Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
At GSK's Request, FDA Rescinds Drug That Trump Touted To Treat Autism
Bloomberg: FDA Withdraws GSK’s Wellcovorin Approval For Autism Treatment Use
US regulators have withdrawn their approval of a GSK Plc drug that the Trump administration had promoted as a treatment for autism, adding another twist to the unusual story of a decades-old drug. The Food and Drug Administration is pulling its approval of Wellcovorin, a branded version of leucovorin from GSK Plc, according to a post Thursday in the Federal Register. GSK had requested that the approval be withdrawn, the post said. (Smith, 4/9)
More news about the Trump administration —
AP: EPA Proposes Weakening Rules For Handling Toxic Coal Plant Ash
The Trump administration on Thursday proposed weakening rules for the disposal of ash produced by burning coal that can contain hazardous heavy metals and contaminate groundwater. Those regulations were strengthened under the Biden administration as part of a wider crackdown on pollution from coal-fired power plants. The Trump administration proposed easing standards for monitoring and protecting groundwater near some coal ash sites, and rolling back rules that require the cleanup of entire coal properties rather than just the sites where ash was dumped. The revisions would also make it easier to reuse coal ash for other purposes. (Phillis and St. John, 4/9)
The New York Times: In Private Meeting, Trump Soothes Disenchanted MAHA Leaders
President Trump met privately on Thursday with leaders of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement as part of a high-level White House strategy session to keep disenchanted MAHA voters in the fold ahead of the midterm elections. Neither the White House nor Mr. Kennedy’s office would provide details of the meeting. (Gay Stolberg, 4/9)
The Hill: Casey Means’s Brother Says ‘Conversations Happening’ In Surgeon General Confirmation Process
Senior White House adviser Calley Means said on Thursday that “conversations are ongoing” amid doubts over whether his sister, surgeon general nominee Casey Means, has enough votes in the Senate for confirmation. Calley Means was asked during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill” whether the White House still expected Casey Means to be the next surgeon general after President Trump recently indicated he was open to withdrawing her nomination. (Brams, 4/9)
AP: Fight Over Pills Pits Abortion Opponents Against Trump Administration
U.S. abortion opponents are increasingly frustrated with the lack of action by President Donald Trump’s administration to stem the flow of abortion pills prescribed online that they view as undermining state abortion bans. A court ruling this week in a lawsuit the Louisiana attorney general brought against Trump’s Food and Drug Administration cast a spotlight on the simmering tension. The judge said the state has a strong case while declining to block telehealth prescriptions to the pill mifepristone for now. (Mulvihill and Perrone, 4/9)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: Abortion Pills, The Budget, And RFK Jr
At the Trump administration’s request, a federal judge in Louisiana this week agreed to delay a ruling affecting the continued availability of the abortion drug mifepristone. That angered anti-abortion groups that want the drug, if not banned, at least more strictly controlled. But the administration clearly wants to avoid big abortion fights in the run-up to November’s midterm elections. (Rovner, 4/9)
From Capitol Hill —
Becker's Hospital Review: Hospitals Brace For New Wave Of Federal Cuts As GOP Turns To Reconciliation Again
Hospitals are still absorbing the financial shock of last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and Capitol Hill is already preparing another round of federal funding cuts. Republican lawmakers have agreed on a two-track plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security and immigration enforcement, with healthcare spending once again in the crosshairs as a funding offset. The House blocked the DHS portion on April 2 and is now in recess until April 14, a sign of the internal GOP friction that could complicate — but is unlikely to stop — the broader effort, according to The New York Times. (Condon, 4/9)
The Hill: Ben Sasse Opens Up About Journey With Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer
Former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) detailed his battle with cancer and reflected on his life during a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times’s Ross Douthat. The conversation, released Thursday as part of Douthat’s “Interesting Times” podcast, took place less than four months after Sasse revealed his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.“ In mid-December I got a three- to four-month life expectancy, and I’m at Day 99 or something since then, and I’m doing a heck of a lot better than I was doing at Christmas,” he told the host. (Rego, 4/9)
