Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Reinstates Defunct Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines
The Washington Post: HHS Revives Childhood Vaccine Safety Panel Sought By Anti-Vaccine Activists
The Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday it is reviving a long-defunct task force aimed at improving the safety of childhood vaccines, fulfilling a demand of anti-vaccine activists. The resurrection of the panel appears to be the first concrete step to achieve HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s longtime goal of upending the current childhood immunization schedule, which recommends which shots children receive and when. (Roubein and Sun, 8/14)
MedPage Today: Groups Call For RFK Jr. To Be Impeached. Here's What That Would Take
As calls for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign have gone unheeded, opponents are stepping up their game and calling for him to be impeached -- though experts question the move's validity as a path forward. Last week in an Instagram post, pediatric allergist Zachary Rubin, MD, called for Kennedy's impeachment, which garnered tens of thousands of likes. And today, Stand Up for Science launched a petition to impeach Kennedy. (Fiore, 8/14)
The Hill: Blumenthal Demands Firing Of Vaccine Adviser Robert Malone
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is demanding Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “immediately” fire a key ally from his role as vaccine advisor on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel due to “escalating and violent” rhetoric in the wake of an attack on CDC headquarters. Blumenthal wrote a letter to Kennedy on Wednesday calling for him to fire Robert Malone from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). (Weixel, 8/14)
The Washington Post: A Gunman Shot At The CDC, Killing An Officer. Trump Hasn’t Said A Word.
Things President Donald Trump talked about publicly this week: Sylvester Stallone’s body, the $200 million ballroom he wants to build at the White House, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, not receiving a Kennedy Center lifetime achievement award and taking over the police force in the nation’s capital. Something Trump hasn’t talked about: a gunman, upset by coronavirus vaccines, who on Aug. 8 killed a police officer while firing hundreds of bullets at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Edwards and Bensen, 8/15)
More on 'Make America Healthy Again' —
AP: WK Kellogg Company Plans To Eliminate Artificial Dyes From Its Breakfast Cereals
WK Kellogg Co. plans to remove artificial dyes from its breakfast cereals in the next two and a half years, according to the company and the attorney general of Texas. The maker of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks gave the timeline as U.S. food producers face increasing pressure from the U.S. government and consumers to phase out synthetic colorings from their products. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday that Kellogg had signed an agreement assuring his office that the Michigan-based company would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027. (Grantham-Philips, 8/14)
The New York Times: Draft Of ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Suggests RFK Jr. Won’t Push Pesticide Regulations
A highly anticipated White House report on the health of American children would stop short of proposing direct restrictions on ultraprocessed foods and pesticides that the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has called major threats, according to a draft of the document that was reviewed by The New York Times. The report, if adopted, would be good news for the food and agriculture industries, which feared far more restrictive proposals than the ones outlined in the draft. Through his “Make America Healthy Again” movement, Mr. Kennedy has sought to overhaul the nation’s diet by pushing those industries to make major changes. (Blum, Mueller and Callahan, 8/14)
NBC News: FDA Warns About Unapproved Thyroid Pills — Then Says It'll 'Ensure Access' To Them
An unusual about-face that played out at the Food and Drug Administration over the last week illustrated the power of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, particularly with its focus on “natural” drugs. Last Thursday, the agency published a statement saying it had concerns about the safety and effectiveness of unapproved thyroid medications made from animal tissue after it received complaints from patients and reports of adverse events. As a result, the FDA said it had notified drugmakers of its “intent to take action” against the products, but added that it wouldn't do so immediately to give patients time to switch medications. (Lovelace Jr., 8/14)
WLRN Public Media: Florida's Surgeon General Says He Supports The 'Freedom' To Drink Raw Milk
On a social media post, Dr. Joseph Ladapo wrote that he supports the consumption of raw milk to reap what he calls "potential health benefits," but cautions consumers about the risks. (Gillespie, 8/13)
