Researchers develop wheat strains without gluten proteins harmful to celiac; Trump administration to end Narcan grant training first responders; excluded pharmacies 4.5x more likely to close – Morning Medical Update

Maria Rottersman of UC Davis holds a loaf of baked bread made using seed varieties developed without alpha-gliadin proteins, a component of gluten. © Alejandra Andrade / California Wheat Commission

New wheat strains cut gluten proteins harmful to people with celiac, keep bread quality intact

UC Davis researchers have bred wheat varieties that lack alpha-gliadins — the gluten proteins most harmful to people with celiac disease — without sacrificing breadmaking quality or crop yield. While not celiac-safe, the breakthrough could lower risk for sensitive individuals and improve wheat’s digestibility. Surprisingly, some of the modified wheat even produced higher-quality flour. The conventionally bred seeds are now publicly available through the USDA, with interest already growing among bakers and millers.

“The gluten proteins we eliminated are the ones that trigger the strongest response in people with celiac disease, and their elimination can reduce the risk of triggering the disease in people without celiac disease,” said Jorge Dubcovsky, PhD, a wheat geneticist and biologist at UC Davis.

Trump administration eyes end to Narcan grant that trains first responders

A draft budget proposal from the Trump administration would eliminate a $56 million annual grant that provides first responders with lifesaving Narcan kits and overdose response training. The grant, managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, trained over 66,000 responders and distributed more than 282,000 kits in 2024 alone. Addiction experts warn the move could signal indifference toward overdose prevention amid the fentanyl crisis. The plan contrasts with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vocal support for addiction treatment and harm reduction. The Independent has more.

Pharmacies excluded from preferred networks 4.5x more likely to close

Retail pharmacies left out of Medicare Part D “preferred networks” face sharply higher closure rates — up to 4.5 times greater — according to new USC research in Health Affairs. Independent and community pharmacies in Black, Latino, and low-income areas were disproportionately excluded, as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) steered patients toward affiliated chains. The share of drug plans using preferred networks has nearly doubled since 2014, prompting calls for federal PBM reform and stronger protections for vulnerable pharmacies.