Category: CDC
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STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start
STAT+: TrumpRx’s slow start You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mary Talley Bowden, who spent years in an expensive court battle with the Texas Medical Board over her license for…
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Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled
Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced two new members of his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers on Friday, ahead of a meeting rescheduled for March. Kennedy said in a statement that Sean G. Downing, a primary care doctor licensed in Florida, and…
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Ralph Abraham, No. 2 official at CDC, abruptly steps down
Ralph Abraham, No. 2 official at CDC, abruptly steps down The drama and chaos surrounding the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have taken another twist, with the announcement Monday that the agency’s No. 2 official, Ralph Abraham, has resigned. A statement posted to the CDC’s website said Abraham, a former Louisiana…
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Upcoming meeting of federal vaccine panel may be postponed after HHS missed deadlines
Upcoming meeting of federal vaccine panel may be postponed after HHS missed deadlines WASHINGTON — Federal officials have missed the legal deadline to notify the public of an upcoming meeting of a vaccine advisory panel that was planned for next week, raising questions about whether the meeting, expected to be closely monitored for signs of…
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STAT+: NIH Director Bhattacharya to lead CDC after O’Neill’s exit
STAT+: NIH Director Bhattacharya to lead CDC after O’Neill’s exit WASHINGTON — National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya will take on leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an acting basis, an administration official not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to STAT. Bhattacharya is taking the role after the previous acting…
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Opinion: How public health saved the CDC Injury Center
Opinion: How public health saved the CDC Injury Center Last May, the White House released a budget request for FY2026 that proposed eliminating the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Nine months later, President Trump signed into law an appropriations bill that fully funds it for the rest of the fiscal year. Read…
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STAT+: Exit of CDC’s acting director highlights agency’s lack of leader
STAT+: Exit of CDC’s acting director highlights agency’s lack of leader For 28 days last summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a director who had been confirmed by the Senate. But in less time than it took Susan Monarez to get approved, she was fired for not kowtowing to her boss, Robert…
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Major shakeup underway at HHS as White House braces for midterms
Major shakeup underway at HHS as White House braces for midterms WASHINGTON — Two top health officials are leaving their jobs amid a shakeup at the Department of Health and Human Services aimed at refocusing HHS on politically popular aspects of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda in advance of the midterm elections. Deputy…
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Public health giant William Foege, who helped eradicate smallpox, has died at 89
Public health giant William Foege, who helped eradicate smallpox, has died at 89 William (Bill) Foege, credited by many for shepherding the smallpox eradication effort to completion, died Saturday at the age of 89. A towering figure, both literally — he was 6’ 7” — and figuratively, Foege epitomized all that was positive about an era…
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CDC pauses billions in public health infrastructure grants to states
CDC pauses billions in public health infrastructure grants to states WASHINGTON — Federal officials have paused more than 100 grants totaling over $5 billion awarded to states to bolster their public health infrastructure. States and organizations that had gotten funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s public health infrastructure grant received notices on…
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STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding
STAT+: What’s in Congress’ sweeping health care deal: PBM reform, telehealth, science funding WASHINGTON — Congress has reached a deal on several health care policies, including a crackdown on drug-industry middlemen, transparency measures for hospital billing, pediatric cancer research measures, and Medicare coverage of multi-cancer screening tests. Those measures are part of a bill to…
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Senior CDC official: Loss of measles elimination status in U.S. would be ‘cost of doing business’
Senior CDC official: Loss of measles elimination status in U.S. would be ‘cost of doing business’ With measles transmission in the United States at levels that haven’t been seen in decades, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that he would not view the loss of the country’s…
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U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals
U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals NEW YORK — U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of last year, suggesting a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for decades. Federal data released Wednesday showed that overdose deaths have been falling for more than two years — the longest drop in…
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Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women
Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two new members to the main federal vaccine advisory board, his latest change to a group that has made a series of controversial recommendations and upended the usual processes for vaccine…
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New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn
New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn WASHINGTON — When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of health secretary almost one year ago, he said he had one overriding goal: to improve children’s health. But Kennedy’s sudden, unilateral, and sweeping change to the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule, announced Monday,…
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Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are unilaterally reducing the number of recommended pediatric immunizations in response to an order from President Trump, the most significant reshaping of the vaccine schedule since Trump took office and empowered health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic…
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3 issues to watch in public health in 2026
3 issues to watch in public health in 2026 We warned you late last year that 2025 was likely to be pretty rock ’n roll. Confession time: We had no idea it would be as cuckoo bananas as it turned out to be. That the administration would summarily terminate most global health aid by shuttering…
