Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
RFK Jr. Said He Suffered Brain Injuries From A Parasite
The New York Times: RFK Jr. Says Doctors Found A Dead Worm In His Brain
In 2010, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was experiencing memory loss and mental fogginess so severe that a friend grew concerned he might have a brain tumor. Mr. Kennedy said he consulted several of the country’s top neurologists, many of whom had either treated or spoken to his uncle, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, before his death the previous year of brain cancer. Several doctors noticed a dark spot on the younger Mr. Kennedy’s brain scans and concluded that he had a tumor, he said in a 2012 deposition reviewed by The New York Times. Mr. Kennedy was immediately scheduled for a procedure at Duke University Medical Center by the same surgeon who had operated on his uncle, he said. While packing for the trip, he said, he received a call from a doctor at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital who had a different opinion: Mr. Kennedy, he believed, had a dead parasite in his head. (Craig, 5/8)
The Hill: RFK Jr. Pivots On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors, Says Treatment Should Be ‘Deferred Till Adulthood’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears more amenable to restricting access to gender-affirming care for transgender minors, writing in a social media post that treatments including puberty blockers and hormone therapy should be reserved for individuals older than 18. “The more I learn, the more troubled I have become about giving puberty blockers to youth. Minors cannot drive, vote, join the army, get a tattoo, smoke, or drink, because we know that children do not fully understand the consequences of decisions with life-long ramifications,” Kennedy wrote late Monday in a post on the social platform X. (Migdon, 5/7)
Mother Jones: This Anti-Trans, Pro-Life Activist Was Pardoned By Donald Trump. Now She’s Working For RFK Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is best known for his famous family name, his anti-vaccine activism, and his unexpected third-party run for president. He’s not particularly well known for his passion for criminal justice reform. And yet, next month, he’s scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Detroit stop on the New Dawn for Justice Criminal Reform Tour. The six-city tour’s website promises it “amplifies the collective voice calling for equitable and humane reform” and encourages “individuals from all walks of life to contribute to the reshaping of our justice system.” The tour’s lead organizer is a Kennedy campaign staffer named Angela Stanton King. (Butler, 5/2)
In related election news —
NBC News: Biden Campaign Goes After Trump On Health Care In $14 Million Ad Boost
President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign on Wednesday announced $14 million in new spending across battleground states while launching an ad hitting former President Donald Trump on health care. A key component of the spending push is a new ad that lists Trump's past efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. (Korecki, 5/8)
