Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Unprecedented Damage Being Done To The CDC; Childhood Vaccines May Be On Chopping Block
The New York Times: We Ran The CDC: RFK Jr. Is Endangering Every American’s Health
We have each had the honor and privilege of serving as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, either in a permanent or an acting capacity, dating back to 1977. Collectively, we spent more than 100 years working at the C.D.C., the world’s pre-eminent public health agency. (William Foege, William Roper, David Satcher, Jeffrey Koplan, Richard Besser, Tom Frieden, Anne Schuchat, Rochelle P. Walensky, and Mandy K. Cohen, 9/1)
The Washington Post: Kennedy’s CDC Purge Will Damage Access To Vaccines
Childhood vaccines could be next on the chopping block. The advisory committee is already considering pulling hepatitis B immunizations and the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine from the standard schedule of shots that nearly all kids receive. At a recent Cabinet meeting, Kennedy hinted at a major announcement next month. (Leana S. Wen, 8/29)
Stat: Hungary’s Warning To U.S. Science And Medicine
When an authoritarian sets out to dismantle a democracy, they rarely begin with tanks in the streets. They start with the institutions that shape how a nation understands itself — its universities, its research labs, its spaces for free inquiry. In Hungary, Viktor Orbán perfected this slow-motion coup against knowledge. Now, the same playbook is being followed here by the Trump administration and Project 2025. (Carole LaBonne, 9/2)
The New York Times: Forcing People Into Drug Treatment Can Save Their Lives
Mayor Eric Adams’s recent proposal to force addicted New Yorkers into treatment if they pose a risk to themselves or others is “horrific,” one activist said. Another said the plan “sends a chill up my spine.” But mandated treatment, if properly implemented, can help addicted people and the communities where they live. (Keith Humphreys, 9/2)
Stat: Statins Should Be Available Over The Counter
There’s a saying in medicine: Statins should be in the water. While this may be hyperbolic, as a cardiologist, I don’t think it’s too far from the truth. Despite being around for a generation, statins — a specific class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels — remain among our strongest tools for reducing a person’s risk for experiencing a life-altering heart attack and stroke. Many Americans with risk factors for heart disease should be taking them. (Vishal Khetpal, 9/2)
Modern Healthcare: Healthcare In Crisis: Workers Lead The Call For Real Solutions
Every day, healthcare workers and employers strive to provide high-quality care in a deeply flawed healthcare system. Long-standing gaps in access, affordability, equity and staffing are becoming increasingly hard to ignore. (Leslie Frane, 8/29)
