Dental experts are sounding the alarm after US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said April 7 he wants the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation.

That same day, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shared plans to prepare a new assessment of fluoride’s health effects, prompted by an August review by the HHS National Toxicology Program that had found, “with moderate confidence,” an association between exposure to fluoride above 1.5 mg/L and lower IQ in children. (The NTP stressed that there was “insufficient data” to evaluate whether the US’s lower 0.7 mg/L fluoride level currently recommended by HHS is associated with low IQ or health risks.)

“Without prejudging any outcomes, when this evaluation is completed, we will have an updated foundational scientific evaluation that will inform the agency’s future steps to meet statutory obligations under the Safe Drinking Water Act,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in an April 7 release.

On April 15, a coalition of 250+ research and professional organizations signed a letter to Congress sharing “deep fear” about the prospect of ending community water fluoridation.

Here’s what dental experts are saying.—CC

Merck is following Johnson & Johnson’s lead and reporting an expected financial hit from tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

In an April 24 earnings call, executives said they expect $200 million in tariff-related costs in 2025. Merck lowered its full-year profit expectations from $8.88–$9.03 per share to $8.82–$8.97 per share.

The news comes a week after J&J executives said they expect $400 million in tariff-induced expenses in 2025.

Robert Davis, Merck’s chairman and CEO, said during the earnings call that the impact will primarily come from existing tariffs implemented “between the US and China, and to a lesser degree, Canada and Mexico.”

Although the threat of pharmaceutical tariffs looms following the Department of Commerce’s announcement on April 14 that the Trump administration is investigating the national security implications of pharmaceutical imports, Davis didn’t seem particularly worried.

Read more on Merck’s earnings here.—MA

Second time’s the charm? That’s what Rite Aid seems to be hoping.

The retail pharmacy is reportedly considering filing for another bankruptcy as it attempts to get back on its feet after years of financial complications, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Philadelphia-based retailer is also reportedly thinking of selling individual assets to avoid a second Chapter 11 in less than two years.

Ride Aid initially filed for bankruptcy in October 2023 after struggling to keep up with competitor retail pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. It was also dealing with lawsuits about its pharmacy benefit manager, Elixir, as well as 1,600 opioid-related lawsuits.

The company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2024 after reducing its debt by $2 billion.

However, WSJ reported the company is now working with Paul Weiss, a global law firm, to discuss additional options, as further liquidation of its assets—either with or without another bankruptcy—looks to be on the table.

Click here to see what’s going on at Ride Aid.—CM