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STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026 WASHINGTON — Vaccine policy has become a key issue for the Trump administration, especially under the leadership of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who himself once led an anti-vaccine group. In less than a year, Kennedy has bulldozed vaccine policy precedent and…
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Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling WASHINGTON — A possible Trump administration effort to change the childhood vaccine schedule has left hospital leaders, health policymakers, and pediatricians scrambling to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the American vaccine program in decades. The administration had planned to announce…
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STAT+: Kennedy vaccine adviser to take a new role at CDC on children’s health research
STAT+: Kennedy vaccine adviser to take a new role at CDC on children’s health research WASHINGTON — A vaccine adviser at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with ties to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being given a new portfolio that will have him overseeing research into adverse childhood experiences, according to…
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CDC’s controversial new hep B vaccine guidance: everything you need to know
CDC’s controversial new hep B vaccine guidance: everything you need to know The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just rolled back decades-old guidance that newborns should be offered the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The agency adopted the recommendation of its vaccine advisory panel known as ACIP, which voted on the policy change at…
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Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring
Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring If any ambiguity remained about the ultimate goal of the current administration’s public health policy, last week shattered it. On Friday, following a disastrous two-day meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), President…
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Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos
Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) meetings used to be a geek’s dream: hours of long, maybe dreary presentation of extensive data followed by lengthy discussions that drilled into details of vaccine safety, effectiveness, and the best way to balance…
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RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots WASHINGTON — Federal vaccine advisers, through a freewheeling, and at times combative two-day meeting, recommended a major change to childhood vaccinations that runs counter to the medical consensus — and began setting the stage for a larger rethink in the future. …
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CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine A panel that advises on U.S. vaccine policy voted on Friday to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, overturning a 30-year-old policy that has contributed to a massive decline in cases of the virus. The Advisory Committee…
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As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded
As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded WASHINGTON — The federal government’s vaccine advisory panel is scheduled to review the hepatitis B vaccine this week. But experts on the shot — both in and outside of the government — told STAT they’ve been shut out of the process. Makers…
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Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job
Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job NEW YORK — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial vaccine advisory committee will be meeting later this week under a new chairperson, federal officials announced Monday. Martin Kulldorff is leaving the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to take a leadership role within the Department…
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STAT+: CDC moves to end telework for employees, including those with medical needs
STAT+: CDC moves to end telework for employees, including those with medical needs The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended full-time telework agreements for reasonable accommodations for many employees, according to multiple employees familiar with the policy. Supervisors in some centers have been told in recent days that they can no longer approve…
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STAT+: Cassidy and other Republicans have little to say about change to CDC’s position on vaccines and autism
STAT+: Cassidy and other Republicans have little to say about change to CDC’s position on vaccines and autism WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke another promise to Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) this week. So far, there don’t seem to have been any consequences. To secure Cassidy’s decisive confirmation vote,…
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STAT+: Trump administration lists 16 new CDC initiatives, from hepatitis B testing to bolstering workforce
STAT+: Trump administration lists 16 new CDC initiatives, from hepatitis B testing to bolstering workforce WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention laid out 16 strategic initiatives this week, many of them bolstering health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s priorities, according to an internal agency memo obtained by STAT.…
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NEJM and public health group are launching rival to CDC’s MMWR publication
NEJM and public health group are launching rival to CDC’s MMWR publication In the latest bid to plug gaps in the federal government’s public health infrastructure, two institutions are coming together to create an alternative to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaunted Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report — often called “the voice of the…
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Government shutdown means many CDC experts are skipping a pivotal meeting on infectious disease
Government shutdown means many CDC experts are skipping a pivotal meeting on infectious disease ATLANTA — CDC researchers are being forced to skip a pivotal conference on infectious disease this week due to the government shutdown, missing out on high-level discussions not long after surges in measles and whooping cough hit the U.S. IDWeek, the largest annual meeting…
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Opinion: Former acting CDC director calls public health cuts ‘absolutely heartbreaking’
Opinion: Former acting CDC director calls public health cuts ‘absolutely heartbreaking’ Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Richard Besser. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode by signing up…
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Some of CDC’s health statistics employees are still in the dark
Some of CDC’s health statistics employees are still in the dark Confusion rules in one corner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the purpose is the pursuit of certainty. The National Center for Health Statistics plans and disseminates research informing public health policies on everything from food to oral health to environmental…
