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The spelling of STAT-newcomer Chelsea Cirruzzo’s last name was tricky for me at first, but I have it down after reading her name on four stories yesterday. Tip jar: [email protected] or via Signal at John_Wilkerson.07.
New ACIP members announced
Two days after firing all 17 of CDC’s top vaccine advisers, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Wednesday the eight new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices who will replace them, Chelsea and several other colleagues report.
There’s no indication that additional members will be nominated, which would be a significant downsizing. The list includes several well-known critics of vaccines. Read here for the names.
GOP interest in most-favored nation grows
Republicans still aren’t overly enthusiastic about Trump’s plan to tie U.S. drug prices to those in other wealthy countries, but he seems to have gained a key GOP ally.
Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is floating legislation that would carry out Trump’s foreign reference pricing plan, called most-favored nation. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) last month introduced a similar bill with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
It’s an important development because it’s not clear that Trump can force drug companies to lower prices to levels in other countries without a law requiring it. Read here for more details about what Cassidy is considering.
Waiting for MFN
Industry is bracing for details of Trump’s plan to administratively carry out his most-favored nation plan, but it’s not clear that much will be forthcoming, Daniel Payne and Elaine Chen report.
The administration set a deadline of yesterday to disclose the target prices for drugs. Asked when the “price targets” would be issued, a White House spokesperson said they already had been announced and shared a link to a May 20 announcement in which the administration outlined how it would implement the policy.
But that announcement did not set specific price targets.
“Nothing more from us at the moment,” the White House spokesperson said.
Read more about how drugmakers’ approach to negotiating with the White House could be further complicated and how the administration’s drug pricing agenda might be taking shape via other avenues.
You’re un-fired
The Trump administration is asking more than 450 staffers to return to CDC after firing them, Chelsea reports.
It’s not the first time this has happened. For example, HHS last month reinstated hundreds of workers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. That wave of reinstatements followed pressure from Congress, though Kennedy previously said that DOGE mistakenly fired at least 20% of HHS employees and that it was always part of the plan to rehire some employees.
Read more.
Good luck with that
The Trump administration infuriated Democrats by firing about 10,000 employees at HHS, and forcing scores to retire early or accept buyouts. Now Kennedy needs their support to create the Administration for a Healthy America, which he envisions as the new crown jewel of HHS, according to Daniel, Isabella Cueto, and Chelsea.
That might be a difficult task. Even some Republicans have expressed concerns about the cuts in the reorganization plan, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the committee that would fund AHA.
It might be possible for the administration to stand up some version of AHA without Congress, but asking lawmakers to pass a bill authorizing its creation would be the most straightforward approach.
What we’re reading
23andMe leaders grilled on genetic data risks by federal lawmakers, STAT
4 ways women are physically stronger than men, The Washington Post
Congressional report alleges organ procurement groups use loophole to boost ratings, STAT
Reagan invoked the ‘Welfare Queen.’ The new G.O.P. target is a lazy gamer, The New York Times
Senators push back on Trump’s proposed $18 billion NIH budget cut, STAT
