Category: Politics
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White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s MAHA report
White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s MAHA report WASHINGTON — The White House will fix errors in a much-anticipated federal government report spearheaded by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which decried America’s food supply, pesticides and prescription drugs. Kennedy’s wide-ranging “Make America Healthy Again” report, released last week, cited hundreds of…
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RFK Jr. rolls back Covid vaccine recommendations for healthy children, pregnant people
RFK Jr. rolls back Covid vaccine recommendations for healthy children, pregnant people Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that he has unilaterally struck the recommendation that healthy children and healthy pregnant people get Covid-19 booster shots — a move that experts say is unprecedented. Kennedy made the announcement on the social media site X,…
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STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs
STAT+: What’s already been lost from CDC layoffs 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. Summer holiday weekends are a challenge. Do I seek a “relaxing” long weekend sitting in traffic…
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STAT+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’
STAT+: Reeling from Trump contract cuts, the National Academies prepares for ‘a fairly radical downsizing’ The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is headed for a major reorganization as it tries to reduce its overhead amid big losses in funding from the federal government. Facing a shortfall of roughly $40 million in terminated contracts,…
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STAT+: How Trump’s tax cut bill would reshape health care
STAT+: How Trump’s tax cut bill would reshape health care WASHINGTON — The House passed President Trump’s tax-cutting plan early Thursday morning with the attendant health care measures to partially pay for it. Relative to earlier drafts, GOP lawmakers revised the bill to further cut government spending, discourage Medicaid expansion, and potentially restrict coverage of…
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FDA advisory panel split on whether agency should require updates of Covid-19 vaccine
FDA advisory panel split on whether agency should require updates of Covid-19 vaccine The Food and Drug Administration’s expert vaccine panel appeared split Thursday on whether Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers should be advised to update the strain of the virus that their products target, with some favoring recommending a newer version of the virus and others…
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STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework
STAT+: Five burning questions on the FDA’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary promised stakeholders last week that the agency’s new Covid-19 vaccine framework would answer all of their questions. But the framework has perhaps created as much confusion as clarity. Broadly, the FDA said it will limit approval…
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How do we know mRNA vaccines are safe and effective? An explainer
How do we know mRNA vaccines are safe and effective? An explainer Messenger RNA vaccines fueled the response to the worst pandemic the world has faced in a century and led to a Nobel Prize. This week, they’re set to face intense scrutiny from critics doubtful of the safety and efficacy of these shots. On…
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LGBTQ+ researchers sue HHS, NIH over grant cuts
LGBTQ+ researchers sue HHS, NIH over grant cuts A group of physicians and researchers working on LGBTQ+ health sued the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday over the sweeping grant terminations that have impacted medical research on queer people as part of the implementation of President Trump’s executive…
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STAT+: Trump, building on Biden policy, to speed up audits of Medicare Advantage insurers
STAT+: Trump, building on Biden policy, to speed up audits of Medicare Advantage insurers President Trump’s federal Medicare agency will expedite audits of Medicare Advantage insurers, a move that could claw back nearly $500 million a year for taxpayers, according to previous federal estimates. However, the audits remain mired in a two-year-old lawsuit initiated by…
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New FDA framework on Covid vaccines leaves pediatricians confused and concerned
New FDA framework on Covid vaccines leaves pediatricians confused and concerned A new framework for Covid-19 vaccines announced by Food and Drug Administration leaders Tuesday suggests the agency will no longer approve new Covid vaccines for healthy individuals under 65, including babies, without data from new randomized clinical trials showing their benefit. The plan —…
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STAT+: GOP works through unresolved issues on Medicaid work requirements
STAT+: GOP works through unresolved issues on Medicaid work requirements WASHINGTON — Over the weekend, House Republicans discussed squeezing additional savings from Medicaid to pay for President Trump’s tax cuts. Medicaid policy remains one of the main unresolved areas of House Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill. On late Sunday night, Republicans on the House Budget Committee…
