Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story FDA rule to lower nicotine levels closes in on finish lineThe Food and Drug Administration is poised to try to lower the amount of nicotine in tobacco products, as the White House this week cleared a proposed rule that’s been years in the making. © APThe Biden administration proposal cleared an Office of Management and Budget review at the end of last week. The 11th hour effort from the Biden administration would require tobacco companies to slash the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other products to make them less addictive.   The rule has not been made public, so the specific language isn’t known; the rule is likely to be released in the coming days.   The move would give the Biden administration one last chance to try to regulate tobacco, as it previously punted on finalizing a plan to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes.   The FDA has been talking about plans to lower nicotine levels since the first Trump administration in 2018. Under Biden, the FDA in 2022 announced it was developing a proposed rule on the matter, set for release in May 2023.  The FDA in 2022 estimated that reducing nicotine levels could keep more than 33 million people from becoming regular smokers, that about 5 million additional smokers would quit within a year and that 134 million years of collective life would be gained.   “Lowering nicotine levels to minimally addictive or non-addictive levels would decrease the likelihood that future generations of young people become addicted to cigarettes and help more currently addicted smokers to quit,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said at the time.  More than a year-and-a-half later, the proposal is set for publication.   The proposal is just the first step. There won’t be any immediate changes to tobacco products. It would be up the Trump administration to write and issue a final rule and put it into effect, and it could be dialed back—if the administration releases it at all. There will be significant tobacco industry opposition.   Tobacco companies donated heavily to President-elect Trump’s campaign, and his chief of staff worked as a tobacco lobbyist.   Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.  Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:  Surgeon general offers ‘parting prescription’ for USOutgoing U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy offered a “parting prescription” to the U.S. in a document released Tuesday. “As I finish my tenure as Surgeon General, this is my parting prescription, my final wish for all of us: Choose community,” Murthy said in the document, which People magazine first reported on. “It won’t always be easy. It will require rethinking and, in some cases, rejecting the conventional wisdom that tells …  Full Story  India confirms first HMPV cases amid surge in ChinaIndia confirmed its first cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in children, with a total of seven cases reported as of Tuesday. The cases were reported in Bengaluru, Nagpur, Tamil Nadu and Ahmedabad, according to The Economic Times. And the cases come as HMPV is reportedly surging in China. The Indian federal government urged states to increase surveillance and spread awareness to prevent transmission of the virus, …  Full Story  Hawaii governor: RFK Jr. ‘could actually damage the health of our nation terribly’ Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) warned that President-elect Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services could “damage” the nation’s health. “The president has been reelected, and he has to lead a country in a way that will take care of our people and protect people who are vulnerable. Some of his nominees are not the right choices,” Green said during a Monday evening appearance …  Full Story   In Other News Branch out with a different read: U.S. records first death from bird flu amid growing concerns A Louisiana patient hospitalized in critical condition with severe bird flu has died, the state health department said Monday, marking the first U.S. death due to the virus.  The patient was older than 65 years and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a noncommercial backyard flock and wild birds.   While the public health risk for the public … Full Story   Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: ‘Uncomfortable things’ necessary to fix NC Health Plan, new treasurer says (WUNC)  West Virginia Department of Health supplies free radon test kits (WVNews)  Thousands of Alaskans to see a steep rise in health insurance costs for the third year in a row (Alaska Public Media)  What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Generic GLP-1 drugs could help Medicare drive a harder bargain for Ozempic and Wegovy (Stat)  Health care is UPS’ $20 billion lifeline to offset shipping slowdown (Bloomberg)  Are some ultra-processed foods OK? New study has answers (The Wall Street Journal)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: Cannon temporarily blocks Trump special counsel report’s release U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily blocked the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith’s report on President-elect … Read more 5 takeaways from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago press conference President-elect Trump faced the media at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday, the day after Congress had certified his victory in November’s … Read more What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: Tragedies highlight need for mental health checks for vetsPrice transparency could be the healthcare win Trump wants (and America needs)    You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter Subscribe