Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
School Cafeterias Now Allowed To Offer Whole Milk, 2%, And Nondairy Options
AP: Trump Signs Law Returning Whole Milk To School Lunches
Whole milk is heading back to school cafeterias across the country after President Donald Trump signed a bill Wednesday overturning Obama-era limits on higher-fat milk options. Nondairy drinks such as fortified soy milk may also be on the menu in the coming months following adoption of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which cleared Congress in the fall. The action allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole and 2% fat milk along with the skim and low-fat products required since 2012. (Aleccia, 1/14)
The New York Times: Is Whole Milk Healthier For Kids?
There’s no question that milk provides essential nutrients, and for that reason health organizations have recommended that children aged 5 to 8 consume up to 2.5 cups of milk per day, and those aged 9 and up consume up to three cups per day. But health experts and legislators have disagreed about which types to promote. (Callahan, 1/14)
What RFK Jr. thinks about President Trump's diet —
The Hill: RFK Jr.: Trump ‘Eats Really Bad Food’ But Has ‘Constitution Of A Deity’
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says President Trump has the least healthy eating habits of anyone in his administration but praised the commander in chief for what he described as his remarkable stamina nonetheless. ... “The interesting thing about the president is that he eats really bad food, which is McDonald’s, and, you know, candy and Diet Coke,” Kennedy continued. “He drinks the Diet Coke at all times.” But, he added, “He has the constitution of a deity. I don’t know how he’s alive, but he is.” (Fortinsky, 1/14)
In other Trump administration news —
The New York Times: H.H.S. Reverses Decision To Cut $2 Billion For Mental Health And Addiction Services
Less than 24 hours after the Trump administration informed more than 2,000 addiction and mental health programs nationwide that it was immediately terminating almost $2 billion of their funding, the administration reversed course and reinstated the money. An administration official confirmed Wednesday night that the money was being restored, but declined to say why. (Hoffman, 1/14)
The Baltimore Sun: The FDA's Growing Addiction To 'No'
Listening to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) leadership, it’s easy to think that 2025 was a banner year for patient choice. On Dec. 19, Food and Drugs Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary listed the FDA’s accomplishments in 2025, including reducing decision times, hitting drug target date goals, “accelerating cures,” “cutting red tape” and ushering in “a new era of innovation.” Tellingly, the agency’s leader failed to confront concerns that the FDA is becoming more risk-averse and eager to reject new — and even existing — medications. (Ross Marchand, 1/14)
The New York Times: NASA Astronauts Splash Down After Space Station Medical Evacuation
The astronauts, riding in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, were originally expected to return next month after a replacement crew arrived. But a medical issue involving one of them last week led NASA to decide to bring the crew members home early. NASA officials called it a “controlled medical evacuation,” the first time that an astronaut left the I.S.S. for a medical reason in its 25 years of continuous habitation. (Chang, 1/15)
