The MAHA influencer narrative vs. Cassidy's actual words during the Sept. 17 hearing. Kennedy appeared before the Senate earlier this month. He's been invited back to answer to allegations from former CDC leaders that he is exerting undue political influence.

BREAKING: After a week of uproar from employees, STAT has learned that the CDC has rescinded this telework pause. Story and details forthcoming.

If you don't have bandwidth to sit through, like, 16 hours of this key ACIP meeting, STAT reporters have got you covered. Helpful write-ups of the major points: www.statnews.com

Surgeon general nominee Casey Means' ties to the supplement industry were already a cause of concern for some critics. New disclosures show how much money she made from promoting them (story by me and @isabellacueto.bsky.social): www.statnews.com/2025/09/16/c...

News from a tense hearing, reported by @danielpayne.bsky.social and @isabellacueto.bsky.social at @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/17/m...

The key takeaways from an important Senate hearing today, w/ @isabellacueto.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/09/17/m...

V interesting study out today in Lancet finds global chronic disease mortality declined from 2000 to 2019 (yay!) but progress slowed over that period. The US was among the slowest of its peers in the end, with rising mortality in key areas. My story: www.statnews.com/2025/09/10/c...

Study presented in Congress as 'smoking gun' that vaccines cause disease is deeply flawed and wouldn't pass peer review as-is, a Stanford epidemiologist writes in STAT. "The study repeatedly conflates absence of diagnosis with absence of disease." www.statnews.com/2025/09/09/a...

The next MAHA report is here. @isabellacueto.bsky.social reporting www.statnews.com/2025/09/09/r...

Love this tracker from @isabellacueto.bsky.social and @jaspar.bsky.social chronicling all of RFK's promises on chronic disease and public and how much he's delivered — or not — on them www.statnews.com/2025/09/10/r...

A glimpse at how Kennedy's MAHA media machine is working to dominate the "narrative" on social media: blasting out select clips and quotes to fans + influencers and asking them to share. The one on CDC autism data is called the "most important video on X today."

Miss today's three-hour-long slugfest of a hearing with RFK Jr.? @danielpayne.bsky.social and @isabellacueto.bsky.social didn't, and have you covered with the big takeaways. Via @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...

Missed the RFK Jr. hearing before the Senate today? Our liveblog with key moments + context: www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...

The CDC has a full-blown crisis on its hands. A *lot* happened at the agency in the last week. In this new video, I break down the wild sequence of firings and resignations, and the aftermath. I also learn why it is "Centers," plural (kinda obvious in retrospect.) @statnews.com youtu.be/hzc4YX39ry0

More news. The Trump administration won't release final report tying moderate alcohol use with health risks, researchers involved w/ report confirm to STAT (first reported by Vox). Another sign alcohol is not a part of MAHA. www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/f...

7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators’ questions on CDC turmoil and more. Very smart from @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social and @isabellacueto.bsky.social. Hearing opens tmrw morning. www.statnews.com/2025/09/03/k...

If there remained any doubt about whether RFK Jr. would go “wild on health,” as Trump promised last year, the ouster of top leaders at the CDC has only solidified his standing, @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social and @isabellacueto.bsky.social write for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/k...

I took a trip up to a Pa. farmers market where even the poorest shoppers could get gleaming ears of corn, muscular tomatoes & fresh bread. To MAHA, this is the ultimate pharmacy. But federal programs that put it within reach for many are now facing cuts. www.statnews.com/2025/09/03/w...

MAHA turned 1 over the weekend, and it's hard to believe it's only been one year since Kennedy endorsed Trump and kickstarted this movement. I talked with nearly two dozen people to try and make sense of all that has happened — or not. Lots to unpack! www.statnews.com/2025/08/25/r...

New video- @brittanytrang.com just wrote a great new piece about how the use of AI by doctors could increase medical bills. She joined me to talk about it in the newest STATus Report. @statnews.com

So, what's in that leaked version of the MAHA Commission report? We break it down: www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/m...

