Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
What Will Become Of The NIH, 'Crown Jewel' Of The Federal Government?
The New York Times: Long A ‘Crown Jewel’ Of Government, N.I.H. Is Now A Target
The National Institutes of Health, the world’s leading public funder of biomedical research, has an enviable track record. Research supported by the agency has led to more than 100 Nobel Prizes and has supported more than 99 percent of the drugs approved by federal regulators from 2010 to 2019. No surprise, then, that the agency has been called “the crown jewel of the federal government.” But come January, when President-elect Donald J. Trump and congressional Republicans take charge, the N.I.H. may face a reckoning. (Rosenbluth and Anthes, 12/1)
The Wall Street Journal: How RFK Jr. Transformed From Green Hero To Vaccine Skeptic
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a crusader for decades, first for the environment and then about vaccines, often clashing with the medical establishment in his quest. He once brought his own PowerPoint presentation to meet with Dr. Anthony Fauci, to convince the nation’s then-top infectious-disease expert that scientifically proven and widely accepted childhood vaccines weren’t actually safe. Now his distrust of authority has taken him to the unlikely pinnacle of that establishment—if he can convince lawmakers that he will be a responsible steward of the U.S. health system. (Peterson, Whyte and Andrews, 12/2)
Stat: Former FDA Chief Scott Gottlieb Trying To Undermine RFK Jr.’s Senate Confirmation
Scott Gottlieb, who served as Food and Drug Administration commissioner in the first Trump administration, is raising concerns with Senate Republicans about the president-elect’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he said in a television appearance Friday. Gottlieb maintained that there is “skepticism in the Republican caucus [on RFK Jr.’s nomination], more than the press is reporting right now.” (Zhang, 11/29)
The New York Times: Dr. Dave Weldon, Trump’s CDC Pick, Wasn’t On Anyone’s Radar
Dr. Dave Weldon, a former Republican congressman who is President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been off the political stage for more than 15 years. Now running a private medical practice in Malabar, Fla., Mr. Weldon was hardly regarded as a leading candidate to run the federal agency, a $9 billion behemoth with a staff of more than 13,000 that has become a locus of conservative rage. (Mandavilli and Mueller, 11/29)
KFF Health News: Journalists Dish On New Weight Loss Drugs, RFK Jr.'s Fluoride Claims, And Reproductive Health
KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed a proposed weight loss drug rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on CBS News’ “CBS News 24/7” on Nov. 26. (11/30)
On misinformation —
Stat: Cardiologist In Charge Of YouTube Health Fights Misinformation
YouTube plays a unique role in people’s everyday lives, says Garth Graham, the company’s global head of healthcare and public health. “People come to us to learn how to fix their fridge and to learn about medicines,” he said in an interview. “There’s a lot of responsibility, and we take that seriously. Responsibility is at the core of how YouTube works and how we treat sensitive information, particularly around health.” (St. Fleur, 11/29)
