Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Halts Federal Grants And Loans, Rattling Health Agencies
Stat: Trump Orders Pause On Federal Grants, Loans
The White House’s budget office ordered government agencies to pause grants and loans on a host of government programs, the latest in a freeze on federal action that has upended health agencies. The internal memo, sent on Monday, explicitly targets gender-affirming care and global financial assistance, citing two of President Trump’s priorities during his campaign and his initial storm of executive orders on Inauguration Day. (Owermohle, 1/27)
Stat: NIH Eases Restrictions On Staff After Trump Freeze Sparked Chaos
The National Institutes of Health’s myriad divisions can start new work on mission-critical research, and continue working on ongoing studies, but cannot publicly communicate about them until the new Trump administration lifts a communications freeze, the acting director said in a memo to leaders of the agency’s 27 institutes and centers on Monday. (Owermohle, 1/27)
The Hill: Democrats Call On White House To Restore NIH Operations
A trio of Democrats on Monday called on the Trump administration to restore full operations at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) warning that the halt in the agency’s grant process could cause “disastrous” consequences domestically and abroad. Democratic Maryland Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) wrote to acting Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Dorothy Fink about their concerns regarding disrupted NIH research. (Choi, 1/27)
In related news —
AP: CDC Ordered To Stop Working With WHO Immediately
U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.” Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing global threats. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock. (Stobbe, 1/27)
Bloomberg: US HHS Sets Antiabortion Stance Before RFK Jr. Senate Hearing
The US Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday that it would return to policies that ensure no federal funds are used to pay for or promote abortions. The news release was the first since the Trump administration placed a temporary freeze last week on some government work and communications on health topics. (Rutherford, 1/27)
The New York Times: Trump Administration Puts Dozens Of U.S.A.I.D. Officials On Paid Leave
The Trump administration placed several dozen senior officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development on administrative leave in response to what an official characterized as resistance to President Trump’s policy. An email on Monday to U.S.A.I.D. staff from the agency’s acting administrator, Jason Gray, said that Trump officials “have identified several actions within U.S.A.I.D. that appear to be designed to circumvent” an executive order. (Crowley and Wong, 1/27)
The New York Times: Trump Administration Halts H.I.V. Drug Distribution In Poor Countries
The Trump administration has instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing H.I.V. medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics. The directive is part of a broader freeze on foreign aid initiated last week. It includes the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the global health program started by George W. Bush that is credited with saving more than 25 million lives worldwide. (Mandavilli, 1/27)