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Opinion: I’ve reported on presidents’ health for 53 years. No public evidence suggests Biden’s doctors mishandled prostate cancer testing
Opinion: I’ve reported on presidents’ health for 53 years. No public evidence suggests Biden’s doctors mishandled prostate cancer testing News of former President Biden’s aggressive and incurable prostate cancer has surprised the public (and presumably him). Based on the public record of Biden’s medical care and standard medical recommendations, as recently as a year ago there was…
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Trump’s science adviser calls for return to ‘gold-standard’ research to kickstart stalled advances
Trump’s science adviser calls for return to ‘gold-standard’ research to kickstart stalled advances President Trump’s science adviser, Michael Kratsios, called for a return to reproducible and transparent research to kickstart what he characterized as years of stalled scientific progress, in his first detailed public remarks on science policy since taking office in March. Kratsios, who…
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Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
Former President Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday. Biden was seen last week by doctors after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule was found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to…
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STAT+: Novavax wins narrowed approval for its Covid-19 shot after delay
STAT+: Novavax wins narrowed approval for its Covid-19 shot after delay The Food and Drug Administration has finally approved Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine, but in doing so has placed restrictions on it that its two competitors in the U.S. market do not face. The long-awaited license limits use of the vaccine to people 65 and older…
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STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard
STAT+: Trump is moving to terminate hundreds of federal grants across Harvard In yet another escalation of its fight against higher education, the Trump administration has moved to terminate hundreds of research grants at Harvard University and its medical school, imperiling dozens of research projects and potentially upending the futures of young scientists. Harvard researchers studying cancer,…
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STAT+: UnitedHealth’s Optum working on Medicare risk scoring system that would use AI
STAT+: UnitedHealth’s Optum working on Medicare risk scoring system that would use AI SAN DIEGO — Optum, the health data and care provider division of UnitedHealth Group, is developing a way to calculate how sick Medicare patients are through artificial intelligence, instead of relying solely on diagnosis codes submitted by physicians. Ken Cohen, a physician…
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STAT+: At gene therapy meeting, no one wants to talk about the Vinay Prasad (not) in the room
STAT+: At gene therapy meeting, no one wants to talk about the Vinay Prasad (not) in the room NEW ORLEANS — Last year, hundreds of people poured in to see Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration’s head of biologics, speak at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy conference. The regulator was seen by…
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STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening
STAT+: MAHA has a new think tank. The Trump administration is listening The Make America Healthy Again movement is coalescing around a new effort to turn its goals into federal policy. The Trump administration is listening. The MAHA Institute, a policy center launched Thursday, is pushing to change the American health and food systems: from…
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HHS to stop recommending routine Covid shots for children, pregnant people, RFK Jr. ally says
HHS to stop recommending routine Covid shots for children, pregnant people, RFK Jr. ally says Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to announce that the Department of Health and Human Services will stop recommending Covid vaccines for children and pregnant people, a close Kennedy ally said Thursday. The news arrived between panels at…
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‘What wouldn’t I be worried about?’: Research leaders discuss threats to U.S. science
‘What wouldn’t I be worried about?’: Research leaders discuss threats to U.S. science Attacks on efforts to diversify the sciences. Research grant terminations. Fear among scientists to speak out against the government. Cuts to international aid. These were some of a long list of concerns shared by three research leaders as they discussed the state…
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STAT+: In combative hearings, Kennedy defends HHS cuts, backtracks — and lashes out
STAT+: In combative hearings, Kennedy defends HHS cuts, backtracks — and lashes out WASHINGTON — In hours of combative congressional hearings Wednesday, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. swung between defending sweeping changes at his agency and backtracking on aspects of a reorganization he nevertheless said would be “painful.” He repeatedly cast doubts on reports about…
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Former FDA head Robert Califf says RFK Jr.’s vaccine rhetoric is ‘doing harm’ to Americans
Former FDA head Robert Califf says RFK Jr.’s vaccine rhetoric is ‘doing harm’ to Americans SAN FRANCISCO — Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hesitance to endorse vaccines is harming the American public. “Fundamental vaccination saves millions of lives every year already, and he’s busy eroding public…
