Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Administration Set to Link Acetaminophen To Autism: Report
The Washington Post: Trump Administration Set To Tie Tylenol To Autism Risk, Officials Say
The Trump administration is expected to unveil new efforts Monday exploring how one medication may be linked to autism and another one can treat it, according to four people with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement was not yet public. Federal health officials are expected to raise concerns about pregnant women’s use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and one of the most widely used medications globally. (Diamond and Eunjung Cha, 9/21)
CNN: Trump Administration Cancels Annual Hunger Report After Enacting Historic Cuts To Nation’s Safety Net
The Trump administration is terminating the federal government’s annual report on food insecurity in America, saying it had become “redundant, costly and politicized” and noting that “extraneous studies do nothing more than fear monger.” “For 30 years, this study — initially created by the Clinton administration as a means to support the increase of SNAP eligibility and benefit allotment —failed to present anything more than subjective, liberal fodder,” the US Department of Agriculture said in a statement Saturday, referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the formal name for food stamps. (Luhby, 9/21)
Bloomberg: US Weighs Trump-Branded Website To Help Shop For Cheaper Drugs
Administration officials are discussing creating a website — potentially branded with President Donald Trump’s own name — that would make it easier for patients to buy prescription medicines at a discount directly from pharmaceutical companies, people familiar with the talks said. The initiative is part of Trump’s demands that drugmakers reduce their prices to align them with what other developed countries pay, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that are not yet public. (Cohrs Zhang and Woodhouse, 9/19)
From the FDA and CDC —
The Wall Street Journal: How The FDA Is Taking Aim At The Surreal World Of TV Drug Ads
The surreal world of TV pharmaceutical ads, where people with terrible diseases tend to be young, beautiful and living life to the fullest—sometimes with animated monsters—has been parodied on late night sketch comedy shows. But the drug industry’s biggest critic may turn out to be government regulators inside the Food and Drug Administration. (Walker and Vranica, 9/21)
The New York Times: FDA OKs New Keytruda Shot For Cancer
The cancer medication Keytruda is the world’s best-selling drug. But with lower-priced competition set to arrive as soon as 2028, Keytruda’s manufacturer, Merck, is on the brink of losing tens of billions of dollars in sales. To keep Keytruda revenue flowing, Merck followed a well-worn playbook. It developed a new version of the drug, given as a shot under the skin, which the Food and Drug Administration approved on Friday. (Robbins, 9/19)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘On Air’: Journalists Follow The Fallout Of CDC Director's Firing And Trump's Health Policies
KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed the Senate hearing of former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez on WBUR’s “Here & Now” on Sept. 17. Rovner also delved into the “Make America Healthy Again” report on children’s health on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” on Sept. 16 and on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” on Sept. 12. During that C-SPAN appearance, she also covered the debate over extending the Affordable Care Act subsidies. (9/21)
Federal funding updates —
The New York Times: This Geriatrics Training Program Escaped The Ax. For Now
In St. Louis, a team of students aboard a well-equipped van visits senior centers, a nursing home, a church and other sites, learning to conduct comprehensive, hourlong geriatric assessments. The team — future doctors, social workers, psychologists and therapists — looks for such common problems as frailty, muscle weakness and cognitive decline. The patients they evaluate, free of charge, receive printed plans to help guide their care. (Span, 9/21)
Bloomberg: Harvard Receives $46 Million In Restored Federal Research Money
Harvard University said Friday it has received $46 million in federal research funding, part of the more than $2 billion the Trump administration froze after allegations the school didn’t adequately move to curb antisemitism on campus. The receipt of money from the Department of Health and Human Services followed a court victory for Harvard this month in which a federal judge ruled that the US illegally froze the funding. The administration has said it would appeal. (Lorin, 9/19)
Also —
Axios: Trump Social Security Shakeup Is Hurting The Disabled And Poor, Advocates Say
The Trump administration's changes at the Social Security Administration have hurt many disabled and poor Americans, says a report coming out next month. Why it matters: The findings, based on interviews with 14 benefits specialists, attorneys and others who help multiple people apply for benefits, show how the process is pushing many of the poorest Americans closer to the financial edges: potential homelessness, food insecurity and suicidal ideation. (Peck, 9/22)
CIDRAP: Poll: Public Trust In US Health Agencies Down, Only 39% Trust RFK Jr
Public confidence in top US Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is above 60% but has dropped substantially from a year ago, while trust in HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is below 40%, according to a poll of 1,699 US adults released yesterday by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania. (Wappes, 9/19)