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Doctor groups need to ‘step up to the plate’ as CDC guidance becomes harder to trust, former leaders say
Doctor groups need to ‘step up to the plate’ as CDC guidance becomes harder to trust, former leaders say BOSTON — It’s getting harder to trust guidance coming out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, creating an opening for physician groups to step up and fill the void, two former top agency officials…
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CDC team running top survey on health and nutrition is laid off
CDC team running top survey on health and nutrition is laid off Protecting the nation’s public health demands data, whether it be new measles cases, a surge in ER visits, or shifting patterns in obesity. The most recent job cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threaten the mostly unseen foundation of that…
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STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health
STAT+: Deep cuts made to CDC’s flagship MMWR publication, a cornerstone of public health WASHINGTON — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff behind the agency’s flagship publication have suffered deep cuts as part of the firings the Health and Human Services Department has blamed on the government shutdown, according to five people familiar with the situation. Almost the…
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‘It’s a massacre’: CDC battered by government shutdown firings
‘It’s a massacre’: CDC battered by government shutdown firings WASHINGTON — The White House’s mass firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff on Friday has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease, according to four people familiar with the cuts. Overall, the White House is expected to cut…
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CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations
CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations WASHINGTON — A top federal health official has approved recommendations allowing anyone over the age of 6 months to receive an updated Covid-19 shot after discussing the risks and benefits with their provider. While the updated recommendation maintains insurance coverage for those who want the vaccine, it doesn’t…
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Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots
Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots Jim O’Neill, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called for drastic changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine that aren’t supported by medical research, intensifying the Trump administration’s criticism of a shot that’s a cornerstone of…
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3 burning questions about the MMR vaccine, answered
3 burning questions about the MMR vaccine, answered On Friday, President Trump doubled down on calling for changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. “BREAK UP THE MMR SHOT INTO THREE TOTALLY SEPARATE SHOTS (NOT MIXED!),” he wrote on his Truth Social account. Currently, parents are offered either the MMR vaccine or a one-shot…
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Opinion: The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark
Opinion: The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark On Monday, President Trump, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Studies Administrator Mehmet Oz, and other top officials at the National Institutes for Health and the Food and Drug Administration presented their promised conclusions regarding the cause and treatment of…
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In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule
In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule ATLANTA — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers to restore declining public trust in vaccines. What that looked like was on full display on Thursday and Friday: The…
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CDC reverses telework pause that sparked complaints over its impact on workers with disabilities
CDC reverses telework pause that sparked complaints over its impact on workers with disabilities The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has rescinded a policy issued on Monday that paused remote work for employees, including those with disabilities, according to emails obtained by STAT. “Please hold on taking any immediate action,” the acting director of…
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Federal vaccine panel remade by RFK Jr. votes to maintain insurance coverage for Covid shots
Federal vaccine panel remade by RFK Jr. votes to maintain insurance coverage for Covid shots WASHINGTON — A government advisory committee voted unanimously Friday to recommend that individuals 6 months and older should discuss the risks and benefits of Covid-19 vaccines with their health care providers before deciding whether to get vaccinated. The decision falls…
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Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence
Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence A key government advisory committee discussed on Thursday whether to recommend delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine shot, currently given at birth, by at least one month for babies who are born to mothers that test negative for the virus. Experts fear…
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Cassidy invites RFK Jr. to testify before Senate health panel
Cassidy invites RFK Jr. to testify before Senate health panel WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate health committee, Bill Cassidy (R-La.), on Thursday invited health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to testify before the panel, part of a series of oversight hearings to make sense of the recent upheaval at the Centers for Disease…
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STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts
STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts A meeting of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., anti-vaccine campaigner David Geier, and leaders of the country’s most robust vaccine safety database was abruptly canceled Wednesday, just hours before they were likely to discuss using the data to investigate whether…
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Fear and politics pervade Kennedy’s CDC, former leaders testify
Fear and politics pervade Kennedy’s CDC, former leaders testify The nation’s top health agency is not well, according to a portrait that emerged in testimony Wednesday by two of its former leaders. Susan Monarez, abruptly fired 29 days into her tenure as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Debra Houry, who…
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3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda
3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda WASHINGTON — A Wednesday Senate hearing aimed to answer questions about the exodus of top leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month. Instead, it raised a host of new ones. Former CDC Director Susan Monarez…