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STAT+: Trump order on drug pricing appears to issue subtle threat to pharma
STAT+: Trump order on drug pricing appears to issue subtle threat to pharma File this under “Lower your price — or else!” Tucked inside the executive order on drug pricing from President Trump is a sentence that appears to threaten pharmaceutical companies that their medicines may be withdrawn if they do not lower prices. Specifically,…
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STAT+: State AI laws would be banned under clause buried in House budget bill
STAT+: State AI laws would be banned under clause buried in House budget bill A small but powerful nugget is buried in the text of the House budget reconciliation bill released this week: a clause that would ban state and local governments from enforcing any laws on AI, even ones that have already been put…
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STAT+: Our biggest burning questions on Trump’s order to bring down drug prices
STAT+: Our biggest burning questions on Trump’s order to bring down drug prices WASHINGTON — President Trump’s executive order to lower drug prices through sweeping, cross-agency action left leaders in the pharmaceutical industry scrambling Monday to make sense of what may be ahead — and how to respond. The announcement was long on messaging, but…
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STAT+: Trump’s drug-pricing order takes a hard line against pharma. Investors shrugged
STAT+: Trump’s drug-pricing order takes a hard line against pharma. Investors shrugged President Trump on Monday unveiled his plan to dramatically overhaul the way the U.S. pays for drugs by lowering what he calls “inflated” prices to those paid by other countries. Pharma investors didn’t seem to care. The XBI, a closely tracked index of…
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STAT+: Here’s how Trump might approach his drug pricing plan
STAT+: Here’s how Trump might approach his drug pricing plan WASHINGTON — President Trump is widely expected to try to advance a “most-favored nation” policy next week in an effort to reduce U.S. drug prices — a move that is likely to significantly rattle the pharmaceutical industry, cheer his political base, and, possibly, leave open…
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STAT+: Trump nominates Casey Means, entrepreneurial doctor and MAHA leader, for surgeon general
STAT+: Trump nominates Casey Means, entrepreneurial doctor and MAHA leader, for surgeon general The health entrepreneur and “Make America Healthy Again” leader Casey Means has been nominated to be the U.S. surgeon general after President Trump pulled his prior nominee suddenly on Wednesday. Means, an M.D. and author who runs a holistic wellness blog and…
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White House withdraws nomination of a former Fox News contributor for U.S. surgeon general
White House withdraws nomination of a former Fox News contributor for U.S. surgeon general WASHINGTON — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. surgeon general, marking at least the second health-related pick from President Donald Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. The withdrawal was confirmed by two people…
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Francis Collins blasts Trump administration’s ‘slash-and-burn’ actions at science agencies
Francis Collins blasts Trump administration’s ‘slash-and-burn’ actions at science agencies Francis Collins, the former director of the National Institutes of Health, excoriated the Trump administration’s efforts to upend federal scientific agencies on Wednesday, saying the logic behind the moves “escapes any possible explanation.” Speaking on a panel about trust in science and scientific institutions, Collins…
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STAT+: Vinay Prasad tapped to run FDA center that regulates vaccines, gene therapies
STAT+: Vinay Prasad tapped to run FDA center that regulates vaccines, gene therapies WASHINGTON — Vinay Prasad, an academic and fierce critic of the medical mainstream, will be the next director of the Food and Drug Administration center that oversees the regulation of vaccines, gene therapies, and the blood supply. Prasad, previously an epidemiology professor at…
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STAT+: Vinay Prasad, in his own words, outlines the philosophy he’ll bring to the FDA
STAT+: Vinay Prasad, in his own words, outlines the philosophy he’ll bring to the FDA People seeking roles in government are often careful about what they say in public, or at least somewhat hesitant to freely share their opinions. It’s difficult to know exactly what’s going on in their heads. Not Vinay Prasad. The new…
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STAT+: GOP hits resistance on Medicaid cuts, and a brewing plan to lower drug prices
STAT+: GOP hits resistance on Medicaid cuts, and a brewing plan to lower drug prices 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. A horse named Journalism was favored to win the…
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20 attorneys general ask federal judge to reverse deep cuts to HHS
20 attorneys general ask federal judge to reverse deep cuts to HHS Attorneys general in 19 states and Washington, D.C., are challenging cuts to the U.S. Health and Human Services agency, saying the Trump administration’s massive restructuring has destroyed life-saving programs and left states to pick up the bill for mounting health crises. The lawsuit was filed in federal…
