Healthy returns: HHS secretary rfk jr. is making early moves that may affect vaccine access

A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Healthy Returns NewsLetter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox.Subscribe here to receive future editions.

It’s been less than two weeks since Robert F. Kennedy Jr, A Prominent Vaccine Skeptic, WAS Confirmed To lead the department of health and human services.

But he’s alredy making moves that could affect immunization uptake and policy in the US HHS did not immediatily respond to a request for comment on that efforts.

That’s not much of a surprise. Kennedy has long made Made Misleading and False Statements about the Safety of Shots. He has class they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that debunk that association.

Kennedy is also the founder of the Nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, The Most Well-Funded Anti-Vaccine Organization in the Us in a Government ethics Agreement In January, He said he stopped serving as Chairman or Chief Legal Counsel for the Organization as of December.

Kennedy tried to distance Himself from that Views during his Senate Confirmation HearingsClaiming that he isn’t “Anti-Vaccine” and would do noting to make it “Diffficult or discourage people from Taking” Shots for Measles and Polio.

Sen. Bill cassidy from louisiana, who was considered one of the biggest republican swing votes, Eventually Backed Kennedy’s nomination after receiving assurances that the trump administration would not dismantle the nation’s vaccine safety systems or alter government recommendations for immunizations.

But his track record so far sugges otherwise.

Here’s what has reportedly happy with vaccines under kennedy so far:

• Childhood Vaccination Schedule Review – In his first speech to staff, kennedy said last week that he will review the childhood vaccine schedule Despite earlier pledges not to do so. He promised that a new “make america healthy against” commission would investigate vaccines, pesticides and antidePressants to see if they have contributed to a rain of chronic event in the us traump commission last week in an executive orderThought kennedy did not directly call for changes to the vaccination schedule, He made it clear that the committee will investate issues, include childhood vaccinations, that “waserly taboo or insufficiently scrutinized insufficiently. “

• CDC Vaccine Promotional Campaign Halted –The cdc was ordered to shelve some promotions it created for a variety of vaccines, including a campaign touting seasonal flu shots, according to multiple utlets. HHS ‘Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Informed The CDC that Keennedy Wanted Advertisements that Promote the Idea of ​​”Informed Consent” In Vaccine-Making INSTEAD, Stat News, Stat News Reported Last Week. Informed Consent Reefers to a process in which patients are given importing information, include posesable risks and benefits, about a medical procedure or treatment. It comes amid a brutal flu season in the us that is still ongoing.

• Plans to remove some cdc, FDA Advisors –Kennedy is preparaing to remove members of the external committees that advance and drug administration and cdc on vaccine approvals and other key public health decisions, POLITICO ReportedLast Week. He reportedly plans to replace members who he perceives to have conflicts of interest, thought it is unchary how many people people will be outed or when. That’s part of a broader effort to limit what he has criticized as undue pharmaceutical industry influence over the government’s health agencies. Kennedy will likely target the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization practices – or acip – which plays a critical role in setting us vaccine policy. He is also examining other outside panels, such as that that advise the fda.

• First CDC Advisory Panel Meeting Postponed –The first acip meeting insurance was called in has been postponed To “Accommodate Public Comment in Advance of the meeting,” According to Several News Outlets. The panel of advisors meets three times a year to weight and conscience of newly approved or updated shoots. The acip helps the cdc make recommendations for states and insurers on what vaccines to covers, Including Childhood Immunizations. It’s unplear if kennedy was directly behind the delay of the meeting, which was originally scheduled for Wednsday through Friday. HHS Officials did not share when it will be rescued.

We’ll continue to follow the fate of the nation’s approach to vaccines. Stay tuned for our updates.

Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to annika at [email protected],

Oracle on Monday announced it has Formally submitted Its application to join a new federally-backed Medical Network Called the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, or Tefca.

The network aims to standardize the legal and technical requirements for sharing patients’ data, which is a notorously complex process. Health-Care data is siloed and protected by laws like health insurance portability and accountability act, or HipaaSo exchanging this information on a large scale is no easy task.

Tefca was launched in late 2023 and falls under the purview of an office in the US department of health and human services. Oracle Had Previously Announced Its Internation to join Tefca in October.

Oracle acqured the medical records giant Cerner for About $ 28 Billion in 2022, and the company has been working to revamp its technology in recent years. Joining Tefca is a “Natural Next Step” For Oracle, Sema Verma, Executive Vice President of Oracle Health and Life Sciences, Told CNBC in An October Interview.

“This builds on our long-standing leadership in driving interoperability to Increase Industry-Wide Efficiency and to Help ENSURE PATITES RETAIN CONTOIN CONTON CONTON CONTON CONTROL Over Monday.

The main groups that participate in health-data exchanges through tefca are called Qualified Health Information Networks, or QHINS. These networks have to get approved and their participation is voluntary.

As of Tuesday, Eight Organizations, Including Oracle Competitor EPIC Systems, Have Been Recognized as Designated Qhins for Tefca Exchange.

If Oracle is approved to join tefca, it would help expand the exchange’s record and could further Bolster its credibility. Oracle’s network would support support of data like x-rays and mris that are not traditional available available available through other exchanges, the company added.

IT’s not immomedialy cleared if or when oracle’s application will be approved.

Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at [email protected],