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CDC temporarily revokes remote work approvals for employees with disabilities
CDC temporarily revokes remote work approvals for employees with disabilities The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revoked permission for employees with disabilities to work from home, at least temporarily, and paused approving reasonable accommodations for new applicants seeking to work from home, according to a Sept. 15 email obtained by STAT. The agency’s…
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RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting
RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting WASHINGTON — Federal health officials announced the appointment of five new members to a panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, just days ahead of the group’s next meeting. They include…
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As U.S. faces deadly week, gun violence experts lament end of prevention research
As U.S. faces deadly week, gun violence experts lament end of prevention research Two violent acts on Wednesday — the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the shooting of two high school students in Colorado — crystallize the threat gun violence poses to public health. Yet the Trump administration just shut down its biggest…
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STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link
STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday its intent to fund among the first Trump administration-solicited research on a debunked link between vaccines and autism. The contract — which supports research to “investigate the association between vaccination and autism prevalence”…
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STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel
STAT+: Kennedy looks to add new members to federal vaccine panel WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are planning to add more members to a key panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of a meeting next week, a former government official with knowledge of the situation confirmed to STAT. The…
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STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump
STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive moves to change U.S. vaccine policy — adopted by leaders at other federal health agencies — may be putting him at odds with President Trump himself. Now Kennedy’s allies are rallying to support him, believing…
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CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says
CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says It pains Rochelle Walensky, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to hear people say that the agency can’t be trusted. But these days, she said, people should be cautious about the vaccination information on its website. “What I can say is…
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The big takeaways from health secretary RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing
The big takeaways from health secretary RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing An archived version of a live blog about the Senate hearing, with more details, can be found here. WASHINGTON — Through shouting matches and gulfs of understanding about basic facts, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vigorously defended his aggressive reform agenda in a remarkable…
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STAT+: After ousting CDC’s director, RFK Jr. mirrors her ideas to reform the agency
STAT+: After ousting CDC’s director, RFK Jr. mirrors her ideas to reform the agency WASHINGTON — In the days after health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed out the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he suggested sweeping changes were needed to reform the agency — and that the ouster was part…
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Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration
Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration SEATTLE — The Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday that they created an alliance to safeguard health policies, believing the Trump administration is putting Americans’ health and safety at risk by politicizing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.…
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7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more
7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to testify before Congress on Thursday as he continues to face a political firestorm that might determine his future in the Trump administration. Senators will have an opportunity to grill…
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STAT+: House bill cuts HHS budget but excludes RFK Jr.’s reorganization, maintains NIH funding
STAT+: House bill cuts HHS budget but excludes RFK Jr.’s reorganization, maintains NIH funding WASHINGTON — House appropriators will mark up legislation on Tuesday that is a mixed bag for researchers. While the Republican bill rejects President Trump’s proposal to slash the National Institutes of Health budget, it proposes deep cuts to the Centers for…
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Opinion: Public health leader: Susan Monarez must be reinstated at the CDC
Opinion: Public health leader: Susan Monarez must be reinstated at the CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long been the world’s most prestigious public health agency. The CDC led the global efforts to eliminate smallpox, combat HIV/AIDS, shift public perception/use of tobacco products and dramatically reduce dental care issues by promoting the…
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Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say
Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say The implosion of leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threatens the agency, its mission, and the trust people place in public health, medical experts told STAT Thursday, a day after Director Susan Monarez refused to dismiss top scientists only to be ousted…
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STAT+: Amid chaos at CDC, Kennedy consolidates his power
STAT+: Amid chaos at CDC, Kennedy consolidates his power WASHINGTON — In another administration, an exodus of top public health officials would’ve been an earth-shattering crisis for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. In the age of MAHA, it seems like just another week under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. If…
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Jim O’Neill to be acting director of CDC
Jim O’Neill to be acting director of CDC WASHINGTON — Jim O’Neill, deputy to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will become acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after Susan Monarez was suddenly ousted from her role on Wednesday, a White House official confirmed in an email. O’Neill was sworn in as…
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The ouster of CDC’s director, biotech venture firm rankings
The ouster of CDC’s director, biotech venture firm rankings What is happening to the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? Which biotech venture capital firm has generated the best returns for investors? And how did cat hair show up inside a major drug manufacturing plant? We discuss all that on this week’s…