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Opinion: STAT+: Bristol Myers Squibb CEO: Pharmaceutical innovation requires bold yet predictable U.S. policy
Opinion: STAT+: Bristol Myers Squibb CEO: Pharmaceutical innovation requires bold yet predictable U.S. policy Having grown up in rural Arkansas, I have an acute awareness of the challenges many in our country face when it comes to health care. Quality care wasn’t always accessible, and the decision of whether to pay medical or utility bills…
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Scientists question NIH project’s use of 20th century technology to make a universal flu vaccine
Scientists question NIH project’s use of 20th century technology to make a universal flu vaccine When word broke this week that the Department of Health and Human Services was investing half-a-billion dollars on a National Institutes of Health project to develop a vaccine platform for pathogens that could trigger pandemics, a number of scientists who…
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STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’
STAT+: At AACR, leading cancer researchers urge colleagues to ‘fight for your science’ CHICAGO — In the first few weeks of President Trump’s second term, many leaders and top scientists in cancer research found themselves questioning if they could have communicated better to the public. After all, experts told STAT, maybe if people understood how…
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STAT+: Overseas grants could be ‘closed down’ by NIH under new policy, internal email suggests
STAT+: Overseas grants could be ‘closed down’ by NIH under new policy, internal email suggests A National Institutes of Health policy change on funding of foreign scientists is far more sweeping than described in a Thursday announcement, according to an internal email that indicates international clinical trials and other research will be strictly vetted going…
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STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC
STAT+: Trump proposes billions in cuts to federal health agencies from NIH to CDC WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday proposed massive cuts to the federal government’s health agencies in his 2026 budget request, arguing that Congress should reduce spending by tens of billions from current levels. The request would be a 26% cut to…
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STAT+: Autism evaluations are being canceled over fears about a national registry
STAT+: Autism evaluations are being canceled over fears about a national registry SEATTLE — Michael VanPelt spent several weeks recently glued to his telephone, dialing doctors who might be able to get his 3-year-old son in for an autism evaluation. The music teacher ran out of providers who took his health insurance, but luckily the…
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STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research
STAT+: Collins and fellow GOP senators speak out in opposition to Trump’s cuts to biomedical research WASHINGTON — There was broad bipartisan support at a Senate hearing Wednesday to reverse course on the Trump administration’s cuts to federally funded biomedical research. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, kicked off…
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STAT+: Despite Kennedy’s stated support, funding for Women’s Health Initiative remains in limbo
STAT+: Despite Kennedy’s stated support, funding for Women’s Health Initiative remains in limbo The word came down at 9 a.m. Pacific on April 14 that they were done. Marcia Stefanick of Stanford and three other leaders of regional centers that for decades have researched women’s health heard from their study’s national leaders that their funding…
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Rural health study is told it’s losing federal funds, and other major heart studies are worried
Rural health study is told it’s losing federal funds, and other major heart studies are worried Vasan Ramachandran is baffled. A cardiologist and veteran of the famed Framingham Heart Study, he is struggling to understand why a similar study he brought to life in 10 rural counties across four Southern states is facing elimination. The…
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STAT+: NIH announces six new acting institute directors, many of them filling posts of ousted predecessors
STAT+: NIH announces six new acting institute directors, many of them filling posts of ousted predecessors The National Institutes of Health on Friday announced six acting directors to run institutes, many to fill vacancies created by the ouster of predecessors as part of the Trump administration’s unprecedented reshaping of federal scientific agencies. In an email…
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RFK Jr. faces mixed reception, unruly crowd at major addiction conference
RFK Jr. faces mixed reception, unruly crowd at major addiction conference NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appearance at a major addiction and drug policy conference was marked by repeated interruptions on Thursday, as protesters and jeers forced him to pause and wait for noise to subside at least five times during his 36-minute…
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STAT+: No new autism registry, HHS says, walking back NIH director’s claim
STAT+: No new autism registry, HHS says, walking back NIH director’s claim The federal health department is not creating a new registry of Americans with autism, a Department of Health and Human Services official said in a written statement Thursday. Instead, the official said, HHS will launch a $50 million research effort to understand the…
