Latest news with #UltimateHuman
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
RFK Jr.'s vaccine comments and inside his controversial week
It's been a busy week for the "Make America Healthy Again" leader - from updating the COVID vaccine guidelines, to threatening to bar government scientists from publishing in leading medical journals. Kennedy's COVID vaccine rollbacks and comments on scientific research are concerning, and it might be difficult for people to absorb all the medical news and recommendations they're hearing about, says Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC. Similar to how Kennedy wooed supporters with his commitment to cracking down on ultraprocessed foods and artificial food dyes, his comments against scientific journals contain a nugget of truth - companies can fund research, and people need to be able to trust the scientific studies used to inform health decisions. "It's a tricky situation when you have someone who is sharing valuable information about the impact of ultraprocessed food and the influence that the large companies can have on policy, and how we have to change that, while at the same time he is spreading falsehoods about the value of vaccination on people's health," Besser says. RFK Jr., vaccine recommendations and what changed On May 15, Kennedy told people not to take "medical advice" from him after being asked about the measles vaccine by Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Mark Pocan. "What I would say is my opinions about vaccines are irrelevant," he said. But on May 27, Kennedy announced in a video clip shared to X that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, in a move that breaks with previous expert guidance. Traditionally, the CDC's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices would meet and vote on changes to the immunization schedule or recommendations on who should get vaccines before the director of the CDC makes a final call. The committee has not voted on the changes Kennedy announced, and a CDC representative was not included in Kennedy's video. Kennedy also spoke on the "Ultimate Human" podcast, calling the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet, three of the most influential medical journals in the world, "corrupt." "Unless those journals change dramatically, we are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing in them and we're going to create our own journals in-house," he said, referring to the National Institutes of Health, an HHS agency and the world's largest funder of health research. He added that these journals publish studies funded and approved by pharmaceutical companies. And there is some merit to Kennedy's statements - major food and drug companies have funded scientific research. According to a 2015 article published in The Lancet, Coca-Cola disclosed spending $118.6 million over five years on scientific research and health and wellbeing partnerships; several influential medical organizations, including the American Cancer Society, received funding from the company. RFK Jr.'s changes raise 'grave concerns' from scientific community Kennedy's move to change COVID vaccine guidelines contradicts his previous claims that he wouldn't "take away anybody's vaccines." However, the changes to the guidelines may affect what is covered by insurance and who has access to the shot if they still wish to receive it. Federal vaccine recommendations affect what private insurances will cover, and Medicaid only covers the full cost of recommended vaccines. Besser says Kennedy's updated guidelines "raise grave concerns about the stability of our vaccine recommendations." "There was no opportunity for people to explore the data that may be behind this decision or to ask questions," he explains, "which makes me feel that there could be other decisions coming with the same lack of transparency." To lead their healthiest possible life, Besser recommends that people, especially parents, consult their trusted health provider to "sort through the massive amounts of information being thrown at them." Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi
USA Today
2 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
Many said RFK Jr. would launch a war on vaccines, medicine. Is it here?
