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HHS Lawyers Objected to New Powers for Kennedy’s COVID Vaccine Adviser
U.S. government lawyers attempted to block a vaccine skeptic appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from assuming new powers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that could be used to restrict access to COVID-19 shots, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Retsef Levi, a professor of operations management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, serves as an outside adviser to the government on vaccines. He was elevated to the head of a work group with CDC on COVID-19 immunization in August.
At the same time, new rules published by CDC would allow him to appoint other panel members, set the work priorities and shape recommendations on who should receive COVID-19 vaccines.
In the end, the Kennedy appointee did receive those new powers. Lawyers at the Department of Health and Human Services “expressed legal concerns” about the widened scope and Levi’s outsized role in the group and proposed that government officials narrow its purview to topics “that are within the scope of the CDC mission,” according to an Aug. 25 email to federal health officials that was read to Reuters.
GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy’s Tenuous Alliance With RFK Jr. Is About to Hit a Breaking Point
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy once hoped to forge an alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that could revitalize Americans’ trust in public health. But just seven months after Cassidy’s vote paved the way for Kennedy to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, their relationship has reached a breaking point.
Cassidy led a hearing Wednesday with fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Susan Monarez, granting her a high-profile platform to detail the internal clashes over vaccines that prompted Kennedy to oust her just four weeks after endorsing her appointment.
The hearing represented an extraordinary departure from congressional Republicans’ typical Trump-era aim of shielding the administration from criticism — instead elevating testimony that threatens to damage Kennedy’s credibility and amplify scrutiny of his efforts to reevaluate access to certain longstanding vaccines.
More States Protect Access to the COVID Shot as Feds Restrict Eligibility
The Alabama Reflector reported:
At least 17 states have taken steps to ensure broader access to the COVID-19 vaccine since last month, when the federal government significantly restricted eligibility for the shot. Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin have issued orders that aim to make it easier for people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. All but Virginia have Democratic governors.
Together, the moves represent an extraordinary state rebellion against the public health authority of the federal government. For decades, states have followed the lead of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on which vaccines Americans should get, and when they should get them.
Now, rejecting the antivaccine stance of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an increasing number of states say they will rely instead on their own public health experts and professional medical organizations for that advice.
Gov. Whitmer Issues Executive Directive Easing Access to COVID-19 Vaccines in Michigan
The Detroit Free Press reported:
With rapidly changing federal vaccine policy and confusion about guidelines, eligibility and insurance coverage, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive directive Wednesday, Sept. 17, that orders state agencies to identify and remove barriers that could hinder Michiganders’ access to COVID-19 vaccines.
“Cold, flu, and COVID-19 season are upon us,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We all have a role to play in keeping our communities safe and healthy. Today’s executive directive ensures Michiganders can get the COVID-19 vaccine if it’s right for them. According to medical experts, vaccines remain the most effective way to stay healthy.”
Whitmer’s directive instructs the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to: Ensure health insurance plans under the regulatory authority of MDHHS and DIFS — including Medicaid and health plans in the individual, small group and large group markets — cover COVID-19 vaccines. Issue clear, accessible guidance to pharmacists, health care providers, and to the public about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
New HHS Campaign Tackles Youth Vaping, Nicotine Addiction
U.S. health officials have targeted youth vaping in a new campaign amid the high popularity of e-cigarettes used by young people. On Tuesday, the Surgeon General’s office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled its new resource guide on youth and teen vaping to counter what many fear is a rising tide on e-cigarette use among America’s younger population.
“Youth vaping is not a harmless trend,” said Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, senior adviser and acting chief of staff in the office of the U.S. Surgeon General. More than 1.6 million youth last year reported vaping, and, additionally, up to 85% of e-cigarette devices and pods sold in U.S. retailers are considered to be “illegal products,” according to federal authorities.
HHS officials argue that, despite evidence that alcohol use is on the decline, e-cigarette use among U.S. middle- and high-school students remains robust, saying that e-cigarette vaping is the most commonly used tobacco product by youth. A recent study indicates that vaping appears to act as a gateway to cigarette smoking among younger Americans, even though a separate Australian study suggested that vaping may be better than traditional nicotine therapy if used to quit smoking.
