RFK Jr. planning to remove all USPSTF members

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to remove all the members of USPSTF, which determines what cancer screenings and other preventive health measures insurers must cover, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

The sources told the Journal that Kennedy plans to dismiss all 16 members of the panel because he views them as too "woke."

Separately, a person familiar with the plans told STAT that Kennedy could "imminently" replace the members of USPSTF and said federal health officials are actively vetting new members for the task force. David Mansdoerfer, chief strategy adviser to the Independent Medical Alliance, a group of physicians aligned with Kennedy, said he's aware of people being considered for the panel.

Both Mansdoerfer and the person who spoke to STAT said the people under consideration for the task force are likely to more closely align with the Trump administration's goals related to restoring confidence in public health.

Mansdoerfer said that currently USPSTF is "M.D. heavy" and a new version of the panel is likely to include "allied health professionals," which are healthcare providers who aren't nurses or physicians, like physical therapists or dietitians.

In a statement, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said that "no final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS's mandate to Make America Healthy Again."

USPSTF advises HHS on which services should be covered without cost-sharing, and earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled in a lawsuit that USPSTF's appointments are constitutional given members of the task force are "inferior officers" and are "removable at will by the Secretary of HHS, and their recommendations are reviewable by the Secretary before they take effect."

A recent essay in The American Conservative called for the removal of USPSTF's members, arguing it had embedded "left-wing ideological orthodoxy" in its efforts. The essay pointed to the task force's highlighting of racial discrimination when discussing risk factors for anxiety in older children and teenagers, as well as USPSTF's use of the term "pregnant persons."

Earlier this month, Kennedy's office abruptly postponed USPSTF's July meeting, which alarmed some health leaders and congressional Democrats.

On Tuesday, Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced a resolution to preserve USPSTF, recognizing the "important work" of the task force, calling for it to continue without interruption or delay, and to "continue to be grounded in transparent, evidence-based review that is based on vetted, proven, and scientifically demonstrated studies."

In a letter to Kennedy, the American Medical Association (AMA) defended USPSTF saying it "plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services."

"As such, we urge you to retain the previously appointed members of the USPSTF and commit to the long-standing process of regular meetings to ensure their important work can be continued without disruption," AMA added.

(Whyte, Wall Street Journal, 7/25; Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 7/25; Bettelheim, Axios, 7/28; Yang, The Guardian, 7/27; Cirruzzo, STAT+ [subscription required], 7/29; Huang, "Shots," NPR, 7/29)

HHS adopts recommendation removing all flu vaccines containing thimerosal

HHS last week announced it adopted a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to remove all influenza vaccines containing thimerosal, a preservative that some anti-vaccine activists have linked to autism.

In June, ACIP heard a presentation on the use of thimerosal in some flu vaccines from Lyn Redwood, a former leader of the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cofounded.

During the meeting, Redwood claimed that thimerosal was toxic to the brain and refuted claims that there has been no proven harm from the preservative in vaccines.

Several studies have been conducted on whether the form of mercury in thimerosal could cause neurotoxicity when used in childhood vaccines, including one 2004 assessment from the Institute of Medicine — now known as the National Academy of Medicine — that concluded "the body of epidemiological evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism." A 2010 study from CDC also found no link between thimerosal and autism rates.

Currently, the preservative is present in "a small percentage of flu vaccines, confined to multidose vials," according to the Vaccine Integrity Project. During the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season, just 3% of children and 2% of older adults received a flu vaccine containing thimerosal, according to an analysis of electronic health records by Truveta.

Ultimately, ACIP voted 5-1 to recommend against flu vaccines containing thimerosal.

In a statement, Kennedy said HHS' decision to adopt the recommendation fulfilled a promise to protect vulnerable populations from unnecessary exposure to mercury.

"Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility," Kennedy said. "We urge global health authorities to follow this prudent example for the protection of children worldwide," he added.

(Bettelheim, Axios, 7/23; Mandavilli, New York Times, 7/23)

Top vaccine official at FDA suddenly resigns

Vinay Prasad, the head of the FDA division that regulates vaccines, gene therapies, and blood products, resigned Tuesday following a public campaign led against him by right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and lobbying by former Republican Senator Rick Santorum.

Over the past week, Loomer took to social media highlighting Prasad's decisions denying approval of new drugs for rare diseases and highlighting past statements he made in support of prominent left-wing figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon confirmed the resignation and said that Prasad "did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family. We thank him for his service and the many important reforms he was able to achieve in his time at FDA."

The resignation comes following escalating tensions and criticism for Prasad's crackdown on Sarepta Therapeutics, which came under scrutiny after two teenagers and a 51-year-old man died of liver complications after using Sarepta's gene therapy drugs.

Prasad pressured the company to stop shipping its drug Elevidys for Duchenne muscular dystrophy but then reversed his decision days later for young boys who can still walk and are believed to be at lower risk of complications.

Critics argued that Prasad's actions were tantamount to a crusade against Sarepta, and Santorum, who has ties to Sarepta, called top White House officials to relay his concerns, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the New York Times.

(Lawrence, et al., STAT+ [subscription required], 7/29; Jewett, New York Times, 7/29)

Senate confirms Susan Monarez as CDC director

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Susan Monarez as director of CDC in a 51-47 party line vote.

Monarez was named acting director of CDC in January and was nominated for director after President Donald Trump withdrew his first pick, Dave Weldon.

Monarez holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin and did postdoctoral research at Stanford University. Before joining CDC, she worked in various government roles in health technology and biosecurity.

During her confirmation hearing, Monarez said she values vaccines and rigorous scientific evidence but avoided directly answering any questions regarding whether those views would put her at odd with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Before the Senate health committee advanced Monarez's nomination, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the panel, said the United States needs a CDC director "who makes decisions rooted in science; a leader who will reform the agency and work to restore public trust in health institutions."

Cassidy added that Monarez will work on modernizing data health systems that are "especially crucial as the nation combats reemerging public health threats like measles, which has taken three lives in the United States this year and hospitalized many more due to misinformation regarding the measles vaccine."

(Associated Press, 7/29; Sun, Washington Post, 7/29)