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Day by day, how Trump is roiling science and health
Day by day, how Trump is roiling science and health It’s hard to remember all the earthshaking decisions and events that have transpired with unprecedented speed in the first few months of the Trump administration. We’re tracking, day by day, what’s happened in the worlds of science and health. Key Legal action Covid DEI and…
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STAT+: New England Journal of Medicine gets swept up in U.S. attorney inquiry into alleged bias
STAT+: New England Journal of Medicine gets swept up in U.S. attorney inquiry into alleged bias Last week, at least one scientific journal received a letter from a top U.S. attorney asking it to respond to alleged bias. Now, one of the world’s leading medical journals, has received a similar inquiry as well. The New…
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STAT+: NIH chief voices support for Nora Volkow, head of drug addiction research institute
STAT+: NIH chief voices support for Nora Volkow, head of drug addiction research institute The director of the National Institutes of Health gave a ringing endorsement to the nation’s top addiction researcher, Nora Volkow, this week in his first public remarks on the drug overdose crisis — a potential signal that her position as leader…
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STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV
STAT+: Former Trump official warns president he’s at risk of ruining his legacy on ending HIV WASHINGTON — The health official who helped convince President Trump during his first term that it’s possible to end the HIV epidemic in the United States is now imploring the president to stay the course, as funding cuts threaten…
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Food companies agree to phase out synthetic dyes, handing MAHA a victory
Food companies agree to phase out synthetic dyes, handing MAHA a victory Food manufacturers will phase out eight synthetic dyes from all U.S. products by the end of 2026, the federal government announced today in a move that reflects the growing reach of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Decrying the “toxic soup of synthetic…
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STAT+: Research grants as political ammo; Death to dyes?
STAT+: Research grants as political ammo; Death to dyes? 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. STAT won its first National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Not bad, huh? Help us…
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STAT+: NIH bans all future grants to universities with DEI programs or Israel boycotts
STAT+: NIH bans all future grants to universities with DEI programs or Israel boycotts The National Institutes of Health will begin prohibiting the awarding of new grants to any institutions that have DEI programs or boycott Israeli companies, in an escalation of the Trump administration’s use of research funding as leverage to dismantle activities at…
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STAT+: Harvard sues Trump administration over funding freeze
STAT+: Harvard sues Trump administration over funding freeze Harvard University sued the Trump administration on Monday, alleging that the government’s campaign to alter the school’s policies while cutting off research funding is unconstitutional. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, the university’s lawyers argued that the government’s “attempt to coerce and control Harvard”…
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STAT+: NIH director calls Trump’s anti-DEI orders ‘misunderstood,’ downplays reorganization plans
STAT+: NIH director calls Trump’s anti-DEI orders ‘misunderstood,’ downplays reorganization plans National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya on Monday asserted that the agency remains committed to research that advances the health of minorities — despite the Trump administration’s sharp focus on rolling back programs dealing with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Bhattacharya said that President…
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White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information
White House trumpets Covid lab leak theory on web page that was devoted to health information A government website long used to provide the latest guidelines on managing Covid-19, as well as information on how to receive tests, vaccines and treatments has now been replaced with a page proclaiming the virus emerged from a lab…
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STAT+: Medical journal receives U.S. attorney letter seeking information about alleged bias
STAT+: Medical journal receives U.S. attorney letter seeking information about alleged bias This week, at least one scientific journal has received an unexpected inquiry from a top government official requesting that it detail some of the thinking behind its editorial practices. “It has been brought to my attention that more and more journals and publications…
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STAT+: NIH said to have halted awarding of new grants to top universities
STAT+: NIH said to have halted awarding of new grants to top universities Embattled universities whose funding from the National Institutes of Health has been frozen may face further financial strain as the agency holds off awarding new grants to at least half a dozen of them, according to an email obtained by STAT. The…
