In Interview, Kennedy Says He Is ‘Not Familiar’ With $11 Billion In HHS Cuts

CBS News: RFK Jr. Says He's "Not Familiar" With All Health Program Cuts In Exclusive Interview
In his first network TV interview since becoming Health and Human Services secretary under the Trump administration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke with CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook about the measles vaccine, major government cuts and health care costs. LaPook met with Kennedy in Mesa, Arizona. When asked by LaPook if he personally approved the more than $11 billion proposed in cuts to local and state programs that address infectious disease, mental health, addiction and childhood vaccination, Kennedy said, "No I'm not familiar with those cuts. We'd have to go … the cuts were mainly DEI cuts, which the president ordered." (Hoffman, Kuzmarov and Sugerman, 4/9)

CBS News: Key Takeaways From RFK Jr.'s Interview On Measles Vaccine, Food Dyes, Weight Loss Drugs And More
In the CBS News interview, Kennedy publicly encouraged people to get the measles vaccine, marking the first time he has done so since becoming HHS secretary. "The federal government's position, my position, is that people should get the measles vaccine," he said, but added, "The government should not be mandating those." (Moniuszko, 4/9)

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Stat: National Public Health Group Calls On Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To Resign, Citing 'Complete Disregard For Science'
A national public health organization is calling for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign the federal post he assumed just weeks ago, citing “implicit and explicit bias and complete disregard for science.” (Cooney, 4/9)

More on the federal cuts —

AP: FDA Reverses Course On Telework After Layoffs And Resignations Threaten Basic Operations
Weeks after ordering Food and Drug Administration employees back into the office, the agency is reversing course, allowing some of its most prized staffers to work remotely amid worries that recent layoffs and resignations could jeopardize basic functions, like approving new medicines. An internal email obtained by The Associated Press states that FDA leadership are “allowing review staff and supervisors to resume telework” at least two days a week. The policy shift was confirmed by three FDA staffers who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters. (Perrone, 4/10)

CBS News: CDC Faces Backlash For Cutting Sickle Cell, Adult Disability Programs
Nearly half of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's staff working on developmental disabilities and birth defects was laid off this month, multiple officials tell CBS News, wiping out teams working on research about adults with cognitive disabilities and sickle cell disease. Work likely to be halted by the cuts includes the collection of data for studying Americans with sickle cell, a painful blood disorder that predominantly affects Black families, as well as supporting testing for its more dangerous complications. (Tin, 4/9)

Stat: Government Shuts CDC Office Focused On Alcohol-Related Harms And Prevention
A small office that produced data on alcohol-related deaths and harms, and worked on policies to reduce them, has been shuttered by the Trump administration. Those involved with the work say it was the only group in the federal government focused on preventing excessive drinking and the many problems associated with it, including chronic diseases. (Cueto, 4/9)

Axios: A Closer Look At The Nationwide Impact Of NIH Cuts
Nearly half of all U.S. counties will experience economic losses of at least $250,000 as a result of the Trump administration's planned cuts to indirect funding by the National Institutes of Health, per the Science & Community Impacts Mapping Project. (Reed, 4/9)

Los Angeles Times: DOGE Cuts Bring Chaos, Long Waits At Social Security For Seniors 
When Veronica Sanchez called a Social Security hotline Thursday, she waited two hours before her call was abruptly disconnected. On Friday, she was on hold for six hours and still did not get through to anyone. "I'm gonna have to take time out of my work to stand in line and hopefully get this resolved," the 52-year-old medical practice manager in Canoga Park said Monday. For Sanchez, the stakes are high: If she does not obtain a medical letter from the agency by April 15, her parents, who are on a fixed income, risk losing about $2,500 a month in medical care. They would no longer receive insulin medication for their diabetes, she said, and could lose their daily visit from a nurse. (Jarvie and Solis, 4/9)