed 81% of elementary teachers said students at their schools receive devices. Parents worry schools rely on screens less for learning and more to occupy restless kids.

A far cry from The Magic School Bus: It’s giving “movie day” — those exciting, rare times of our youth when our exhausted (or slightly hungover) teacher rolled in the giant TV cart and put on Bill Nye the Science Guy. Except now, some parents say screens show up all the time: during lunch, indoor recess, and snack breaks. Teachers, however, push back on the idea that devices equal doom. Used well, technology can support lessons. Trouble starts when the screen becomes the “default.” So what can parents do? Some advocate for conversations with teachers or school boards. But the best antidote for the bitter iPad pill may be at home: set clear screen limits and designate device-free zones. If you get the classic “I’m bored,” you could always challenge ‘em to make up a jingle catchier than any car dealership’s.

Related: Are You Ready for the “Microschool”? (The Hechinger Report)

Social Media

Sometimes, You Just Need a (Algorithm) Reset

What’s going on: It’s no secret that social media algorithms are literally built to keep you scrolling. Arguably, no one does this better than TikTok. Millennials and Gen Z in particular spend about six to seven hours on social media each week (in our defense, we have some great lasagna recipes to show for it). But sometimes the feed is a beast. It can give us anxiety. It can waste our time. It can convince us we need products we don’t (not another concealer). But there’s a path to a cleaner feed, and Axios has laid it bare. 

What to do: TikTok’s “black box” algorithm mostly seems to care about how long you linger on a video — not whether you tap “like.” That means you can train it. If it’s not serving you, keep scrolling. Press and hold on videos you don’t want to see, then click “Not interested.” Next, be the change you want to see in your feed. Actively seek out content you’re into, whether it’s “cute puppy befriending butterfly” (a real and worthy thing we searched) or “what is the SAVE Act?” Finally, you can get really intense and do a total algorithm reboot: Go to Settings → Content Preferences → Refresh your For You feed. Hottest tip of all? Switch to your “Following” page, where you can see content from people you’ve actively followed. If you need us, we’ll be exclusively watching comedians roast ‘90s interior design shows. 

Related: The CEO of Bluesky Steps Down (Wired)

Quick Hits

🍞 Someone has made a positive health case for eating sourdough bread every day. We love news that affirms our habits…

🖼️ This is what interior designers do to make their living room TV look like it belongs in the Met. No need to ask Timothée Chalamet for his opinion on this one. 

🫢 Yes, the internet is arguing that finding a worm in your fish sandwich is a good thing. Ew.

🤔 We can’t tell if Gap’s latest ad is a well-coordinated commercial or a full-blown music video.

👀 Margot Robbie hopped on spring’s biggest hair trend. We almost didn’t recognize her.

We Needed This

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ Catch the Paralympic mixed doubles wheelchair curling finals. Coverage starts at 9:35 am ET on USA Network and streaming on Peacock. 

🗓️ Scarpetta premieres on Prime Video, with Nicole Kidman as a renowned medical examiner hunting a ritualistic serial killer. Added to the queue.

🗓️ Kicking off today at 4 pm ET, NFL teams can sign free agents and make trades — as long as they stay below this multi-million dollar salary cap. Is it too late to play for the NFL?

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Our First-Ever Sleep Awards

Here at Skimm Shopping, we believe in providing you with the best recommendations. That’s why for this year’s National Sleep Week, we launched our inaugural Sleep Awards. Since a full eight hours is seemingly the most elusive thing on the planet — no cheat codes or shortcuts available — we’re sharing our favorite products to better the experience in any way possible. Check out:

• Our top picks for bedding

• The pillows we rely on for good support

• Our chosen cozy pajamas

Know It All

The coffee experts have spoken and picked the best place for a cup of joe. Turns out, it’s in this US state…

Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Molly Longman, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.