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STAT+: RFK Jr. is back to criticizing vaccines, and Trump’s new drug-cost plan
STAT+: RFK Jr. is back to criticizing vaccines, and Trump’s new drug-cost plan 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. I cast my leafy-green seeds already, and my mint, chives and…
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STAT+: Trump’s plans to lower drug prices have echoes of past efforts
STAT+: Trump’s plans to lower drug prices have echoes of past efforts WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has an expansive view for how it can lower drug prices for Americans. It has been here before. The question is whether this time will be different. During his first term, President Trump tried to tie U.S. drug…
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‘The same Bobby Kennedy’: How RFK Jr.’s vaccine criticism came rushing back
‘The same Bobby Kennedy’: How RFK Jr.’s vaccine criticism came rushing back WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed his past criticism of vaccines as he sought to become the nation’s health secretary. Now, just two months after winning confirmation, he’s frequently returning to rhetoric from his time as perhaps the most prominent vaccine critic…
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STAT+: Leaked budget document outlines how Kennedy may cut up HHS to build new AHA
STAT+: Leaked budget document outlines how Kennedy may cut up HHS to build new AHA An internal budget document leaked to the press on Wednesday gives the clearest vision yet of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s planned chronic disease-fighting agency, the Administration for a Healthy America. The Office of Management and Budget document, which STAT obtained,…
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STAT+: Harvard scientist ordered to halt multicenter TB trial in funding freeze
STAT+: Harvard scientist ordered to halt multicenter TB trial in funding freeze A top scientist at Harvard who has spent years unraveling the mysteries of tuberculosis woke up Tuesday morning and discovered an order from the federal government telling her to halt her research. The stop-work order from the National Institutes of Health arrived hours…
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RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting system
RFK Jr. plans changes to vaccine injury reporting system WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that he plans to roll out changes to the vaccine injury monitoring system that would automate and increase data collection as well as look for negative impacts of the shots. Reforming the current Vaccine Adverse Event…
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RFK Jr calls rising autism rates an ‘epidemic.’ Autistic people call it a condition to live with
RFK Jr calls rising autism rates an ‘epidemic.’ Autistic people call it a condition to live with A new federal report suggests that U.S. autism rates are rising modestly, an increase that health researchers said reflected expanded diagnostic tools and access to care, among other factors. But health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. instead has…
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STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid
STAT+: Trump to end federal funding of certain non-medical services in Medicaid WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Thursday that it will no longer help states fund non-medical services that often are aimed at improving housing and nutrition for people in the Medicaid program. The change is a departure from the Biden administration’s efforts to…
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STAT+: Key NIH grant review panels resume meeting, but are not ‘back to normal’
STAT+: Key NIH grant review panels resume meeting, but are not ‘back to normal’ After being indefinitely suspended in the first days of the Trump administration, key National Institutes of Health committees that approve research grants resumed meeting this week. It appears to be a positive step toward restoring the flow of billions of dollars…
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RFK Jr. says HHS will determine the cause of autism by September
RFK Jr. says HHS will determine the cause of autism by September WASHINGTON — The nation’s top health agency will undertake a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic who has pushed a discredited theory that routine…
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CDC officials plan for the agency’s splintering, but questions remain
CDC officials plan for the agency’s splintering, but questions remain NEW YORK — A top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told staff this week to start planning for the agency’s splintering. Several parts of CDC — mostly those devoted to health threats that aren’t infectious — are being spun off into the soon-to-be-created Administration for…
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On an RFK Jr. road show, MAHA goals take precedence. Measles prevention less so
On an RFK Jr. road show, MAHA goals take precedence. Measles prevention less so GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY, Ariz. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaking Tuesday morning at a conference on Native American tribal self-governance, was working hard to win his audience’s affection. But amid a measles outbreak linked to the deaths of two children…
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National public health group calls for RFK Jr. to resign, citing ‘complete disregard for science’
