Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Vaccine Policy Exposes Signs Of Strife Between MAHA Movement, President
Stat: Kennedy Allies Rally As Vaccine Policies Pose Possible Rift With Trump
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive moves to change vaccine policy — adopted by leaders at other federal health agencies — may be putting him at odds with President Trump himself. Now Kennedy’s allies are rallying to support him, believing the coming weeks and months will be key to cementing the Make America Healthy Again agenda in Washington. (Cirruzzo and Payne, 9/8)
The Hill: Democrats Urge Caution In Battle Over Vaccines, RFK Jr.
Democrats are jumping into the fray to voice their disapproval about Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the broader debate of rolling back vaccines, which was announced in Florida this past week. But after the public pushback on COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccines on the heels of the pandemic, some voices in the Democratic Party are urging restraint, even as public opinion leans toward them and Republicans show their own divisions. (Parnes, 9/8)
The Hill: Chris Christie: RFK Jr. A 'Joke'
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Sunday called Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a “joke” amid turmoil in Kennedy’s own department. “You looked at that appearance before Congress, and it just confirms what all of us around this table have known for decades: Robert F Kennedy Jr. is a foolish man, full of foolish and vapid ideas,” Christie said on ABC News’s “This Week.” (Suter, 9/8)
More on the upheaval at HHS —
The Washington Post: RFK Jr. Considering New Vaccine Advisers Who Criticized Coronavirus Shots
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been weighing whether to appoint new members to the committee that recommends which vaccines Americans should receive, according to two former federal health officials, most of whom appear to have been highly critical of coronavirus vaccines. Kennedy in June fired every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with his own picks, most of whom have criticized coronavirus vaccine policies. (Weber and Sun, 9/8)
CIDRAP: CDC Upheaval Triggers Global Concern Amid Ongoing US Vaccine Policy Debate
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday called for efforts to protect public health excellence at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which follows massive staff layoffs, the firing of its newly confirmed director, recent resignations of top scientists, an armed attack, and the gutting of its vaccine advisory group under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary. (Schnirring, 9/8)
MedPage Today: NIH Chief Becomes Loomer's Next Target
The latest Trump administration official to field criticism from far-right activist Laura Loomer is NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD. Last week, Loomer posted a video on X showing Bhattacharya being confronted about the topic of animal testing as he entered the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, D.C. Along with the video, Loomer alleged in her post that the NIH is extending animal testing grants and "issuing tens of millions of dollars in new grants that fund testing on dogs, cats and primates." (Henderson, 9/8)
On state vaccine access —
CIDRAP: Minnesota, New York Issue Executive Orders Promoting Access To COVID Vaccines
Governors in Minnesota and New York are issuing executive orders in an effort to protect vaccine access in those states, in the wake of chaos and confusion over the availability of COVID-19 vaccine boosters at the federal level. In Minnesota, the executive order from Governor Tim Walz directs the state epidemiologist to issue a standing order for the COVID-19 vaccine, which offers flexibility for healthcare providers and pharmacists to provide the vaccine. (Soucheray, 9/8)
The Boston Globe: COVID Booster Confusion Eases In Mass. After Healey's Order
Sasha Singh walked into the Fenway Target Sunday morning with one goal: to get COVID shots for herself and her 82-year-old mother. She left disappointed. Singh, 49, of Fenway, was told that the pharmacy is reserving vaccinations for those who are elderly or at-risk, per guidelines from the federal government. Her mother left with a vaccine appointment, but she left empty-handed. (Coultoff, Schmeiszer and Tokhi, 9/8)
San Francisco Chronicle: California COVID Hospitalizations Double As Vaccine Access Tightens
California is seeing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled in the past month, and wastewater data shows “very high” levels of the virus circulating across the state. The spike comes just as access to updated vaccines is becoming more complicated under the Trump administration, leaving many wondering how they’ll navigate the fall respiratory virus season. (Vaziri, 9/8)
Central Florida Public Media: DeSantis Says He's Anti-Mandate, Not Anti-Vax As GOP Pushes Back On Plan For Florida Kids
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he's anti-mandate, not anti-vaccine. His comments on Monday come after high-ranking Republicans opposed his plan to end shot requirements for schoolchildren in the state. (Prieur, 9/8)
Also —
NPR: This Is What Could Happen To A Child Who Doesn't Get Vaccinated
Pneumonia struck first. Then tonsillitis spiraled into sepsis. Malaria battered him next, and after treatment, the other illnesses flared back up again. This unvaccinated 2-year-old boy is trapped in a relentless cycle. "I was very sad. I knew these things could be prevented by vaccines," his mother, Alzhraa Fadul, says through an interpreter. (Ruprecht, 9/8)
NBC News: The Hepatitis B Vaccine Has Sharply Cut Infections In Children. Why Are Some Against It?
The hepatitis B vaccine has emerged as the latest flashpoint as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to cast doubt on the safety of vaccines. The vaccine is routinely given to babies shortly after birth because hepatitis B — an incurable infection that can lead to liver disease, cancer and death — can be transmitted from mother to child during delivery. (Szabo, 9/9)
