Latest news with #Robert F Kennedy Jr
Reuters
2 days ago
- Health
- Reuters
Medical group urges Kennedy not to fire US care task force
WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should not fire an advisory panel that determines what cancer screenings and other preventive health measures insurers must cover, an influential doctors' group said on Sunday. The American Medical Association sent Kennedy a letter on Sunday expressing its concern after the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday he planned to remove all of the panel's members. The Department of Health and Human Services said Kennedy had not yet made a decision. "On behalf of the physician and medical student members of the American Medical Association, I am writing to express our deep concern with the recent reports of your intention to remove all of the members of the United States Preventive Services Task Force," John Whyte, the AMA chief executive officer, wrote. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AMA letter. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, had said Kennedy planned to dismiss all 16 panel members in what would be the latest in a series of far-reaching actions by Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, to reshape U.S. regulation of vaccines, food and medicine. In June he fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of vaccine experts, replacing them with seven handpicked members, including known vaccine skeptics. "USPSTF members play in weighing the benefits and harms of preventive services such as screenings, behavioral counseling, and preventive medications, and making evidence-based recommendations for implementation in primary care settings," the AMA letter said. "We urge you to keep the previously appointed USPSTF members and continue the task force's regular meeting schedule to ensure recommendations are put forth, updated, and disseminated without delay," it said. The AMA passed an emergency resolution in June asking for a Senate investigation into the firing of ACIP members. The group also sent Kennedy a letter at the time calling for an immediate reversal of the changes.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Health
- Reuters
Kennedy to oust care task force, WSJ reports; HHS says no decision yet
WASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to remove all the members of an advisory panel that determines what cancer screenings and other preventive health measures insurers must cover, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said on Friday that Kennedy had not yet made a decision regarding the 16-member U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. "No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS' mandate to Make America Healthy Again," the HHS spokesperson said. The Journal said Kennedy planned to dismiss all 16 panel members in what would be the latest in a series of far-reaching actions by Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, to reshape U.S. regulation of vaccines, food and medicine. In June he fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of vaccine experts, replacing them with seven handpicked members, including known vaccine skeptics. The USPSTF includes medical experts serving staggered four-year terms on a volunteer basis. Its role in choosing what services will be covered by insurers was established under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The 40-year-old group, whose recommendations provide guidance to doctors, looks at everything from routine breast cancer screening to drugs to prevent HIV infection. The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the constitution of the task force and ruled in favor of its recommendation to cover preventive care. Though made up of an independent group of volunteer experts, members are selected by the health secretary without Senate confirmation and it relies on support from the department's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. A group of 104 health organizations, opens new tab, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, in early July sent a letter to Congressional health committees, urging them "to protect the integrity" of the task force. The task force has been criticized by some conservatives, opens new tab as too left-leaning.