National public health group calls for RFK Jr. to resign, citing ‘complete disregard for science’ A national public health organization is calling for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign the federal post he assumed just weeks ago, citing “implicit and explicit bias and complete disregard for science.” Georges Benjamin, executive director of the…
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STAT+: HHS firings could face legal challenges over inaccuracies, process used to make cuts
STAT+: HHS firings could face legal challenges over inaccuracies, process used to make cuts WASHINGTON — A week after widespread cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services, many workers are left wondering: Was that legal? Some lawyers and labor experts say errors in termination notices and the swift speed and scale of the…
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STAT+: RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing delayed, living with more measles
STAT+: RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing delayed, living with more measles 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. STAT is cutting the price of an annual subscription in half. Click here for…
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RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water
RFK Jr. says he plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday said he plans to tell the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soon to stop recommending fluoridation in communities nationwide. Kennedy also said he’s assembling a task…
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STAT+: Study shows how UnitedHealth uses coding to rake in extra cash from Medicare Advantage
STAT+: Study shows how UnitedHealth uses coding to rake in extra cash from Medicare Advantage Health insurers in the private Medicare business have a big incentive to diagnose their members with lots of health conditions: The government pays them more money. A new study shows the extent to which the biggest player in that business,…
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STAT+: Trump gives major lift to 2026 Medicare Advantage payments
STAT+: Trump gives major lift to 2026 Medicare Advantage payments Health insurers that sell Medicare Advantage plans are going to get about $30 billion more in taxpayer money next year. President Trump’s Medicare agency finalized a rule Monday that would raise benchmark payment rates to privatized Medicare plans by 5.1% for 2026. That was higher…
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RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing on health department cuts to be delayed for weeks
RFK Jr.’s Senate hearing on health department cuts to be delayed for weeks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will likely delay his appearance before the Senate’s health committee by several weeks, even as he makes historic changes to the Department of Health and Human Services and contends with a surging measles outbreak. Senate health committee Chair…
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‘Most effective way’ to prevent measles is vaccination, RFK Jr. says, in most direct remarks yet
‘Most effective way’ to prevent measles is vaccination, RFK Jr. says, in most direct remarks yet WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Sunday that “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” his most direct statement yet on the issue, following the death of a second child…
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STAT+: Federal judge issues permanent injunction on Trump cuts to research overhead payments
STAT+: Federal judge issues permanent injunction on Trump cuts to research overhead payments A federal judge on Friday ordered a permanent injunction blocking a Trump administration policy that would slash billions in research overhead payments to universities, academic medical centers, and other grant-receiving institutions. Paradoxically, the Trump administration had requested that very verdict earlier in…
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CDC’s top laboratory on sexually transmitted diseases is shut by Trump administration
CDC’s top laboratory on sexually transmitted diseases is shut by Trump administration At a time when the world is down to a single drug that can reliably cure gonorrhea, the U.S. government has shuttered the country’s premier sexually transmitted diseases laboratory, leaving experts aghast and fearful about what lies ahead. The STD lab at the…
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STAT+: Medicare gets a big (unofficial) surprise: a 17-year extension on when it’ll run dry
STAT+: Medicare gets a big (unofficial) surprise: a 17-year extension on when it’ll run dry Medicare’s financial future unexpectedly got a lot rosier, at least according to some federal budget wonks. The Congressional Budget Office recently published its long-term predictions of the federal budget and buried a big surprise for people who follow the Medicare…
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Federal judge says she will temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states
Federal judge says she will temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states A federal judge will temporarily block President Donald Trump’s administration from cutting billions in federal dollars that support Covid-19 initiatives and public health projects throughout the country. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, appointed by Trump in 2019 but first nominated by former President…
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STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users
