Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Preventive Services' Guidance On Cervical Cancer Screening Was Quashed, Ex-Chair Says
MedPage Today: Trump Administration Suppressed USPSTF Recommendations
Leadership of the agency that oversees the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suppressed the group's recommendations, a former task force chair said. The director of the Agency for Research Healthcare and Quality (AHRQ) blocked the group's final recommendation on cervical cancer screening in fall 2025, former chair Michael Silverstein, MD, MPH, of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, wrote in a commentary in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (Frieden, 9/29)
On the spread of measles —
The Washington Post: CDC Updates Measles Toll, Now Counts 2 Deaths
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its national measles tally late Monday to include another death in 2026, bringing its total to two, after Pennsylvania reported four measles-associated deaths in a growing outbreak. The CDC’s website did not identify the person who died or say where the death occurred, leaving unclear whether it was one of the four Pennsylvania cases. No other states have reported any measles-associated deaths. The agency updated its tally last week to include one death in 2026. (Sun, 9/30)
CIDRAP: Most Americans Confused About RFK Jr’s Stance On Measles Vaccine As Views Dim Of His Ability To Rein In Outbreaks
Most US adults either still mistakenly believe that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doesn’t recommend the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or are unsure of his stance, prompting doubt about his ability to address ongoing measles outbreaks across the country, according to a poll released today by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania. (Van Beusekom, 9/29)
More news from the Trump administration —
NPR: Experts Dispute HHS Report Linking 'Gender Ideology' To Violence
Since announcing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his pick for Health and Human Services secretary last year, President Trump and Kennedy have touted their dedication to "Gold Standard Scientific Research" and making federal health agencies "beacons of Transparency." But a recent report released by the agency has left some experts with substantial doubts about its researchers' methods, its claims about its findings and its authors' political intentions. (Hagen, 9/30)
Bloomberg: Trump’s Biosecurity Pick Kaufman Awaits Confirmation After Knox Resigns
The top biosecurity official at the Department of Health and Human Services announced he’s stepping down ahead of the arrival of Donald Trump’s permanent nominee to lead the division, according to an internal email viewed by Bloomberg News. John Knox, the principal deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said his last day would be Oct. 2 in an email to staff. Sean Kaufman, Trump’s pick to lead the division, will start on Oct. 5 in the principal deputy role, the email said. Kaufman’s confirmation to the top role is still pending before the Senate. (Cohrs Zhang and Nix, 9/29)
Bloomberg: Trump-Backed Nuclear Plant Settles Cancer, Contamination Lawsuits
Solstice Advanced Materials, the corporate owner of a nuclear fuel facility at the heart of President Donald Trump’s push for a nuclear renaissance, has agreed to pay $80 million to settle claims that the plant for decades spewed radiation over an Illinois town, sickened residents and contaminated properties. ... As part of the conversion process, the plant emits radiotoxic material that litigants alleged have accumulated on homes, buildings, parks and playgrounds, causing property damage and an increase in brain, lung and other cancers. (Riley and Waldman, 9/29)
KFF Health News and AP: Rural MAHA Followers Say Trump Health Policies Haven’t Reached Their Communities
President Donald Trump has championed sprawling health policy changes under the Make America Healthy Again movement, but a KFF-Associated Press survey of rural voters found people aren’t seeing the initiatives reach their communities. (Swenson, Tribble, and Sanders, 9/30)
Health news from Capitol Hill —
NBC News: Senators Unveil Bipartisan Bill To Deliver Essential Newborn Supply Kits To New Moms
Becoming a new mom can require an abundance of supplies for both mother and baby — diapers, blankets, carriers and more. That’s why a bipartisan Senate duo is teaming up on a bill to provide new moms with starter pack newborn kits in communities with high rates of infant or maternal mortality. (Leach, 9/29)
The Washington Post: Red-State Democrats Veer Right On Transgender Issues, Sparking Backlash
Several are adopting more conservative rhetoric or publicly opposing transgender girls playing in girls’ sports. (Binday, 9/30)
The Washington Post: This Senate Democratic Candidate Is Making A Play For RFK Jr.’s MAHA Supporters
The Make America Healthy Again movement has been closely associated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump administration, but at least one Democrat in a closely watched Senate race is making a play for MAHA supporters. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for Michigan’s pivotal Senate seat, on Tuesday is releasing a “Building a Healthier America” policy agenda focusing on cracking down on pesticides, changing drinking water standards and boosting access to healthy food. However, El-Sayed, a former public health official, does not share some MAHA supporters’ skepticism of vaccines, saying in an interview that he “believe[s] in vaccines.” (Roubein, 9/29)
