Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
RFK Jr. Cuts $500M In mRNA Contracts, Eliciting Horror Among Experts
Stat: Kennedy Cancels $500 Million In MRNA Vaccine Contracts
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced that the government’s emergency preparedness agency will no longer fund work on messenger RNA vaccines, delivering a crippling blow to the country’s capacity to develop vaccines during the next pandemic or public health emergency. (Branswell, 8/5)
The effort to 'Make America Healthy Again' —
The Hill: Trump Admin Approves Food Stamp Restrictions In Six States
The Trump administration on Monday approved six additional states seeking to ban food stamp recipients from purchasing processed food. Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas and Florida received federal waivers to adjust Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) guidelines outlawing the purchase of junk food with state funds in 2026. (Fields, 8/5)
The New York Times: Kennedy’s Crusade Against Food Safety Rule Threatens Supplement Industry
By going after an obscure regulatory designation he describes as a “loophole,” Mr. Kennedy has put an industry he champions on the defensive. (Black, 8/6)
The Washington Post: Is Orange Juice Healthy? An FDA Sugar Proposal Renews The Debate
Orange juice, known for its tangy, sweet taste, could be made with slightly less sugary oranges under a regulation proposed Tuesday by the Trump administration. While that move can sound like a way to make America healthier, it’s actually at the behest of Florida’s citrus industry as it grapples with changes to the crop and its sugar levels. The Food and Drug Administration described the proposed change as unlikely to affect taste and nutritional value while providing “flexibility to the food industry.” (Roubein, 8/5)
On alcohol and substance use —
MedPage Today: Screen Every Adult For Unhealthy Alcohol Use, USPSTF Says
In updated draft guidance, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said that all adults should be screened for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care settings, recommendations that align with those from 2018. For adults who screen positive for "risky or hazardous drinking," the task force recommended brief behavioral counseling interventions — a grade B, based on moderate net benefit. (Firth, 8/5)
ABC News: CDC Launches New National Campaign To Tackle Mental Health, Substance Use Among Teens
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new campaign on Tuesday aimed at tackling mental health and substance use among teens ahead of the upcoming school year. The federal campaign, entitled Free Mind, aims to provide teens and their parents or caregivers with "resources and information about substance use, mental health and the connection between the two." (Benadjaoud, 8/5)
