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Five months after President Donald Trump nominated Stephen Parente to be an assistant secretary for Health and Human Services, the nation's largest health insurer quietly gave a $1.2 million gift to a tiny academic research center that Parente helped found and served as director over the past decade. Parente, who is still awaiting confirmation as HHS’ assistant secretary of planning and evaluation, for which he was nominated in April, would head an office that often assesses policies that affect the insurance industry. It is currently researching the impact of Obamacare on the insurance market. (Diamond, 10/30)

He joined a Republican administration last month that's often accused of downplaying or disregarding science, but the new surgeon general says he's "nonpartisan" and will let science and data drive his approach to the opioid epidemic. "It's more important than ever to have that objective voice," physician Jerome Adams said in his first sit-down interview since taking office. "Everyone's got their own opinion (but) make no mistake, the science does matter."  (O'Donnell, 10/28)

Planned Parenthood sharply criticized President Trump on Saturday over his rumored nominee to be the next ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues at the State Department, saying her appointment would be like "putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department." Politico reported Friday night that Penny Young Nance was being considered for the post. Nance currently serves as the president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, a conservative women's group. (Bowden, 10/28)