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The Hill
a day ago
- Health
- The Hill
Cassidy's Kennedy quagmire
The Big Story The Trump administration assured Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) his support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation would mean no attacks on vaccine confidence, yet recent actions suggest those promises meant more to one side than the other. © AP Cassidy, the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, publicly wavered over Kennedy's confirmation, with the then-nominee's refusal to acknowledge the safety and efficacy of vaccines being a particular sticking point. By the end of Kennedy's second confirmation hearing, Cassidy acknowledged he was still 'struggling' with the nomination. He was won over by Trump administration officials, who promised the senator would have input on hiring decisions; that federal advisory boards would remain unscathed; existing vaccine safety systems would continue; and Kennedy would testify before the HELP panel quarterly. But Kennedy's tenure as Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary has already seen massive layoffs, controversial changes to the vaccine approval process and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices being cleared out and replaced with Kennedy's allies. Louisiana State University department chair and political science professor Robert Hogan suggested Kennedy's moves won't necessarily hurt Cassidy in a GOP primary. Cassidy is up for reelection next year. 'You would think that that would hurt him electorally, but … I think ultimately, what could have hurt him is if he had stuck with his professional standards and the standards of the medical community' and spoken out against Kennedy, Hogan said. The Louisiana senator hasn't spoken on Kennedy's actions that seemingly fly in the face of their agreement, only saying that he is continuing to talk with the Trump Cabinet secretary. Cassidy faces a tough road to reelection. He was among the GOP senators who voted to convict Trump of an impeachment article accusing him of inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Former House member John Fleming (R) has launched a primary campaign against him. Hogan said Fleming is a formidable opponent. 'If it comes down to, they're equal on every other dimension except [Fleming] did not vote to impeach Trump? That's the message, I think that will come through very clear to Republican voters,' he said. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: CDC: Average age of US moms giving birth rises to nearly 30 The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. has risen to almost 30, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). New data published in a National Vitals and Statistics Report on Friday shows the mean age of mothers at first birth increased by 0.9 years between 2016 and 2023, rising from 26.6 years to 27.5. Asian women reported the largest increase in mean age at first birth … Axelrod on RFK Jr.'s vaccine moves: 'Genuine catastrophe in the making' Democratic political strategist David Axelrod on Friday condemned changes Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made to a key vaccine advisory committee. Kennedy earlier this week fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with eight of his own picks, a significant downsizing for the independent, expert … FDA approves expanded use of Moderna's RSV shot, but uncertainty remains The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the approval of Moderna's RSV vaccine late Thursday to include people 18 to 59 years old who are at increased risk for severe illness from respiratory syncytial virus, the company said. The vaccine was previously only licensed for adults 60 years and older. 'RSV poses a serious health risk to adults with certain chronic conditions, and today's approval marks an important … In Other News Branch out with a different read: Prediabetes interventions at forefront of treatment: What to know The conversation around prediabetes has entered a new day for Americans. Earlier this week, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine published the first clinical practice guideline to prioritize lifestyle interventions in treating Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. The guideline offers a comprehensive roadmap for clinicians to effectively incorporate therapeutic lifestyle behavior interventions as a mainstay of treatment, while … Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Most read stories on The Hill right now: Republicans lay groundwork for 'total tax cliff' at end of Trump's term Congressional Republicans are laying the groundwork for a tax cliff at the end of President Trump's term in office. While the conference is pushing … Read more Newsom becomes a fighter, and Democrats beyond California are cheering California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is meeting the moment, Democrats say. Amid the growing storm over the Trump administration's response to protests … Read more What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you next week! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
CDC: Average age of US moms giving birth rises to nearly 30
The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. has risen to almost 30, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). New data published in a National Vitals and Statistics Report on Friday shows the mean age of mothers at first birth increased by 0.9 years between 2016 and 2023, rising from 26.6 years to 27.5. Asian women reported the largest increase in mean age at first birth between those years, rising from 30.1 years in 2016 to 31.5 by 2023. Meanwhile, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander mothers had the lowest, bumping up from 24.8 to 25.2 years of age. The report shows a similar increase in the mean age at which women have their second and third child between 2016 and 2023. Those increases pushed the mean age of birth for all mothers by 0.9 years, from 28.7 in 2016 to 29.6 in 2023. 'This analysis demonstrates that the shift toward older motherhood occurred across birth orders, among nearly all racial and ethnic groups, and in both urban and rural areas,' the report reads. The report's findings follow a years-long trend as women and men wait longer to have children. The high cost of child care is one of the many reasons why Americans are thinking twice before having children. Research shows some women are delaying having children because they are prioritizing education, career or because of changing societal norms. Child care costs have been on the rise for decades. In 2022, the median cost of child care in the country ranged from $6,552 to $15,600 a year, according to data from the Department of Labor. That sum represents between 8.9 percent and 16 percent of a family's income. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
CDC: Average age of US moms giving birth rises to nearly 30
The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. has risen to almost 30, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). New data published in a National Vitals and Statistics Report on Friday show that the mean age of mothers at first birth increased by 0.9 years between 2016 and 2023, rising from 26.6 years of age to 27.5. Asian women reported the largest increase in mean age at first birth between those years, rising by 1.4 years from 30.1 in 2016 to 31.5 by 2023. Meanwhile, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander mothers had the lowest, bumping up just 0.4 years from 23.2 to 24.2 years of age. The report shows a similar increase in the mean age at which women have their second and third child between 2016 and 2023. Those increases pushed the mean age of birth for all mothers by 0.9 years, from 28.7 in 2016 to 29.6 in 2023. 'This analysis demonstrates that the shift toward older motherhood occurred across birth orders, among nearly all racial and ethnic groups, and in both urban and rural areas,' the report reads. The report's findings follow a years-long trend as women, and men, wait longer to have children. The high cost of childcare is one of the many reasons why Americans are thinking twice before having children. Research shows that some women are delaying having children because they are prioritizing education, career or because of changing societal norms. Childcare costs have been on the rise for decades. In 2022, the median cost of childcare in the country ranged from $6,552 to $15,600 a year, according to data from the Department of Labor. That sum represents between 8.9 percent and 16 percent of a family's income.
