Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
On Official Website, CDC Now Suggests Vaccines May Cause Autism
The Wall Street Journal: CDC Changes Webpage To Say Vaccines May Cause Autism, Revising Prior Language
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage that previously made the case that vaccines don’t cause autism now says they might. The contents of the webpage came up during Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Senate confirmation process. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) in February said Kennedy had assured him that, if he was confirmed, the CDC would “not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism.” (Essley Whyte and Siddiqui, 11/19)
Politico: RFK Jr. Is In A Power Struggle
A top aide to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is locked in a power struggle with his boss and the White House over vaccine policy and personnel, according to two senior administration officials. For now, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, Marty Makary, still has his job, but the dispute — which centers on how the agency will examine vaccine side effects — is unresolved, the officials said. Both were granted anonymity to discuss confidential deliberations. (Röhn, 11/19)
Related news about the flu and pertussis —
The New York Times: Early Signs Point To A Harsh Flu Season In The U.S.
The United States may be headed for a rough flu season, with a virus that causes more severe symptoms than the one last year and seems to be spreading more rapidly and earlier than usual. On Friday, one day after they returned to work from the government shutdown, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted data suggesting that flu infections are still low but rising in 39 states. Even so, the flu vaccine will help prevent hospitalizations, with an effectiveness of 70 to 75 percent in children and 30 to 40 percent in adults, according to data from the Health Security Agency in Britain. (Mandavilli, 11/19)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. County's First Flu Death Confirmed; Season Could Be Severe
L.A. County has had its first flu death in a season that health officials have warned could be severe. The county Department of Public Health confirmed the influenza-associated fatality on Wednesday. The death occurred in an elderly individual with underlying health conditions who had not received a flu vaccination this season, according to the Department of Public Health. (Flores and Lin II, 11/19)
CIDRAP: Experimental MRNA Flu Vaccine Is More Effective Than Conventional Flu Shot, But Causes More Side Effects
Recent mutations in circulating influenza viruses could make flu shots less effective this year, leading to an especially brutal flu season. It’s not a new problem. Flu viruses are infamous for their ability to evolve quickly and without warning, creating a mismatch between the shots already on the market and the viral strains spreading from person to person. Over the past 15 years, the effectiveness of seasonal flu vaccines has ranged from 19% to 60%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Szabo, 11/19)
KFF Health News: Waning Immunity And Falling Vaccination Rates Fuel Pertussis Outbreaks
Rates of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, are surging in Texas, Florida, California, Oregon, and other states and localities across the country. The outbreaks are fueled by falling vaccination rates, fading immunity, and delays in public health tracking systems, according to interviews with state and federal health officials. Babies too young to be fully vaccinated are most at risk. (Gounder, 11/20)
In other news about HHS —
Bloomberg: HHS Proposes New CDC Programs, Including Hepatitis B Screening
The Health and Human Services Department is proposing new initiatives for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including a program to increase hepatitis B screening for pregnant women, as part of a broader push to restructure the agency, according to an internal document viewed by Bloomberg News. Leading five of the 16 initiatives is Sam Beyda — a carryover from the Department of Government Efficiency — who was recently named deputy chief of staff at the CDC, according to people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak on the subject. (Nix, 11/20)
Stat: HHS Re-Releases Gender Dysphoria Report With Names, Peer Review
The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday re-released its controversial report on gender dysphoria in children, and this time it named the previously anonymous authors and published a handful of peer review comments after the initial study had been faulted for a lack of transparency. (Gaffney and Merelli, 11/19)
AP: Senate Committee Advances Thomas March Bell For HHS Watchdog
A U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday voted to advance a candidate openly supportive of President Donald Trump to be inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services, a role that is traditionally viewed as nonpartisan. The 14-13 vote in the Republican-led Senate Finance Committee sends Thomas March Bell’s nomination to the full, Republican-controlled Senate, where he is expected to be confirmed to lead the office charged with investigating fraud, waste and abuse in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. (Swenson, 11/19)
