Latest news with #Kennedy
Fox News
16 minutes ago
- Politics
- Fox News
The Shortest Campaign Ever
After months of speculation, it was announced former Vice President Kamala Harris is NOT running for governor of California. However, she is writing a memoir about her short-lived presidential campaign. Kennedy thinks not running is the end of Harris' political career and she should go out with a bang. Unfortunately, that's not the case here. Follow Kennedy on Twitter: @KennedyNation Kennedy Now Available on YouTube: Follow on TikTok: Join Kennedy for Happy Hour on Fridays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
3 hours ago
- Health
Members of CDC vaccine panel ousted by RFK Jr. say committee has 'lost credibility'
The members of a federal vaccine advisory committee, who were removed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are suggesting alternatives to vaccine policy in the U.S. because the panel has "lost credibility." In early June, Kennedy dismissed all 17 sitting members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine recommendations. Kennedy replaced the group with his own, hand-selected members, many of whom had expressed skeptical views on vaccines. Since then, the committee has recommended against flu vaccines containing thimerosal -- a preservative that has been falsely linked to autism -- has said the childhood immunization schedule will be studied and has cast doubt on whether newborns need the hepatitis B vaccine. The members also expressed skepticism around the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, which Kennedy announced earlier this year will no longer be recommended for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. In a , the former members wrote that the rigorous process for recommending vaccines is "rapidly eroding." Dr. Noel Brewer, a former ACIP member removed by Kennedy and a professor in the department of health behavior at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, told ABC News that since the upheaval of the ACIP, vaccination has changed in the U.S. in a "fundamental" way and that the committee has "lost credibility." "We no longer have a single authority that's trustworthy to tell us who should get vaccinated at what age," he said. "This is a change in vaccine policy that is unprecedented, and we felt it important to start thinking about what a future should look like, or what a future will look like." "There is no good alternative to ACIP; the most that we could do is try to limit the damage," Brewer continued. He said ACIP has lost credibility with health care providers, especially with the decision to cut COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, and that the recent ACIP meeting was disappointing to witness. In the commentary, the first recommended step is to have professional organizations work together to "harmonize vaccine recommendations." Brewer said this is already happening, with professional societies meeting and establishing vaccination schedules. The American Academy of Pediatrics will recommend pediatricians and parents follow its own immunization schedule, which it has published for decades. The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians will publish recommendations for adults and the Infectious Diseases Society of America will set a schedule for people who are immunocompromised. Brewer said that while the recommendations will clarify what good health care is, it doesn't ensure that private insurers or the federal Vaccines for Children program will cover those vaccines. The second recommendation is for an external auditor of the new ACIP recommendations. "It's unclear how exactly that would play out, but some organizations would listen in on the ACIP meetings and, once they've concluded, look at the data and look at the decisions and see if they're reasonable," Brewer said. "Former ACIP members have taken on some of this role and will be commenting on the recent meeting." The third recommendation is to have a parallel system that follows past ACIP practices, which Brewer said would consist of people with credentials in fields such as immunology, virology and vaccinology who would meet once a quarter or every four months to review data and generate recommendations. Brewer said this system would be unlikely to succeed, however, due to the amount of funding it would cost and whether the CDC would be willing to share data before it's publicly available. However, he said this does not solve the current problem that the committee is missing members who have expertise in child primary care and vaccine implementation. "Those gaps were quite apparent at the last meeting," Brewer said. "They need to fill those gaps that will help credibility, but will not fully take care of the problem that the committee has tilted from being pro-vaccine to anti-vaccine, and that change complicates their roles as a recommending body." In a statement to ABC News, an HHS spokesperson said the former panelists "have it wrong, just like their rubber-stamped decisions on COVID vaccines." "Secretary Kennedy has restored public trust through his reconstitution of ACIP with highly credentialed medical doctors and public health experts committed to evidence-based medicine, gold standard science, and common sense," the statement said. "By replacing vaccine groupthink with a diversity of perspectives, Secretary Kennedy is strengthening the integrity of the advisory process guiding immunization policy in this country. Additionally, you can't claim them as anti-vaccine when they recommended them at their first meeting."