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Coca-Cola to launch Coke with cane sugar in the US after Trump post
Coca-Cola has laid out plans to launch a product made with US cane sugar this year, days after Donald Trump claimed the company had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup. The company announced the change in a quarterly earnings report released on Tuesday. On a conference call with investors, Coca-Cola's chairperson and CEO, James Quincey, said the company planned 'to expand our trademark … product range with US cane sugar to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences'. Quincey said the new offering would 'complement' Coca-Cola's core portfolio of drinks, suggesting it could arrive as an alternative, rather than a replacement, for its flagship Coke product. 'This is really an 'and' strategy and not an 'or' strategy,' Quincey said, according to the Wall Street Journal. 'We are going to continue to use a lot of the corn syrup that we do now.' The drink maker's Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar and already sold in the US – but often at nearly twice the price. Additionally, the US doesn't make enough cane sugar to satisfy demand in the country. Tuesday's announcement from Coca-Cola came as food and drink companies have rolled out plans to make changes amid 'Make America healthy again' (Maha) campaign of the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr. However, experts say that drinks made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup are not necessarily healthier. Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, previously told CNN: 'Excess consumption of sugar from any source harms health. To make the US food supply healthier, the Trump administration should focus on less sugar, not different sugar.' Coca-Cola had defended its use of corn syrup – a product some blame for soaring US obesity rates – after Trump claimed on 16 July he had convinced the brand to switch to using sugar cane in its US drinks. 'I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so. I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola,' the president said in a social media post. 'This will be a very good move by them – You'll see. It's just better!' Coca-Cola said in a statement that 'high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn. It's safe; it has about the same number of calories per serving as table sugar and is metabolized in a similar way by your body.' It added that the American Medical Association (AMA) 'has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners'. And it said: 'Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances.' In 2023, the AMA released a statement saying it recognized 'that at the present time, insufficient evidence exists to specifically restrict use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or other fructose-containing sweeteners in the food supply or to require the use of warning labels on products containing HFCS'. Initially, the drinks giant responded with a neutral statement of appreciation for 'president Trump's enthusiasm' for Coke, and a vague message about 'new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range' to come. The soft drinks company released an additional statement making positive claims about high-fructose corn syrup. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed
France 24
22-07-2025
- Business
- France 24
Coca-Cola plans US cane sugar alternative after Trump push
"We're going to be bringing a Coke sweetened with US cane sugar into the market this fall, and I think that will be an enduring option for consumers," said CEO James Quincey on a call with analysts. The company currently uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for many of its US products -- a sweetener that has long drawn criticism from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. Trump last week said that the company had agreed to use cane sugar in the United States version of Coke. "This will be a very good move by them -- You'll see. It's just better!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Coca-Cola at the time did not confirm the move even if it said it appreciated Trump's "enthusiasm" for its brand. In announcing the new option, Quincey insisted that the main Coke product would still be made with corn syrup, with the cane sugar version offered as an alternative. Mexican Coke -- which is made with cane sugar -- is often sold at a premium in US stores and prized for its more "natural" flavor. The US president did not explain what motivated his push for the change, which would not impact his well-known favorite beverage, Diet Coke. Since his return to the White House, Trump has reinstalled a special button in the Oval Office that summons a helping of the sugar-free carbonated drink. HFCS became popular in the 1970s, with its use skyrocketing thanks to government subsidies for corn growers and high import tariffs on cane sugar. Any shift away from corn is likely to draw backlash in the Corn Belt, a Midwestern region that has been a stronghold of support for Trump. Both HFCS and sucrose (cane sugar) are composed of fructose and glucose, but differ at the structural level. Those differences don't appear to significantly affect health outcomes, according to research. Trump's preferred Diet Coke is sweetened with aspartame -- a compound classified as a "possible carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Coca-Cola to launch Coke with cane sugar after Trump claims credit
Coca-Cola has laid out plans to launch a product made with US cane sugar this year, days after Donald Trump claimed the company had agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup. The announcement came Tuesday in Coca-Cola's earnings report. It confirmed a 16 July post on Trump's Truth Social platform in which the president said Coca-Cola 'agreed' to use 'REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States'. 'This will be a very good move by them – You'll see,' Trump's post said. 'It's just better!' The drink maker's Mexican Coke is made with cane sugar and already sold in the US. Tuesday's announcement from Coca-Cola came as food and drink companies have rolled out plans to make changes amid US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr's Make America healthy again (Maha) campaign. However, experts say that drinks made with cane sugar instead of corn syrup aren't healthier. Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, previously told CNN: 'Excess consumption of sugar from any source harms health. To make the US food supply healthier, the Trump administration should focus on less sugar, not different sugar.' Coca-Cola chairperson and chief executive officer James Quincey said Tuesday's announcement was meant to 'reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences'. 'We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,' Quincey said in a conference call with investors. 'This addition is designed to complement our strong core portfolio and offer more choice across occasions and preferences.' The Associated Press and Reuters contributed
