RFK Jr.'s New Power Play; MAHA Defends Russell Brand; USPSTF COI Storm

Former FDA chief Marty Makary, MD, MPH, accused the White House and HHS aides of caving to industry, just days after former advisor Calley Means did the same. (Politico)

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was thought only recently to be possibly on his way out, now may be making new alliances in the post-midterm White House. (Washington Sun)

Kennedy also said that Senate Republicans who blocked his agenda have lost their leverage over him in the aftermath of the midterms. (Washington Post)

Leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement are coming to the defense of entertainer Russell Brand in the wake of his rape conviction. (MS Now)

Scientists and research advocates sued the Trump administration to block changes planned for the National Science Foundation, including the closing of its social sciences research funding division. (New York Times)

As scientists converge to deliberate on whether the U.S. should keep its measles elimination status, genetic data show the virus is already endemic in the U.S. (New York Times)

The CDC won't change its response to measles outbreaks regardless of whether or not the U.S. loses its elimination status, said agency director Erica Schwartz, MD, MPH, JD. (Reuters via AOL)

Former president Joe Biden said he was scaling back his book tour due to his ongoing battle with prostate cancer. (The Hill)

Four of the eight new members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force appointed by Kennedy have conflicts of interest. (New York Times)

Pharmaceutical companies should disclose the unredacted details of their "most favored nation" deals with the Trump administration, congressional Democrats say. (The Hill)

Some Medicare Advantage premiums are dropping -- but there's more to it than meets the eye. (Washington Post)

The Trump administration is not renewing contracts with two arbitration companies that settle disputes under the No Surprises Act, reportedly because they sided with physicians too often. (New York Times)

Senator-elect Annie Andrews, MD, (D-S.C.) made fixing healthcare a big part of her campaign, and shoring up Medicaid will be one of her first big challenges. (Mother Jones)