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Teen arrested for allegedly vandalizing over 60 cars in Quincy; competency evaluation ordered
It wasn't clear who represented him at arraignment in Quincy District Court, where he was also ordered to undergo an evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial, legal filings show. Around 8 a.m. Saturday, Quincy police went to 133 Commander Shea Blvd. after receiving a report that a car had been vandalized, according to Chief Mark Kennedy. Advertisement After police Some of the cars had scratches or had been 'keyed,' police said. The vehicles affected included a two-week-old BMW, a gray Jeep, and a Mercedes cargo van, police said. Police collected video footage and potential fingerprints from the scenes, Kennedy said. Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report. This story will be updated when more information is released. Travis Andersen can be reached at
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Scottish police officers worked 16 hour days during Trump visit
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said the force is in dire need of more officers ahead of the Commonwealth Games and other large events next summer. 'The last week has been frustrating for officers,' Mr Kennedy said. 'It was very tiring; long hours and long days. Officers were on 12 hour shifts, but if you include the time spent being transported to staging hubs, they were working 15 to 16 hour days. 'Police Scotland did their best, but we don't have enough police officers for these sorts of events. We've had to rely on folks from across the UK. There's an additional cost to that.' Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond. (Image: Colin Mearns) Police Scotland has confirmed that 6,144 officers were deployed across the five day visit, while 1,197 were called up from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said: "This significant event took place safely without any serious disruption. 'A policing plan was put in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption. 'I'd like to thank the public for their patience as we worked tirelessly to deliver this operation, while police work continued in communities across Scotland. Constable Bond added: 'Most importantly, I'd like to thank our officers and staff. Thank you for your professionalism and hard work during every long shift away from your family and friends. "Every single officer and member of police staff should be incredibly proud of how we delivered this significant operation while keeping communities safe across Scotland.' Prior to Mr Trump's visit, Mr Kennedy had said the SPF was exploring the possibility of legal action. Last week, he told BBC Scotland: "There are breaches taking place within those workforce agreements which we are really deeply concerned about. "We are now having to seek whether or not we are going to have to take action against the service because of it." David Kennedy, General Secretary of the SPF. (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA) He said: 'Our numbers have been cut by 1,000 since 2013. We need around 1,000 to 3,000 more officers. As it stands, we're all chasing our tails. 'We're surviving these events, and we really shouldn't. People shouldn't have to cancel their annual leave and their rest allocations to come into work. 'We have a lot of major events in the works, and we need more support. For example, the Commonwealth Games are coming up next year and the US Vice President is visiting on August 13th. 'Our message to the Scottish Government is clear, we need more police officers.' The Commonwealth Games are scheduled to take place in Glasgow next summer, between July 23 and August 2; and US Vice President JD Vance will visit the UK in August. He is expected to fly to London in mid-August before travelling to the Cotswolds, and later, Scotland. Police Scotland said the total cost of security for Mr Trump's visit has yet to be determined, although Constable Bond said it would be a 'significant amount of money.' Catering staff served more than 45,000 meals to police officers and staff over the course of the operation. The force announced that four arrests and two recorded police warnings took place between 25 and 29 July. A 24-year-old man was arrested in Glasgow on 25 July, in relation to Section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Scotland (Act) offence (threatening or abusive behaviour) in Balmedie on 24 July. He is due to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 20 August. A 65-year-old woman was arrested at Balmedie on 25 July in relation to a Section 38 offence. She was cautioned and charged and reported to the Procurator Fiscal. A 25-year-old man was arrested in Prestwick on 25 July, and issued with a Recorded Police Warning (RPW) for a Section 38 offence. A 41-year-old man was arrested at Glasgow airport on 27 July, for assault and an Aviation Act offence. He appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court on 28 July, and was remanded in custody. A 50-year-old woman issued with an RPW on 27 July near the American Consulate in Edinburgh for a Section 38 offence.
Business Wire
8 hours ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Battelle Announces the Publication of its 2024 Consensus-Based Entity (CBE) Annual Report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Battelle, serving as a consensus-based entity (CBE), announced today the release of its 2024 Annual Report to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The report highlights the significant progress and process improvements Battelle and its Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) have made in advancing health care quality measurement and improvement. "HHS appreciates the efforts that the CBE has made to support our mutual commitment to promoting a resilient, high value, and safe health care system for all Americans,' wrote HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in his comments on the report. The 2024 Annual Report details Battelle's achievements in four key areas: Endorsement and Maintenance (E&M) of clinical quality measures, Pre-Rulemaking Measure Review (PRMR), Measure Set Review (MSR), and the Core Quality Measures Collaborative. In 2024 Battelle enhanced engagement and reduced committee burden by optimizing meeting schedules and voting structures for E&M committees. Public participation in the PRMR process was also robust, with 239 written and 51 verbal comments submitted by 234 professional organizations and 56 patients or patient representatives. 'HHS and the CBE both recognize the importance of clinical quality and cost/resource use measures in improving U.S. health care,' noted Kennedy. 'Maintaining these measures through transparent, periodic, and consensus-based reviews is critical for ensuring health care quality performance can not only be measured but can also be improved upon.' 'This report reflects the collective commitment of Battelle and PQM members to advancing a more transparent, streamlined, and evidence-driven approach to health care quality,' said Nicole Brennan, MPH, DrPH, Executive Director of PQM. 'We are proud to support HHS in ensuring that quality measures are not only scientifically sound but also meaningful to patients, providers, and policymakers alike.' View the Secretarial Review of the 2024 Annual Report on the Federal Register. About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit About the Partnership for Quality Measurement Battelle is a CMS-certified CBE that seeks to advance U.S. health care quality by bringing together interested parties to conduct statutorily required and enabled processes. Battelle formed the Partnership for Quality Measurement to convene members to perform these activities, which are organized into three tasks: E&M, PRMR, and MSR. For more information, visit
