Apr 16 Watch 5:11 'Good science takes time': Researcher skeptical autism cause will be found by September By Stephanie Sy, Mary Fecteau, Frank Carlson In a news conference on the rise in autism spectrum disorder, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made no mention of vaccines and instead emphasized the government’s plans to study potential environmental factors. To help put Kennedy's pledge in context,… Continue watching
Apr 16 WATCH: RFK Jr. holds news briefing for CDC findings on the increase of autism prevalence By Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Kennedy described autism as a “preventable disease,” although researchers and scientists have identified genetic factors are associated with it. Autism is not considered a disease, but a complex disorder that impacts the brain. Continue reading
Apr 10 CDC officials start planning for the splintering of their agency By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Several parts of CDC — mostly those devoted to health threats that aren't infectious — are being spun off into the soon-to-be-created Administration for a Healthy America, the agency official told senior leaders in calls and meetings. Continue reading
Apr 10 FDA reverses course on telework after staff reductions threaten basic operations By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press A spokeswoman for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the administration is returning to “pre-COVID telework arrangements for reviewers, whose read and write work output is tracked in 15-minute increments to ensure productivity and accountability.”… Continue reading
Apr 10 WATCH: RFK Jr. orders HHS to determine the cause of autism by September By Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Anti-vaccine advocates, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have for years inaccurately claimed that routine childhood shots may cause autism. Continue reading
Apr 08 Employees say a plan to reorganize HHS will have health and safety consequences By Ali Rogin The Trump administration says the merging and downsizing of some Health and Human Services agencies is aimed at realigning them toward the “core mission” of ending chronic disease. But some HHS workers are skeptical that the restructuring will achieve Secretary… Continue reading
Apr 08 A look at the benefits and potential problems of water fluoridation as it's under attack By Mike Stobbe, Kasturi Pananjady, Associated Press U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he wants communities to stop fluoridating water, and he is setting the gears of government in motion to help make that happen. Continue reading
Apr 08 RFK Jr. will tell CDC to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water By Hannah Schoenbaum, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Health Secretary Robert Kennedy cannot order communities to stop fluoridation, but he can direct the CDC to stop recommending it and work with the EPA to change the allowed amount. Continue reading
Apr 06 RFK Jr. visits epicenter of Texas measles outbreak after second child who was infected dies By Devi Shastri, Amanda Seitz, Associated Press U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the epicenter of Texas' still-growing measles outbreak on Sunday, the same day a funeral was held for a second young child who was not vaccinated and died from a measles-related illness. Continue reading
Apr 02 Watch 8:35 Important HHS services 'will grind to a halt' with cuts, former Secretary Sebelius says By Amna Nawaz, Courtney Norris There’s growing concern over massive cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services as Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. works to reduce the agency workforce by 25 percent. Geoff Bennett discussed the Trump administration's cuts with Kathleen Sebelius, the… Continue watching