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Cassidy calls for meeting of CDC vaccine advisers to be postponed following agency shakeup
Cassidy calls for meeting of CDC vaccine advisers to be postponed following agency shakeup WASHINGTON — A top Senate leader is calling for next month’s meeting of a federal advisory panel on vaccines to be postponed in the wake of a mass exodus of leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Serious allegations…
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CDC Director Susan Monarez is ousted as senior leaders exit agency
CDC Director Susan Monarez is ousted as senior leaders exit agency WASHINGTON — Susan Monarez, the first Senate-confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been ousted after just a month on the job — part of a series of high-ranking exits at the CDC. The Trump administration confirmed her departure but provided…
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Maryland resident is diagnosed with New World screwworm. What to know about the parasite
Maryland resident is diagnosed with New World screwworm. What to know about the parasite NEW YORK — A Maryland resident who traveled to El Salvador has been diagnosed with New World screwworm — the first reported U.S. case tied to travel to a country with a current outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
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HHS moves to strip thousands of federal health workers of union rights
HHS moves to strip thousands of federal health workers of union rights NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has moved to strip thousands of federal health agency employees of their collective bargaining rights, according to a union that called the effort illegal. HHS officials confirmed Friday that the department is…
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CDC attacker likely attempted to enter campus days before shooting
CDC attacker likely attempted to enter campus days before shooting WASHINGTON — The man who attacked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention probably tried to enter the agency’s Atlanta campus days before the shooting, investigators believe. The shooter, identified by authorities as Patrick Joseph White, appears to have been captured in security camera footage…
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Opinion: The CDC shooting was public health’s Jan. 6
Opinion: The CDC shooting was public health’s Jan. 6 A week ago, on Aug. 8, a gunman attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, firing nearly 500 rounds, breaking about 150 windows, and killing a police officer. The shooter had reportedly become fixated on his belief that the Covid-19 vaccine had made him and others sick,…
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STAT+: Challenges mount for RFK Jr. and his MAHA agenda
STAT+: Challenges mount for RFK Jr. and his MAHA agenda WASHINGTON — A deadly shooting at one of the public health agencies that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vilified during his rise to power is proving to be a unique test of his leadership, at a time when fractures are emerging in his Make America Healthy…
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CDC leaders attempt to reassure staff after shooting, but meeting is brief
CDC leaders attempt to reassure staff after shooting, but meeting is brief The newly installed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday sought to reassure employees their mission would continue and efforts to ensure their safety would be stepped up following a gunman’s attack on the agency’s headquarters last Friday. The…
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STAT+: Prasad returns to the FDA, Attack on the CDC
STAT+: Prasad returns to the FDA, Attack on the CDC You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Normally I keep the intro to this newsletter light-hearted. But today I feel compelled…
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In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response
In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response WASHINGTON — Leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday told staff that the agency’s campus had reopened in the wake of the Friday attack by a gunman — and suggested more security measures would be put in place. On…
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CDC shaken after gunman attacks its headquarters
CDC shaken after gunman attacks its headquarters This article was updated on Aug. 9. A gunman attacked the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday, further shaking an agency in the midst of a tumultuous year. Read the rest… Daniel Payne Go to statnews
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Opinion: Former surgeon general: The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call
Opinion: Former surgeon general: The CDC shooting must be a wakeup call At approximately 4:50 p.m. on Friday, a gunman opened fire at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta. The attack left bullet holes in office windows and claimed the life of DeKalb County police officer David Rose. Authorities believe the…
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HHS Secretary RFK Jr. accepts recommendations to drop thimerosal from U.S. flu vaccines
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. accepts recommendations to drop thimerosal from U.S. flu vaccines Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday formally accepted recommendations that would require all vaccine manufacturers to discontinue using the preservative thimerosal in influenza vaccines. A statement issued by the department on Wednesday called the move the fulfillment…
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Nearly 1 in 3 teens have prediabetes, CDC finds, in ‘wake-up call’
Nearly 1 in 3 teens have prediabetes, CDC finds, in ‘wake-up call’ About 1 in 3 young people who are 12 to 17 years old have prediabetes, new national data show, putting them at risk not just for type 2 diabetes but also for heart disease and stroke. Developing chronic diseases early in life also…
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STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest
STAT+: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is sitting on information about new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest, and seemingly backtracking on its vow to make key disclosure documents public. Agency officials previously said they would release ethics forms for…
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Use of antibiotic to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, research shows
Use of antibiotic to reduce STIs appears to be fueling some antibiotic resistance, research shows When several countries endorsed the notion of some high-risk people taking the antibiotic doxycycline after unprotected sex to lower their chances of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, as the U.S. did last year, there was a theoretical concern the shift…
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STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty
