• District of Columbia: The Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) has appointed Elizabeth Schwartz as its new SVP and head of government relations. Previously, Schwartz was executive director of U.S. policy and government relations at Merck. In her new role, Schwartz will lead the FAH's advocacy with policymakers and stakeholders, something that the organization has been increasing in recent years. In 2025, FAH spent $3.6 million, the highest amount since 2019. "At a time when affordability and transparency are front and center in healthcare discussions, we have an important story to tell about how taxpaying hospitals are increasing access, advancing innovation, and working to make care more affordable for patients," Schwartz said. In a statement, FAH president and CEO Charlene MacDonald said that Schwartz "understands not only the policy landscape, but also the political dynamics that shape it — an increasingly important combination in today’s environment." (Halleman, Healthcare Dive, 5/8)
• Illinois: According to new data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, hospital CEO turnover in the first two months of 2026 was largely the same as the same period in 2025. In January and February, there were a combined 25 hospital CEO exits, with 14 occurring in January and 11 in February. Across all industries, there were 351 CEO exits through February, a 25% decrease from the 469 exits recorded during the same period in 2025 and down 42% year-over-year. "Companies paused CEO decisions in February," said Andy Challenger, SVP at Challenger, Gray & Christmas. He cited economic pressure, AI disruption, and political uncertainty as the primary drivers of increased turnover in prior years. (Gooch, Becker's Hospital Review, 4/28)
• Maryland: Last week, FDA authorized Glas' electronic cigarettes in mango, blueberry, and two different menthol flavors for adults ages 21 and older. It is the first time the agency has approved fruit-flavored vapes, shifting from its previous stance against flavored vapes. According to the Washington Post, FDA previously rejected over a million fruit-, candy-, and dessert-flavored vape products. Although nicotine companies sued FDA for supposedly unfairly changing its standards for authorizing electronic cigarette liquids, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously backed the agency last April. However, FDA's stance has shifted under the Trump administration, with President Donald Trump previously vowing to "save" vaping. In a statement, Yolanda Richardson, president and CEO of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the "decision puts at risk the progress our nation has made in reducing youth e-cigarette use" and "conflicts with overwhelming scientific evidence and the FDA's own repeated conclusions that flavors pose a substantial risk to young people." However, in a news release, FDA said "device access restriction" technology, along with the agency's own marketing restrictions, would "effectively mitigate the ability of youth to use the product." The technology requires users to verify their age and identity with government-issued identification and pair the device with a smartphone through Bluetooth. Any marketing for vapes must also be targeted to adults ages 21 and older. (Roubein, Washington Post, 5/5)

News about e-cigarettes and vaping have dominated headlines in the past. Here are three myths that gained traction, despite being inaccurate.