Cassidy Got Pledges From RFK Jr. on Vaccines. They Haven’t Stuck.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reinstated hundreds of employees from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) after a significant number were placed on administrative leave by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last April. This decision affects approximately 90 percent of the nearly 1,000 NIOSH employees.

Initial enrollment in Obamacare has dropped by 1.4 million, primarily due to the expiration of premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), leading to increased costs for consumers. This decline highlights the challenges faced by individuals seeking affordable healthcare coverage in the current market environment.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed two new members to the CDC's vaccine advisory committee, both of whom have a history of opposing vaccines and antidepressants during pregnancy. This move has raised concerns about the potential shift in public health policy under his leadership.

He Jiankui, known for creating gene-edited babies, has returned to work after serving three years in prison. He argues that his actions were a reflection of being ahead of his time in a society unprepared for his vision of gene editing.

Medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, are mobilizing to oppose the C.D.C.'s revised childhood vaccine schedule, which reduces the recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. They argue that this decision lacks scientific backing and poses a risk to public health. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Health Department's bypassing of established protocols has raised significant concerns among health professionals.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed a new childhood vaccine schedule that reduces the number of recommended vaccines from 17 to 11, sparking significant controversy and concern among public health experts and medical groups. This change is perceived as part of a broader strategy that emphasizes individual autonomy over established scientific consensus regarding immunization.

A recent analysis of over 5,000 pages of FDA documents regarding mifepristone, the abortion pill, indicates that FDA leaders consistently adhered to evidence-based recommendations from scientists over a 12-year period. This finding underscores the agency's commitment to scientific integrity in its decision-making processes.