STAT+: HHS to continue funding cancer prevention, tracking work in states after uncertainty WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will renew funding to states for cancer prevention and tracking efforts, alleviating anxieties among local officials about the future of their work. Over 50 notices had gone out as of Monday, an HHS spokesperson…
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STAT+: The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, empowered by RFK Jr., is just getting started
STAT+: The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, empowered by RFK Jr., is just getting started The meeting began with an airing of pandemic-era grievances and closed with a move to cement a decades-old, long-dismissed anti-vaccine talking point into U.S. national policy. In the intervening 13 hours came technical issues, forgotten procedures, and a public comments…
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CDC advisory panel, selected by RFK Jr., recommends thimerosal be dropped from flu vaccines
CDC advisory panel, selected by RFK Jr., recommends thimerosal be dropped from flu vaccines A federal vaccine advisory panel, which health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently stacked with handpicked members, recommended on Thursday that Americans should not receive flu vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal. The votes — there were three related to the topic…
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Vaccine policy frays, CDC nominee in the hot seat, & obesity drug side effects
Vaccine policy frays, CDC nominee in the hot seat, & obesity drug side effects What does the fracturing of vaccine advice and policy mean for the U.S. health care ecosystem? Will the potential head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stand up to her boss? And can Amgen overcome its obesity drug’s side…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers meet, Monarez gets grilled
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers meet, Monarez gets grilled You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After making a brief visit to the hospital due to feeling lightheaded, Senate Minority Leader…
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STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing
STAT+: Trump’s pick to run the CDC walks a fine line on RFK Jr. at Senate hearing WASHINGTON — There seemed to be one question on the minds of many senators grilling Susan Monarez, President Trump’s pick to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a hearing on Wednesday: If confirmed, would she…
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STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers
STAT+: Insurance coverage of vaccines at risk in RFK Jr.’s reshuffling of CDC’s vaccine advisers The decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove and replace all members of the government’s independent vaccine advisory committee doesn’t just change how the nation will approach vaccine policy. It could also take money…
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STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’
STAT+: CDC interim leaders, in first all-hands meeting, speak of ‘myth-busting’ and ‘resilience’ In their first all-staff meeting since the start of the Trump administration, the interim leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attempted to sidestep controversy and rally troops at the storied but demoralized agency on Tuesday. Staff were told CDC…
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Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’
Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’ NEW YORK — All 17 experts recently dismissed from a government vaccine advisory panel published an essay Monday decrying “destabilizing decisions” made by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that could lead to more preventable disease spread. Kennedy last week announced he would “retire” the entire panel that…
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CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired
CDC workers fired from prominent STI, hepatitis labs are rehired The staff of two world-class laboratories at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were slated to be closed in a round of cuts announced in April have been informed that their terminations have been canceled. The CDC’s sexually transmitted disease laboratory and its…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s new vaccine panel raises questions of how Kennedy defines conflicts of interest
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s new vaccine panel raises questions of how Kennedy defines conflicts of interest WASHINGTON — When health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the 17 members of the key panel that advises the federal government on vaccine recommendations, he claimed that their ties to the pharmaceutical industry had damaged public trust. However, new members…
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The upheaval of CDC’s vaccine panel, and drug pricing confusion
The upheaval of CDC’s vaccine panel, and drug pricing confusion Why did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly fire all members of the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines? Who are the new members that Kennedy named? And what does that all mean for the future of public health?…
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Opinion: I study conflicts of interest. Here’s why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire
Opinion: I study conflicts of interest. Here’s why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire If Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to “clean up the corruption and conflicts” at HHS, he is going about it the wrong way. I study conflicts of interest at federal agencies. While…
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RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel
RFK Jr. names new members of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday unveiled the names of the eight new members who will sit on the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, and said they would review the current…
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HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings
HHS reverses hundreds of CDC firings WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has reversed the firings of hundreds of staffers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including those who work in divisions that handle cruise ship safety, sexually transmitted infection prevention, and global health. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services,…
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Firing of CDC’s vaccine advisers puts spotlight on RFK Jr.’s promises to Cassidy
Firing of CDC’s vaccine advisers puts spotlight on RFK Jr.’s promises to Cassidy WASHINGTON — On Monday, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gutted the panel of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines. That’s put the spotlight on a key Senate Republican health leader who sharply criticized Kennedy’s views…
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Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel
Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken the extraordinary step of firing the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on immunizations, saying the action is needed to restore faith in vaccines. “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public…