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Health Care

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The Big Story

GOP senator says Trump pick RFK Jr. ‘wrong’ on vaccines

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy (La.), the incoming chair of the Senate HELP Committee, said Sunday that President-elect Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary is ‘wrong’ when it comes to vaccinations.

Discussing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination on Fox News, Cassidy, a physician, said, “Vaccinations, he’s wrong on, and so I just look forward to having a good dialogue with him on that.”

The Louisiana senator said of Kennedy, “I agree with him on some things and disagree on others,” noting he shares concerns over ultra-processed foods. He will meet with Kennedy this week.

While Kennedy has rejected being labelled “anti-vaccine,” he previously led the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense and has long stated his belief that vaccines are linked to autism.

Cassidy will have two chances to question Kennedy as HELP Committee chair and as a member of the Finance Committee, which will hold the nomination hearing and vote.

Remember: Cassidy voted to convict Trump after his 2021 impeachment trial, but is facing a potential serious primary challenger and how he votes on Trump’s nominees will be heavily scrutinized.

Kennedy has been meeting with GOP senators to shore up support for his confirmation. While his path to confirmation has been smoother than some of Trump’s other nominees like Pete Hegseth for secretary of Defense, Kennedy’s ascent to HHS secretary is far from a sure thing.

Should all Senate Democrats oppose Kennedy’s nomination, he can only afford to lose three Republican votes.

The former Democrat turned Independent has expressed his support for abortion access, though his meetings with staunch anti-abortion Senate Republicans seem to have allayed concerns they may have had.

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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Essential Reads

How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:

U.S. records first death from bird flu amid growing concerns

A Louisiana patient hospitalized in critical condition with severe bird flu has died, the state health department said Monday, marking the first U.S. death due to the virus. The patient was older than 65 years and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a noncommercial backyard flock and wild birds. While the public health risk for the public …

Full Story

New FDA guidance aims to improve accuracy of pulse oximeters for people of color

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) draft guidance would require manufacturers of pulse oximeters to gather far more clinical data to show the devices accurately work across a range of skin tones. The long-awaited guidance released Monday comes in response to mounting evidence that the devices, which are used to quickly estimate a person’s blood oxygen levels, are less accurate on people with darker skin. The FDA …

Full Story

Analysis links fluoride exposure to low IQ but finds ‘high risk of bias’ in most studies

An analysis of more than 70 studies on fluoride and IQ levels concluded there was a relationship between higher levels of the common water additive and lower IQ levels in children, though a large percentage of the studies were noted as having a “high risk of bias.” The meta-analysis published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics was supported by and conducted on behalf of the National Institute of Environmental …

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read:

Paxlovid may help some long COVID patients: Research

A small study published Monday found that the COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid may have use as a treatment for long COVID when administered outside of an infection. Administration of Paxlovid during a SARS-CoV-2 infection has previously been linked to a lower risk of developing long COVID symptoms. But a study published in the Nature science journal suggests taking the treatment may have benefits for people with long COVID …

Full Story

Around the Nation

Local and state headlines on health care:

Community behavioral health centers have helped ease the ER boarding crisis. Now some are struggling financially (Boston Globe).
Tennessee maternal deaths decline in 2022 after COVID highs, but disparities remain (Tennessee Lookout)
Mental health advocates ask Texas lawmakers to replace expiring COVID-19 relief funding (The Texas Tribune)

What We’re Reading

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Health insurers limit coverage of prosthetic limbs, questioning their medical necessity (KFF Health News)
What Covid tried to teach us — and why it will matter in the next pandemic (Stat)
Overblown fears of HMPV cases in China reflect pandemic scars (Washington Post)

What Others are Reading

Most read stories on The Hill right now:

Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act into law: What to know

President Biden signed legislation into law over the weekend to expand Social Security benefits for droves of Americans. The measure, dubbed the Social … Read more

Trump pitches ‘merged’ US, Canada after Trudeau resignation announcement

President-elect Trump pitched the idea of a “merged” United States and Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, … Read more

What People Think

Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:

Tragedies highlight need for mental health checks for vets
Price transparency could be the healthcare win Trump wants (and America needs)

You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!

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About The Author

Jana Carter

Jana Carter is a news writer and editor at Pax Press Agency. She's also a tech enthusiast, an avid reader, and an artist in her free time. She loves to write about everything from sports to art to politics—and she always strives to make her writing fun, accessible, and informative.

Health Care

Health Care

GOP senator says Trump pick RFK Jr. ‘wrong’ on vaccines

About The Author

Jana Carter

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