Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NIH Clinical Center Board Denounces RFK Jr.'s Perceived Undermining Of Trust In Hospital's Work
The New York Times: N.I.H. Hospital Board Rebukes Kennedy Over New Vaccine Injury Clinic
The board overseeing the National Institutes of Health research hospital delivered a harsh rebuke of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday, voting unanimously to support a statement by its chairman accusing Mr. Kennedy of undermining trust in science and politicizing the hospital’s work. The chairman, Jack Leslie, opened the board’s quarterly meeting by reading aloud a six-minute statement that said he was “troubled” by Mr. Kennedy’s recent unannounced visit to the N.I.H., where the secretary held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new clinic to study vaccine injuries and led a round table discussion with patients who said they had been injured by vaccines. (Gay Stolberg, 10/16)
New Hampshire Bulletin: In Concord, RFK Jr. Renews Attack On Hep B Vaccine That Inspired State Anti-Vaccine Bill
In a visit to Concord Friday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cast doubt on the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine but wouldn’t comment on state legislation in New Hampshire that his agency inspired. (Skipworth, 10/18)
The Hill: Measles Cases Surpass 4,000 As Federal Leadership Remains Quiet
While money is pumped into state and local health departments to help counter the growing measles outbreaks across the country, experts say clear communication from top health leaders seems lacking and what has been said publicly may have hurt more than helped. The country has surpassed 4,000 measles cases and appears to have already doubled the number of measles-related deaths from last year. Local health departments are simply overwhelmed by the sheer scope of measles cases, according to Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). (Choi, 10/18)
Also —
Military.com: House Bill Would Ban All Presidents From Livestreaming Executions
Lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would bar current and future presidents from televising or livestreaming executions. House Rep. Eugene Vindman's (D-Va.) American Integrity Act bill federally prohibits the livestreaming of executions under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). It would also ensure that such broadcasts cannot be authorized by future administrations. (Mordowanec, 10/16)
FiercePharma: Trump's Pharma Holdings Surged As Drugmakers Benefited From Medicare Price Negotiation Carveouts, Democrats Allege
As midterms loom, Democrats on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee (JEC) are reviving concerns about the orphan drug carveout tucked into Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, specifically lobbing allegations that President Donald Trump accumulated millions of dollars in pharma stocks before and after his administration and congressional Republicans enacted policies benefiting some of those same companies. Central to the new report (PDF) are the JEC Democrats' findings that Trump increased his stock holdings in the pharmaceutical sector to as much as $56.2 million by the end of last year, up substantially from the maximum reported value of $1.7 million in 2024. (Kansteiner, 10/16)
KFF Health News: Four Red Flags And One Truth Amid The Peptide Hype
Experimental peptides have become darlings among influencers, chiropractors, and doctors focused on longevity, antiaging, or “body optimization,” even though the FDA hasn’t approved them for safety or effectiveness. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement have pushed to make unproven peptides more accessible — and they’ve gained traction. (Maxmen, 10/19)
On the immigration crisis —
The Texas Tribune: Migrant Found Dead At Laredo Processing Center Run By ICE
A 56-year-old Mexican man held at a federal immigration facility in Laredo was found dead in his cell Saturday morning, his daughter and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, confirmed to The Texas Tribune. (Deguzman and Nguyen, 10/18)
CIDRAP: US Immigration Enforcement Disrupted Pediatric Emergency Care For Hispanic Families, Study Notes
In August 2025, President Donald Trump deployed members of the National Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to patrol Washington, DC. The increase in visibility of federal troops and law enforcement had a chilling effect on Spanish speakers and Hispanic people’s willingness to seek healthcare, a paper published in JAMA Network Open this week finds. (Holohan, 10/16)