Many said RFK Jr. would launch a war on vaccines, medicine. Is it here? Show Caption Hide Caption RFK Jr. says COVID-19 vaccine no longer recommended for some The COVID-19 vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says. When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was announced as President Donald Trump's U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary nominee, there were media outlets and commentators who suggested RFK Jr. would "wage a war" on vaccines. Concerns about his views were so widespread that vaccines and research-backed science were both a focus during his confirmation hearing. So is the moment his opponents cautioned about now upon us? It's been a busy week for the 'Make America Healthy Again' leader – from updating the COVID vaccine guidelines, to threatening to bar government scientists from publishing in leading medical journals. Kennedy's COVID vaccine rollbacks and comments on scientific research are concerning, and it might be difficult for people to absorb all the medical news and recommendations they're hearing about, says Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC. Similar to how Kennedy wooed supporters with his commitment to cracking down on ultraprocessed foods and artificial food dyes, his comments against scientific journals contain a nugget of truth – companies can fund research, and people need to be able to trust the scientific studies used to inform health decisions. 'It's a tricky situation when you have someone who is sharing valuable information about the impact of ultraprocessed food and the influence that the large companies can have on policy, and how we have to change that, while at the same time he is spreading falsehoods about the value of vaccination on people's health,' Besser says. RFK Jr., vaccine recommendations and what changed On May 15, Kennedy told people not to take 'medical advice' from him after being asked about the measles vaccine by Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Mark Pocan. 'What I would say is my opinions about vaccines are irrelevant,' he said. But on May 27, Kennedy announced in a video clip shared to X that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, in a move that breaks with previous expert guidance. Traditionally, the CDC's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices would meet and vote on changes to the immunization schedule or recommendations on who should get vaccines before the director of the CDC makes a final call. The committee has not voted on the changes Kennedy announced, and a CDC representative was not included in Kennedy's video. Kennedy also spoke on the 'Ultimate Human' podcast, calling the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet, three of the most influential medical journals in the world, 'corrupt.' 'Unless those journals change dramatically, we are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing in them and we're going to create our own journals in-house,' he said, referring to the National Institutes of Health, an HHS agency and the world's largest funder of health research. He added that these journals publish studies funded and approved by pharmaceutical companies. And there is some merit to Kennedy's statements – major food and drug companies have funded scientific research. According to a 2015 article published in The Lancet, Coca-Cola disclosed spending $118.6 million over five years on scientific research and health and wellbeing partnerships; several influential medical organizations, including the American Cancer Society, received funding from the company. RFK Jr.'s changes raise 'grave concerns' from scientific community Kennedy's move to change COVID vaccine guidelines contradicts his previous claims that he wouldn't "take away anybody's vaccines." However, the changes to the guidelines may affect what is covered by insurance and who has access to the shot if they still wish to receive it. Federal vaccine recommendations affect what private insurances will cover, and Medicaid only covers the full cost of recommended vaccines. Besser says Kennedy's updated guidelines 'raise grave concerns about the stability of our vaccine recommendations.' 'There was no opportunity for people to explore the data that may be behind this decision or to ask questions,' he explains, 'which makes me feel that there could be other decisions coming with the same lack of transparency.' To lead their healthiest possible life, Besser recommends that people, especially parents, consult their trusted health provider to 'sort through the massive amounts of information being thrown at them." Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. Floats Ban On Federal Scientists Publishing In Medical Journals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday he's planning to ban government scientists from publishing in established medical journals, which are some of the most important ways doctors spread knowledge and advance patient care. Kennedy made the comments on the Ultimate Human podcast to host Gary Brecka, a fellow vaccine skeptic and anti-fluoride conspiracy theorist. 'We're probably going to stop publishing in The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and those other journals because they're all corrupt,' Kennedy said, listing off some of the biggest medical journals and claiming they're controlled by the pharmaceutical industry. 'Unless these journals change dramatically, we are going to stop [National Institutes of Health] scientists from publishing there, and we're going to create our own journals in house,' he continued, claiming that those will 'become the preeminent journals.' The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA were all established in the 1800s and say they're viewed by tens of millions of people annually. Kennedy also claimed that the 'medical cartel' has 'transformed' the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services into 'sock puppets' for the pharmaceutical industry. His remarks come a week after the White House released a Kennedy-spearheaded report saying prescribed pharmaceuticals could be to blame for chronic disease in children. Kennedy's podcast appearance also comes a day after he announced the CDC would no longer advise regular COVID-19 boosters for children and pregnant women. RFK Jr. Says COVID Shot Will No Longer Be Advised For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women RFK Jr.'s MAHA Report Goes After Vaccines, Prescription Meds, Food Supply RFK Jr. Says He's Exploring A Crackdown On This Perfectly Safe Medication
