Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
RFK Jr. Ready To Roll Out Plan To Rid US Food Supply Of Artificial Dyes
NBC News: RFK Jr. Announces Plan To Remove Artificial Dyes From Food And Beverages
The Trump administration said Monday it will announce a plan to remove petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary are expected to discuss the plan at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, according to a release from the Department of Health and Human Services. (Lovelace Jr., 4/21)
On autism —
CBS News: RFK Jr.'s Autism Study To Amass Medical Records Of Many Americans
The National Institutes of Health is amassing private medical records from a number of federal and commercial databases to give to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new effort to study autism, the NIH's top official said Monday. The new data will allow external researchers picked for Kennedy's autism studies to study "comprehensive" patient data with "broad coverage" of the U.S. population for the first time, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said. (Tin, 4/21)
People: RFK Jr. Says Autism Has Bigger Impact Than COVID ‘Because COVID Killed Old People’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, is claiming that the impact of autism exceeds the impact of COVID-19 on American lives during a new interview. Speaking about autism on The Cats Roundtable radio show on WABC 770 AM on Sunday, April 20, Kennedy said, “It dwarfs the COVID epidemic and the impacts on our country because COVID killed old people. Autism affects children and affects them at the beginning of their lives, the beginning of their productivity.” (Sheffield, 4/20)
On DEI and federal funding cuts —
Stat: NIH Bans New Grants To Schools With DEI Programs, Israel Boycotts
The National Institutes of Health will begin prohibiting the awarding of new grants to any institutions that have DEI programs or boycott Israeli companies, in an escalation of the Trump administration’s use of research funding as leverage to dismantle activities at universities that it deems discriminatory or antisemitic. (Oza, 4/21)
Stat: NIH's Jay Bhattacharya Says Trump DEI Orders 'Misunderstood'
National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya on Monday asserted that the agency remains committed to research that advances the health of minorities — despite the Trump administration’s sharp focus on rolling back programs dealing with diversity, equity, and inclusion. (Wosen, 4/21)
The New York Times: Harvard Sues Trump Administration Over Threats To Cut Funding
Harvard, the world’s wealthiest university, sued the Trump administration on Monday, fighting back against its threats to slash billions of dollars from the school’s research funding as part of a crusade against the nation’s top colleges. The lawsuit signaled a major escalation of the ongoing fight between higher education and President Trump, who has vowed to “reclaim” elite universities. The administration has cast its campaign as a fight against antisemitism, but has also targeted programs and teaching related to racial diversity and gender issues. (Saul, 4/21)
Side Effects Public Media: Federal Funding Cancellation Threatens Major Diabetes Study, Researchers Say
The Trump administration's funding cancellations could dissolve a large nationwide study that's been ongoing for 30 years on diabetes and pre-diabetes. The research was partially conducted throughout the Midwest. Medical professionals say the landmark Diabetes Prevention Program changed the understanding of the process of developing type 2 diabetes and created the term 'pre-diabetes' — a condition in which a person's blood sugar is higher than normal and can indicate they're on the cusp of full blown disease. It also contributed to preventative treatments. (Gabriel, 4/21)
Also from the Trump administration —
The Wall Street Journal: Roche To Invest $50 Billion In U.S. Manufacturing, R&D As Tariffs Loom
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche plans to invest $50 billion in the U.S. over the next five years, the latest major spending commitment by a big drugmaker as the industry faces President Trump’s tariff threats. Pharma companies have in recent months set out plans to ramp up investments in the U.S. to boost local production and create jobs as the Trump administration prepares to impose tariffs on medicine imports–which have so far been exempted from such levies–and seeks to revive domestic manufacturing. (Smolak, 4/22)
Modern Healthcare: Trump Inauguration Received Donations From Hims, J&J, AHA
HCA Healthcare, Centene, Molina Healthcare, Hims & Hers, the American Hospital Association and other healthcare organizations donated at least $11.5 million to the inaugural committee for President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Records the Federal Election Commission released Sunday show the pharmaceutical industry made the largest contributions among healthcare interests to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, which collected an all-time high $239 million. (McAuliff, 4/21)
The New York Times: Mahmoud Khalil’s Wife Gives Birth as ICE Bars Him From Being There
The Department of Homeland Security denied Mahmoud Khalil permission to attend the birth of his first child, who was delivered at a New York hospital on Monday, according to emails reviewed by The New York Times. Instead, Mr. Khalil experienced the birth by telephone from Jena, La., more than 1,000 miles from the hospital where his wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, gave birth to a son. It is unclear when he will be able to see the baby. Mr. Khalil, a legal permanent resident who was a prominent figure in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on the Columbia University campus, has been detained in Louisiana for more than a month. (Bromwich, 4/21)
