Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Agency Workers, Scientists 'Aghast' At Role RFK Jr. Could Play As HHS Head
Stat: Trump Taps RFK Jr. For HHS: Scientists, Pharma, Biotechs React
Leaders throughout the biopharma world and scientific community struggled to process news on Thursday that President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, a move that could have profound implications for drug development, public health policy, and basic research. (Wosen, Feuerstein, DeAngelis, Herper and Silverman, 11/14)
KFF Health News: Scientists Fear What’s Next For Public Health If RFK Jr. Is Allowed To ‘Go Wild’
Many scientists at the federal health agencies await the second Donald Trump administration with dread as well as uncertainty over how the president-elect will reconcile starkly different philosophies among the leaders of his team. Trump announced Thursday he’ll nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, after saying during his campaign he’d let the anti-vaccine activist “go wild” on medicines, food, and health. (Allen, 11/14)
NBC News: FDA Employees Consider How To Handle RFK Jr., Including Leaving
Some staff members at the Food and Drug Administration are considering a quick exit as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being floated as a potential health official in the incoming Trump administration, according to three former and one current government official who were granted anonymity to speak freely about sensitive issues. The former officials are still in touch with colleagues who work at the FDA. (Lovelace Jr., 11/14)
Politico: ‘Quack,’ Or ‘Disruptor’: Trump Pick RFK Jr. Gets Mixed Reviews
Health agency veterans were aghast. “I don’t know of anyone who has expressed more contempt for the health agencies that keep our food safe, make sure our medicines work, prevent lethal outbreaks, and find new cures for devastating diseases,” said Josh Sharfstein, a former senior FDA official during the Obama administration. (Gibson, Lim, S. Gardner and L. Gardner, 11/14)
How Congress reacted —
NBC News: From 'Brilliant' To 'Dangerous': Mixed Reactions Roll In After Trump Picks RFK Jr. For Top Health Post
Several Republican senators praised Kennedy in posts to X, with Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson calling him "a brilliant, courageous truth-teller," Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville describing Kennedy as "an absolutely brilliant pick" and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley saying the announcement marked a "bad day for Big Pharma." (Thorp V, Santaliz and Lebowitz, 11/14)
ABC News: House Republicans Applaud Trump's Picking Kennedy To Lead HHS -- With A Few Concerns
House Republicans had mixed reactions to President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he would nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Health and Human Services in his administration. Rep. John Duarte, R-Calif., raised concerns about the pick, saying, “Well, all my kids are vaccinated and I hope he’s not going to move against one of the most life-saving technologies in the history of the world.” Asked if Kennedy was the right choice, Duarte responded, "I don’t know.” There was no immediate reaction from senators, who would vote on Kennedy's nomination. (Chang, Peller and Jones II, 11/14)
Also —
The Washington Post: Scientists Struggle To Regain Public Trust After Pandemic
The pandemic and the chaos and controversies that came with it led to an erosion of trust in scientists, and it may be a while before that trust returns to levels that preceded the contagion. That’s the implication of a survey published Thursday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. (Achenbach, 11/14)
