According to CNBC, Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Ron Wyden asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) what steps it has taken to address risks from prediction market contracts tied to clinical drug trials and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals. In a Wednesday letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., they raised concerns about effects on the scientific process, trial participants and patients, as well as possible insider trading by researchers or regulators with access to nonpublic information. The senators requested internal HHS communications about staff participation in the markets, communications with prediction market platforms and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and any department analyses of the markets’ potential impact. Kalshi and Polymarket offer the contracts; Polymarket’s are available only on its international exchange, which is not regulated in the U.S. When Kalshi launched related markets in July, it said it limited them to late-stage trials, required enrollment to be complete before listing contracts and used employee verification technology for participating traders.