Health Care
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Health Care
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Anti-RFK Jr. campaign highlights vaccine rhetoric |
A new report from a left-wing advocacy group highlights Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s history as a leader in the anti-vaccine movement. |
The report from Protect Our Care and its Stop RFK War Room showcases the Trump Cabinet pick's past statements and actions, ranging from linking vaccines in general to autism to attacks against disease-specific vaccines like measles, COVID-19, polio and HPV.
The report, which will be delivered to congressional offices Thursday and was shared first with The Hill, comes as Kennedy seeks to rebrand himself as an advocate for transparency about vaccines, rather than a vaccine skeptic who openly questions their safety. Kennedy, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been meeting with dozens of senators in both parties in recent weeks as he seeks to secure support for his nomination. Many Republicans have enthusiastically endorsed Kennedy and even launched their own "MAHA," or Make America Healthy Again, caucus. But others haven’t been as effusive in their comments after meeting with him.
The report from Protect Our Care is part of the group’s larger campaign ahead of Kennedy’s confirmation hearings. It includes advertising and events in the home states of key GOP senators, contacting their offices, lobbying, as well as D.C.-focused events and ads. Protect Our Care has been a leading voice among Democratic circles to fight against GOP-led cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. “RFK Jr. can’t hide from his record of spreading baseless lies and conspiracy theories about vaccines – it speaks for itself,” Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse said in a statement. “RFK Jr. has more than earned his reputation as an anti-vaccine extremist, and Americans will lose their lives if he is confirmed as HHS Secretary.” The Hill has reached out to Kennedy's team for comment.
Kennedy’s confirmation hearings in front of the Senate Finance Committee as well as the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee have not yet been scheduled, but are expected in the coming weeks. |
Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned a controversial red dye from food and ingested drugs that has been linked to cancer in animals. The FDA has decided to rescind its approval of FD&C Red No. 3 — also referred to simply as Red No. 3 — from food and drug supplies more than 30 years after the agency banned it from cosmetics. The agency’s decision comes less than a week before President-elect Trump … |
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A group of experts from around the world are proposing an alternative way of defining clinical obesity, eschewing the commonly referenced body max index (BMI) and instead approaching the condition similarly to chronic illnesses to improve decision making when it comes therapies and public health strategies. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission asserted in a paper published this week that “current BMI-based … |
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(KTXL) — The Wildfire Conservancy is conducting a first-of-a-kind cancer study on firefighters battling the Palisades Fire. The goal is to track how the extreme conditions increase firefighters’ risk of cancer. The study comes after the International Agency for Research on Cancer officially classified firefighting as a carcinogenic profession. The initiative is a collaboration with Cal Fire, the National Firefighter Cancer … |
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Trust in Science: The High-Stakes Game For U.S. Public Health
Thursday, Jan. 16 in Washington, D.C. | In person, streaming nationally
The Hill and the Alliance for Aging Research are hosting a timely discussion on Jan. 16 to discuss the challenges public health leaders face to restore trust in medical science and U.S. health agencies. Join us as we convene leaders in government, health care, science and patient advocacy to analyze the current state of health care discourse.
Speakers include: -
Dr. Larry Bucshon, former GOP congressman from Indiana; senior policy advisor, Holland & Knight
- Imran Ahmed, founder & CEO, Center for Countering Digital Hate
- Lynn Albizo, chief public policy officer, Immune Deficiency Foundation
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Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director, American Public Health Association
- Dr. Paul Offit, director, Vaccine Education Center and attending physician, Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
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Branch out with a different read: |
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FDA proposes sweeping limits on nicotine in cigarettes |
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a sweeping proposal Wednesday to try to make cigarettes less addictive by lowering the amount of nicotine they contain, an eleventh-hour plan from the Biden administration that will take years to go into effect, if it happens at all. The move gives the White House one last chance to try to regulate tobacco — it previously punted on finalizing a long-standing pledge to ban menthol-flavored … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
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Prospect Medical’s cash crisis forces surgery delays in Rhode Island (Boston Globe)
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Midwives blame California rules for hampering birth centers amid maternity care crisis (KFF Health News)
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New Nebraska bills focus on human development education, health director authority (Nebraska Examiner)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
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Make America ageless: Trump’s health picks take longevity movement mainstream (The Wall Street Journal)
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Trump and Biden officials begin talks on bird flu crisis (NBC News)
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How a company makes millions off a hospital program meant to help the poor (The New York Times)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will not make Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the 119th Congress, … Read more |
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(NEXSTAR) – A colorful ingredient you may find in your pantry or medicine cabinet is now banned by the Food and Drug Administration. Erythrosine, which … Read more |
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Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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Thousands of doctors are calling on the Senate to reject Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., saying he is "actively dangerous."
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