STAT+: Trump’s new drug policy mixes ‘harshest’ penalties for dealers and test strips for users The Trump administration vows to emphasize addiction treatment alongside an enforcement-first drug policy, according to a not-yet-public strategy document obtained by STAT. In an effort to reduce overdose deaths caused by fentanyl and other illicit substances, the administration plans to…
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STAT+: A running list of senior FDA officials who have left the agency
STAT+: A running list of senior FDA officials who have left the agency WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration always looks a little different after an administration change. Political appointees are swapped out, maybe some offices are restructured. But the FDA under the new Trump administration is already starting to look dramatically different. It’s hard…
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Senate confirms Oz as head of agency that runs Medicare, Medicaid
Senate confirms Oz as head of agency that runs Medicare, Medicaid WASHINGTON — In a party-line vote of 53-45, the Senate on Thursday confirmed Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz’s confirmation was expected; he is not as controversial as Health and Human Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or some…
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STAT+: Trump administration begins mass cuts of federal health policy researchers
STAT+: Trump administration begins mass cuts of federal health policy researchers The Trump administration has gutted two small federal agencies filled with researchers who study how the health care system functions and how to improve it. More than half of employees at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Agency…
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STAT+: Makary’s first speech to FDA staff focuses on challenging norms, fighting chronic disease
STAT+: Makary’s first speech to FDA staff focuses on challenging norms, fighting chronic disease WASHINGTON — Marty Makary’s first address to staff as FDA commissioner on Wednesday afternoon sounded a bit like an introduction to one of his books. It included sweeping declarations about the need to challenge scientific norms, and to identify the root…
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New York City’s health department just lost $100 million in federal funds. That has consequences
New York City’s health department just lost $100 million in federal funds. That has consequences If a child in New York City showed up with a fever and a rash that might be measles, it should be simple to have a blood test quickly confirm one way or the other. But $100 million in federal…
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STAT+: Five NIH institute directors and numerous lab heads ousted in unprecedented shake-up
STAT+: Five NIH institute directors and numerous lab heads ousted in unprecedented shake-up Directors of five National Institutes of Health institutes and at least two other members of senior leadership have been placed on administrative leave or offered new assignments since Monday, topping a list of hundreds of employees notified in the last 24 hours…
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After RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS shutters much of its communications, FOIA operations
After RFK Jr.’s ‘radical transparency’ pledge, HHS shutters much of its communications, FOIA operations The Department of Health and Human Services made major cuts to teams across its agencies that handle communications, media relations, and Freedom of Information Act requests as part of mass layoffs Tuesday, a move that workers say will cripple the department’s…
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50 canceled vaccination clinics, and other local impact from HHS cuts
50 canceled vaccination clinics, and other local impact from HHS cuts Just last week, the leader of public health in Dallas had to cancel 50 vaccination clinics, including events specifically targeting schools with low immunization rates, all while the West Texas measles outbreak continues to flare. Then on Tuesday came the layoffs of thousands of…
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STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gets off to a bruising start as agency is wracked by layoffs
STAT+: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary gets off to a bruising start as agency is wracked by layoffs WASHINGTON — Marty Makary’s first official day as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration began with employees in tears, learning from security guards that they were losing their jobs. The news release announcing the start of his…
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STAT+: Cassidy gave himself a difficult task. RFK Jr. isn’t making it any easier on him
STAT+: Cassidy gave himself a difficult task. RFK Jr. isn’t making it any easier on him WASHINGTON — Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he would be Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s keeper, but the physician-turned-politician is struggling to stop the nation’s health secretary from undermining public trust in vaccines. Cassidy has taken the lead for his…
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STAT+: Texas judge strikes down FDA’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests
STAT+: Texas judge strikes down FDA’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Texas squashed the Food and Drug Administration’s plan to regulate lab-developed tests on Monday, ruling in favor of lab trade groups that said the agency was overstepping its bounds. “The Court VACATES and SETS ASIDE, in its entirety,…