Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
There Are No 'Banned' Words, Merely Suggestions, CDC Chief Fires Back In Face Of Criticism
The Hill: CDC Rejects Censorship Reports: 'There Are Absolutely No "Banned" Words'
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it “has not banned, prohibited, or forbidden” the use of certain words in official documentation, the agency director says in response to concerns from Senate Democrats. Democrats had been concerned, they said last month, “that the Trump Administration is yet again prioritizing ideology over science” after reports claimed agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had banned employees from using words including “fetus,” “vulnerable” and “science-based.” (Weixel 1/9)
In other news from the administration —
The Wall Street Journal: Tillerson Orders Review Of U.S. Response To Mysterious Illnesses In Cuba
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will order a special panel to investigate the U.S. response to mysterious illnesses that have stricken American diplomats and their relatives in Havana. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Department have been probing the incidents in recent months after the administration said they resulted from attacks. Now, Mr. Tillerson will take the further step of establishing an independent board of the same type that was set up after the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, a senior diplomat told lawmakers on Tuesday. (Schwartz, 1/9)
