"While children in California, which does not allow for nonmedical vaccine exemptions, are vaccinated against measles at 96 percent, there is not a single county in Idaho, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah or Wisconsin whose kindergarten rates meet herd immunity protection."

Our interviews with nearly 100 people reveal how Kennedy has upended the nation's public health and vaccine infrastructure. His allies say they want him as secretary for 8 years. Read our deep dive @rachelroubein.bsky.social @lenasun.bsky.social and me, edited by @fenitn.bsky.social

!!! The Post obtained hot mic comments by the chair of RFK Jr.'s CDC vaccine committee. "We feel like a little bit like puppets on a string as opposed to really being an independent advisory panel" wapo.st/4atob4M

RFK Jr.'s campaign against artificial colors has sent the food industry scrambling. Inside one lab where scientists are inventing food dyes of the future ⬇ & photos by Andrew Spear www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

“God is an anti-vaxxer, and he needs you to speak up." My latest inside the conference held by the anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr., which celebrated its newfound Washington influence this weekend in Austin. @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Casey Means's hearing over her surgeon general nomination is postponed as she has gone into labor, according to Stephen Lewerenz, a spokesman for health committee chair Sen. Bill Cassidy. @washingtonpost.com @rachelroubein.bsky.social Story updating shortly: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Before Casey Means faces the Senate health committee tomorrow, take a listen to our @washingtonpost.com Post Reports podcast to learn more about the Surgeon General pick who left the medical mainstream. www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...

Ivermectin took on symbolic power during the pandemic, despite being ineffective against coronavirus. Now, Florida wants to study it for cancer. My @washingtonpost.com latest examines how a Joe Rogan, Mel Gibson podcast translates to research dollars www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.'s surgeon general pick Read my and @rachelroubein.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com deep dive on Casey Means www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Research tying Tylenol to autism lost in court. Then it won Trump’s ear Take a read to learn more about how Wisner Baum, the personal injury firm RFK Jr. consulted for, took an early interest w/ Dan Gilbert, @arianaec.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Meet the parents skipping or delaying vaccination: Our @washingtonpost.com @kff.org poll found they are more likely to home-school their children, be White and very religious, identify as Republican or be under 35 www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

On Tuesday on the hill, Sen. Ron Johnson touted results from an unpublished study commissioned by an anti-vaccine group as showing the risk of childhood vaccines. I asked why the study hadn't been published of Henry Ford Health, where the author who did not testify worked.

Meet the new vaccine panel advisors RFK Jr. is considering Two urged removal of mRNA coronavirus vaccines. One said physicians “blindly believed” in them. Another said covid isn’t “scary” noting Jesus touched lepers W @lenasun.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: in recent weeks, right wing media and influencers have seized on new research suggesting a connection between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism Ariana Cha, @laurenweberhp.bsky.social and I broke down the science and what MAHA influencers are claiming wapo.st/4gdFIPt

Florida's move to erase school immunization requirements emboldens opponents of vaccine mandates nationwide. Trisha Thadani & @laurenweberhp.bsky.social report www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: RFK Jr.’s upending of vaccine policy is driving some states to break away from Trump admin guidelines while others are further loosening shot requirements. Me and @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: The CDC has been in crisis for months. After the firing of its director, resignations of senior leaders, staff + experts are bracing for what could be death knell for public health credibility. Me + @laurenweberhp.bsky.social + @davidovalle.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

As something of a side note, RFK Jr. said twice today that the CDC website touts abortion as one of the greatest medical advancements. It does not, as @laurenweberhp.bsky.social & @caitlingilbert.bsky.social reported www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Three senior leaders who resigned in protest told The Post they were asked to participate in an unscientific vaccine recommendation process that they believe could harm the health of Americans. More from @lenasun.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social @davidovalle.bsky.social 🎁: wapo.st/46aNJB0

Hundreds of bullets. An officer slain. A silent Trump. After CDC shooting, shock turns to anger. From Atlanta, myself & @lenasun.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com Edited @fenitn.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

The whole-virus vaccines that RFK Jr. is pushing to replace mRNA have a long history. During the pandemic, China relied on this tech. Their vaccines were less effective than mRNA. Study --> pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35412612/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

“You have to ... wonder why the secretary is directing these sort of actions against probably one of the most powerful platforms in medicine that has come along in the last 20 years." @washingtonpost.com fact check by @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social and me www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: Inside "Operation Gold Rush," the biggest Medicare fraud bust ever. For years, people got mysterious bills for catheters. Feds now say more than 1 million Americans' information was compromised in $10B-plus scheme. Alleged perps still got away with $1B. with @laurenweberhp.bsky.social

Updated: My story w/ @lenasun.bsky.social on how Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of thimerosal, won his and other anti-vaccine activists fight against the rare and safe flu-shot ingredient @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

On ACIP membership: RFK Jr. has said Sen. Cassidy will choose a member of ACIP. Cassidy said today he's submitted names; at least one is being interviewed. w/ @lenasun.bsky.social & @laurenweberhp.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/lena...

