Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS To Reform Organ Donation System In Wake Of Procurement Concerns
CNN: Organ Donation: HHS Says It Will Begin Reforms After Federal Investigation Finds ‘Horrifying’ Problems
The US Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that it’s undertaking an initiative to reform the country’s organ donation system, after a federal investigation found that one organization in the Kentucky region began the process to take organs from people who may not have been dead. (Christensen, 7/21)
AP: States Sue Over Trump Restrictions On Head Start For Immigrants
A coalition of 21 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Trump administration’s restrictions on social services for immigrants in the country illegally, including the federal preschool program Head Start, health clinics and adult education. ... The lawsuit led by New York Attorney General Letitia James argues the government failed to follow the rulemaking process and did not provide required notice on conditions placed on federal funds. It also argues the changes will create significant harm. (Ma, 7/21)
FDA developments —
The New York Times: F.D.A. Panel Debates ‘Black Box’ Warning For Antidepressants In Pregnancy
Over nearly four decades since Prozac was approved for the treatment of depression, waves of concern about the effects of antidepressants during pregnancy have resulted in a practical consensus: Though use of the drugs may be associated with a slight rise in the odds of birth defects, the risk of leaving a mother’s depression untreated is often greater. But a high-level shift is taking place within the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has made reducing the prescription of psychotropic drugs a policy priority. (Barry, 7/21)
NBC News: FDA Panel Promotes Misinformation About Antidepressants During Pregnancy, Psychiatrists Say
A Food and Drug Administration panel discussing the use of antidepressants during pregnancy Monday largely amounted to misinformation or facts taken out of context, according to several psychiatrists who tuned in to the meeting. The panel had promised to feature diverse viewpoints about antidepressants and pregnancy. But nearly all of the 10 panelists bucked medical consensus on the drugs’ safety and emphasized what they said were risks of taking the drugs while pregnant — such as causing autism, miscarriages or birth defects. (Bendix, 7/22)
Bloomberg: FDA Names Biotech Executive George Tidmarsh As RFK Jr.'s Top Drug Regulator
Food and Drug Administration commissioner Marty Makary has chosen former biotech executive George Tidmarsh as the agency’s top drug regulator, the agency confirmed Monday. Tidmarsh, an adjunct professor of pediatrics and neonatology at Stanford University, will serve as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, one of the FDA’s largest and most important divisions with a staff of about 5,700 that reviews the vast majority of new drug applications. Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, the acting head of the CDER, recently announced she was leaving the agency. (Langreth and Hornblower, 7/21)
Bloomberg: FDA Is Looking For Expanded Power To Crack Down On Illegal Vapes
The Food and Drug Administration is taking a closer look at kratom extracts and preparing to ask Congress for expanded authority to shut down illegal vaping imports, according to the agency’s head. In an interview, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said that the US is essentially wide open to shipments of dangerous products including unauthorized vapes as well as an opioid-like substance found in potent kratom extracts. Another product of concern is tianeptine, which has been dubbed “gas station heroin” and is available at convenience stores nationwide. (Rutherford, 7/21)
NIH, VA, and SNAP updates —
Stat: NIH Cuts Would Accelerate Trend Of Less Spending On Basic Science
The number of basic science papers published by recipients of National Institutes of Health grants has been falling since 2013, the year the agency’s budget was cut by 5%, according to a new analysis. President Trump’s budget proposal to slash NIH funding by nearly 40% would further erode basic biomedical research, warns the author, a former top agency official. (Oza, 7/21)
Military.Com: VA Extends Deadline For Changes To Caregiver Program, Giving Longtime Recipients A Reprieve
The Department of Veterans Affairs has delayed its deadline for announcing changes to its family caregiver program, giving longtime participants who faced possible dismissal up to three more years of benefits. The VA announced Friday that the extension for veterans and their caregivers who are "legacy" participants under the original eligibility criteria has been moved to September 2028. The original deadline had been Sept. 30, 2025 -- the date the department had set to review the criteria that it changed in 2020. (Kime, 7/21)
Military.Com: Senators Call For VA To 'Rebuild' Research Efforts Amid Ongoing Hiring Delays
Department of Veterans Affairs research into dementia, substance abuse, strokes and more continues to be disrupted by ongoing delays in federal hiring, senators warned in a recent letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. The letter from a trio of Democratic senators coincides with warnings from researchers and others familiar with the situation that there is still effectively a hiring freeze on VA researchers. (Kheel, 7/21)
KFF Health News: Cuts To Food Benefits Stand In The Way Of RFK Jr.’s Goals For A Healthier National Diet
Belinda McLoyd has been thinking about peanut butter. McLoyd, 64, receives a small monthly payment through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as food stamps.“ They don’t give you that much to work with,” she said. To fit her tight budget, she eats ramen noodles — high on sodium and low on nutrition — multiple times a week. (Rayasam, 7/22)
