Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
RFK Jr. Claims Dietary Changes Can Cure Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
The New York Times: Kennedy Makes Unfounded Claim That Keto Diet Can ‘Cure’ Schizophrenia
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserted on Wednesday that the keto diet could cure schizophrenia — an unfounded claim that experts say vastly overstates preliminary research into whether the high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet might help patients with the disorder. Mr. Kennedy made the remarks while traveling in Tennessee as part of his national tour to urge Americans to “eat real food” — a message he is delivering in conjunction with his recent overhaul of federal dietary guidelines, which now emphasize protein and fats, including steak, cheese, butter and whole milk, over carbohydrates. (Stolberg, 2/5)
More MAHA news —
The New York Times: F.D.A. Relaxes Rules On ‘Naturally Derived’ Dyes
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday announced the Food and Drug Administration was relaxing its enforcement of federal food additive regulations, making it easier for manufacturers to claim that they are not using artificial dyes in their products. The F.D.A. has barred food makers from advertising that products contain “no artificial colors” unless they have no added dyes of any kind. But Mr. Kennedy and F.D.A. officials announced that the agency would no longer enforce that rule, so long as companies were not using petroleum-based dyes. (Gay Stolberg, 2/5)
Stat: MAHA, Others Adopt Anti-Big Tobacco Strategies To Fight Big Food
So you’re a bear in the forest, and you’re hungry. When you trundle toward a raspberry bush and get your first taste of ripe, sweet fruit, dopamine floods your brain, pleasure as a form of instruction: More of this. Faithful to your body’s signals, you’ll be back to these same bushes throughout the summer, and every summer after that. The dopamine hits that a tasty meal provides help animals — people included — survive. (Todd, 2/6)
Common Dreams: Experts Warn That MAHA Bait-And-Switch By RFK Jr. And Trump 'Means Big Money For Big Wellness'
Government watchdog Public Citizen on Thursday issued a report outlining the major conflicts of interest held by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies in the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement. In particular, the report focuses on Kennedy and three key allies: Wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means, who is President Donald Trump’s nominee to be US surgeon general; her brother Calley Means, a senior adviser to Kennedy at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and the siblings’ business partner Dr. Mark Hyman. (Reed, 2/5)
The Tennessean: RFK Jr. Admits He Can't Get Trump To Eat Healthy During Nashville Stop
Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted that he has not been able to convince President Donald Trump to personally embrace his Make America Healthy Again agenda by eschewing products like soda and fast food — which his administration is now warning Americans against consuming. Kennedy, 72, spoke at the Tennessee Capitol on Feb. 4 during a stop on his "Take Back Your Health" tour. Trump is known to be an avid consumer of Diet Coke and McDonalds fast food, reportedly drinking as many as 12 cans of Diet Coke per day. (Jones, 2/4)
On covid vaccine skepticism —
CIDRAP: Local Political Climate Tied To COVID Vaccine Uptake
The political climate where people live may matter as much as what they believe politically when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination, according to a study published this week in PLOS One. Researchers from Colgate University and Syracuse University found that politically conservative US adults living in liberal areas were both less hesitant about COVID vaccines and more likely to receive booster doses than conservatives living in conservative regions of the country. (Bergeson, 2/5)
Medscape: Many Vaccine Skeptics Later Vaccinate, COVID Study Finds
A large UK study shows nearly two thirds of people initially skeptical about COVID vaccination eventually chose to get vaccinated. (Eppinger, 1/29)