UPDATE (and scoop): RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel to review childhood immunization schedule. Also: He has appointed a vaccine critic to CDC’s vaccine safety office. Me + @laurenweberhp.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com

🎙️ON AIR: We're speaking with @theatlantic.com's @katherinejwu.com and @washingtonpost.com's @laurenweberhp.bsky.social to to take stock of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda and its public health implications. 📻 Listen:

The purge of the federal vaccine recommending committee goes even deeper than the public knows @lenasun.bsky.social & @laurenweberhp.bsky.social have new reporting on the chaos inside the CDC and the backgrounds of the new vaccine advisers wapo.st/3SROTKy

House Rs seek to eliminate a nutrition program for Americans on food stamps in Trump bill, alarming program leaders who say states would be forced to pare back efforts to improve Americans' health. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

📄 Here's our ~visual review~ of the MAHA Report citations that had patterns of AI use w/ @fenitn.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social and Emily Wright www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: Citations in the MAHA Report have telltale signs of AI chatbot use -- we reviewed all 522 of the listed citations, and at least 37 of the footnotes appear multiple times in the citations with another 21 having dead links w/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Want to know what's in the MAHA Report? @washingtonpost.com @fenitn.bsky.social @caitlingilbert.bsky.social and Amudala Ajasa Walk through the Trump admin internal tensions and scientific contradictions, as well as landmark statements on food here: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

RFK Jr. to Congress today: “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me” From me and @rachelroubein.bsky.social for @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Sunday read from me: Unpacking RFK Jr.'s "doublespeak" on vaccines @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

RFK Jr. leans into the bully pulpit as he seeks food agenda wins w/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

RFK Jr. intends to shift the way vaccines are tested, a move HHS says will up transparency but medical experts fear could limit access to vaccines & undermine the public’s trust in immunization depending on its implementation Our latest @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

The White House has embraced the lab-leak theory as the "true" origin of the pandemic, launching a website to replace Covid.gov. The claim — which some U.S. intelligence agencies dispute — appears to rest entirely on a House GOP report that no Democrats signed. w @laurenweberhp.bsky.social

SCOOP: Internal budget doc reveals extent of Trump’s proposed health cuts. About 1/3 of HHS discretionary budget. Our story w @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @joelachenbach.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Kennedy recently eliminated the CDC's Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, which tracks the health impact on Americans of exposure to lead, radon and other dangerous substances in the air, water, etc. www.politico.com/news/2025/04...

RFK Jr. announces new studies to find potential environmental causes of autism, saying they could be coming from “our air, our water, our medicines, our food.” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

“If you’re smoking three packs of cigarettes a day, should you expect society to pay when you get sick?” RFK Jr. asked in a CBS news interview yesterday. He said something similar for those who choose to “eat donuts all day” My latest @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Trump has faced measles before. The difference this time is RFK Jr. The CDC has been muzzled, messaging has been muddled, and public health funding has been slashed. Me, @lenasun.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @fenitn.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Cementing his turn from daytime TV star to D.C. bureaucrat, Dr. Oz leveraged his physician bona fides to waltz through the confirmation process and helm the agency that regulates health insurance for millions of Americans. My latest @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

On this week's #WTHealth podcast: All about the HHS cuts. With @laurenweberhp.bsky.social, @sarahkarlin-smith.bsky.social, and @rachelcohrs.bsky.social. Plus Julie Appleby with the latest @kffhealthnews.org "Bill of the Month." kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast...

Were you laid off from a federal health agency today? DM or message me on signal. In the meantime, read our story below as well as our coverage of the fired health workers told to contact a dead employee for discrimination complaints www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Staffer told me that RFK Jr’s announcement is playing on loop on monitors around HHS headquarters, even as employees huddle and mourn cuts. “People are avoiding the monitors or turning them off,” staffer said. With @laurenweberhp.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social @lenasun.bsky.social + more

Oz would lead an agency that could directly influence how much money hospitals - and companies like ZorroRX that he co-founded - make from the federal drug pricing program, entangling him in a potential conflict of interest W/ @caitlingilbert.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Dr. Oz repeatedly avoided promising to oppose cuts in the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor as senators and yours truly questioned him at his confirmation hearing My latest @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Mehmet Oz avoided paying some Medicare taxes, Democrats allege in a memo I obtained for @washingtonpost.com He faces a confirmation hearing tomorrow to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz says the move is allowed. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Rural America overwhelmingly voted for Trump What happens if their rural hospitals close or lose services due to potential Medicaid cuts favored by the Republican party? My @washingtonpost.com latest from Hondo, TX, whose slogan is "This is God's country" www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...