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr wants to ban government scientists from publishing in top journals and instead create a MAGA-backed publication
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr wants to ban top government scientists from publishing in 'corrupt' medical journals and force them to present research in MAGA-backed publications instead. During an appearance on the Ultimate Human podcast, Kennedy Jr said: 'We're probably going to stop publishing in the Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and those other journals because they're all corrupt.' He claimed the journals are under the control of pharmaceutical companies, according to The Washington Post. The world-renowned journals publish peer-reviewed research and analyze medical findings across the globe. Some of the journals receive millions of visits to their site annually. More than 1 million people read the New England Journal of Medicine in print each week. In past remarks, Kennedy has accused government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, of being 'sock puppets' for pharmaceutical giants. The new government journals would immediately receive credibility because they'd be funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said Kennedy. This is despite NIH funding falling more than $3 billion between President Donald Trump's inauguration and March, when compared to the same time last year. 'It is anointing you as a good, legitimate scientist,' he said on the podcast episode, which aired shortly after he bypassed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and announced the department would stop recommending the coronavirus vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children. Last week, the White House released a 'MAHA report,' challenging vaccines. Several sections of the report offered misleading representations of findings in scientific papers, the newspaper reported. The scientific community is becoming increasingly concerned that research efforts are not progressing due to the Trump administration's actions. Since Trump's inauguration, Kennedy's agency has dismissed 20,000 federal workers, impacting almost every department division.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. says he may bar scientists from publishing in top medical journals
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that he may bar government scientists from publishing in the world's leading medical journals, instead proposing the creation of 'in-house' publications by his agency - the latest in the Trump administration's attacks on scientific institutions. 'We're probably going to stop publishing in the Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and those other journals because they're all corrupt,' Kennedy said during an appearance on the 'Ultimate Human' podcast. He also described the journals as being under the control of pharmaceutical companies. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. The three journals he named, all established in the 1800s, publish original, peer-reviewed research and play a central role in disseminating medical findings worldwide. JAMA, published by the American Medical Association, and the Lancet each say they receive more than 30 million annual visits to their sites, while the New England Journal of Medicine says it is read in print and online by more than 1 million people each week. The journals did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kennedy's remarks. Kennedy also accused several of the agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services - including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - of being 'sock puppets' for the pharmaceutical industry. On his plans for the department to create its own journals, Kennedy said they would 'become the preeminent journals, because if you get [NIH] funding, it is anointing you as a good, legitimate scientist.' Adam Gaffney, a public health researcher and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote in an email that 'banning NIH-funded researchers from publishing in leading medical journals and requiring them to publish only in journals that carry the RFK Jr. seal of approval would delegitimize taxpayer-funded research.' He said that drug approvals are based on sound science, and that while steps should be taken to ensure that commercial interests don't impact 'the conduct or reporting of science,' this was unlikely to happen given the Trump administration's cuts to public health and research funding, as well as Kennedy's own anti-vaccine views. The podcast episode was released soon after Kennedy bypassed the CDC and declared that his department would stop recommending the coronavirus vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children. Last week, the administration released what it called a 'MAHA report' that challenged mainstream medical consensus on issues such as vaccines. Medical experts said some of the report's suggestions stretched the limits of science, The Washington Post reported, while several sections of the report offered misleading representations of findings in scientific papers. Kennedy's remarks and the report come amid growing concern in the scientific community over the Trump administration's actions that have stalled or disrupted research efforts. In April, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia sent an unusual letter to the scientific journal Chest that questioned its editorial policies, sparking free-speech concerns. NIH funding fell by more than $3 billion between President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration and March, compared with grants issued in the same period last year, and top universities have lost out on government funding for research. At HHS, Kennedy has spearheaded a purge of about 20,000 federal workers, impacting virtually every arm of the department. The personnel cuts and funding freezes have prompted U.S. scientists to consider moving abroad as countries such as France, Germany, Spain and China have begun actively recruiting American researchers. Related Content Despite ceasefire, India and Pakistan are locked in a cultural cold war The D.C. plane crash took her mom and sister. She turned to her piano. Johnson again corrals GOP factions to pass Trump's sweeping tax bill
