Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Doses, More Eligible People: HHS Alters Course To Speed Up Vaccinations
Axios: Scoop: The Trump Administration's Plan To Speed Up Vaccinations
The Trump administration is set to deliver new guidelines today that will get coronavirus vaccinations moving much faster. ... New federal guidelines will recommend opening up the process to everyone older than 65, and will also aim to move doses out the door rather than holding some back. (Baker, 1/12)
AP: US Asking States To Speed Vaccine, Not Hold Back 2nd Dose
The Trump administration is asking states to speed delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to people older than 65 and others at high risk by no longer holding back the second dose of the two-dose shots, The Associated Press has learned. The Centers for Disease Control is expected to recommend opening up vaccines to everyone older than 65 and to get the vaccines to more people by not holding back the second vaccine dose. That’s according to a Trump administration official familiar with the decision, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of an announcement. (Miller, 1/12)
CNN: Vaccine Distribution: Trump Administration Expected To Change Course On Rollout Plans
The change in guidelines, which is expected to be announced at a noon briefing Tuesday by Operation Warp Speed, is a significant shift from the approach taken by the Trump administration which had previously balked at releasing all available doses. Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna's vaccines require two rounds of injection, and while releasing nearly all vaccine doses on hand could quickly ratchet up availability, it also runs the risk of depleting resources that are necessary to make sure people are fully vaccinated. (Holmes, 1/12)
Senate Democrats urged the White House to take urgent action —
Politico: Democrats Demand Plan From Trump To Fix ‘Failed’ Vaccine Rollout
The Trump administration must urgently provide states with new resources and guidance to correct "significant failures" in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, according to a new letter from Senate Democrats shared with POLITICO. The United States "cannot afford for this vaccination campaign to continue to be hindered by the lack of planning, communication, and leadership we have seen so far," Democrats wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, citing data that just over one-third of distributed vaccines have been administered. "The metric that matters, and where we are clearly moving too slowly, is vaccines in arms." (Diamond, 1/11)
The Hill: Senate Democrats Demand Trump Address COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
A group of Senate Democrats is demanding that the Trump administration provide states with a plan of action that includes new resources and guidance "to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution" rollout. In a letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, the Democrats said the country's vaccination effort is moving too slowly and blamed the administration’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan. (Weixel, 1/11)
In news from the Department of Health and Human Services —
Modern Healthcare: AHRQ Director Gopal Khanna Resigns In Response To Capitol Riot
Gopal Khanna, who has served as the director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality since 2017, announced Monday that he resigned from his role. In an email to staff, Khanna said he submitted his resignation to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. He resigned in response to the riot last week at the Capitol, saying "As a first-generation American and a proud citizen of this country, nothing is more sacred than the values embedded in our Constitution, and the principles we hold dear. However, based on the horrific events last Wednesday at the nation's Capitol, the very seat of our democracy and a beacon of freedom the world over, I have decided to step aside." (Castellucci, 1/11)
Stat: In Intra-Agency Scuffle, HHS Overrules FDA Pick For Key Position
Health secretary Alex Azar suddenly appointed a new top lawyer at the Food and Drug Administration just hours after the subagency had announced its own pick for the post. The move is already raising concerns among FDA officials; two senior staffers at the agency told STAT they see it as another instance of HHS meddling in FDA policymaking — a criticism that has been raised repeatedly about the two agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Florko, 1/11)