A recent analysis found the American Academy of Pediatrics, which in 2023 recommended new obesity medications for children, had undisclosed financial ties "at every level" to drugmakers. www.statnews.com/2025/07/22/s...

This week, MAHA celebrated ice cream without artificial dyes and Coca-Cola without corn syrup. Nutrition experts say...uhhh, it's still Coke and ice cream. from @sarah-todd.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/07/17/c...

Yesterday, the Trump administration announced a change that seems to have mostly flown under the radar... But it could have major implications for community health centers, Head Start, and other state/local programs that get federal funding & previously didn't check immigration status. NEW:

Ah, yes, more of that "radical transparency" and "reconstituting [ACIP] to avoid conflicts of interest" that RFK promised. www.statnews.com/2025/07/09/k...

On June 18, HHS said it would soon release ethics and conflict-of-interest documents for new vaccine advisers appointed by RFK Jr. to the ACIP. That group's first meeting came and went. Now, HHS appears to be backpedaling. www.statnews.com/2025/07/09/k...

Wrote about a new systematic review on the symptoms that people do (or don't?) experience when they stop taking antidepressants. If you got spooked when RFK Jr. said during his confirmation hearing that it's as hard as getting off of heroin, take a read: www.statnews.com/2025/07/09/a...

A worrisome trend continues: The number of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. just hit 1,288, exceeding the 1,274 cases reported in 2019. It's the highest single-year total since the United States declared measles eliminated in 2000. @helenbranswell.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/07/09/m...

A nudge to me/you/anyone who values journalism — scroll past these increasingly tantalizing AI summaries. Go to actual sources of information. Subscribe to newsletters. Check homepages. Support local news. Read human work! nymag.com/intelligence...

#Breaking: The Senate passed a $4.5 trillion tax cut bill after last-minute changes to its health care provisions, as Republicans scrambled to get their party on board. www.statnews.com/2025/07/01/s...

States that had been nervously waiting to hear about overdue money for cancer prevention and tracking finally got news today — and it's good news: federal funding for 3 key programs will continue. www.statnews.com/2025/06/30/h...

Adding to the fears: Some cancer registries already endured budget cuts in 2025. And the CDC office that runs these contracts was slashed, its funding zeroed out in federal budget proposals for the "new" HHS.

States are anxiously awaiting news about money for critical cancer-tracking and prevention work — including free breast & cervical cancer screenings for uninsured people. New contract year starts next week, but they've gotten no word from HHS. NEW: www.statnews.com/2025/06/26/c...

🥛 they've been saying whole milk is back. For real this time... From my fav, @sarah-todd.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/06/20/w...

Steve Woloshin has for years taught journalists how to read and interpret scientific studies accurately. Ironic to see one of his own papers is mis-cited and misrepresented in the MAHA report on the health of children. www.statnews.com/2025/06/20/m...

A disturbing new study suggests the life expectancy gap for American Indians and Alaska Natives may actually be wider than official statistics report due to death certificate errors. www.statnews.com/2025/06/18/l...

A team of STAT reporters took a closer look at the new ACIP appointees last night. Lots of interesting deets here: www.statnews.com/2025/06/11/r...

A troubling picture of the nation's liver health in this new study of mortality data, which highlights how alcohol-associated liver disease deaths have been sharply increasing — especially in women, Indigenous populations and people 25 to 44 yrs old. www.statnews.com/2025/06/11/w...

The firing of the CDC's vaccine advisers has put a spotlight on RFK Jr.'s promises to a key Senate Republican health leader during his confirmation process. www.statnews.com/2025/06/10/r...

AHA is meant to be the new crown jewel of the nation's health department. But just...how will he make this new agency? It will require the help of Congress. New: www.statnews.com/2025/06/11/a...

Health secretary RFK Jr. promised Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health Committee, that he would keep a CDC vaccine advisory panel in place. Kennedy just fired the whole panel, @helenbranswell.bsky.social reports for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/06/09/r...

Don't miss this @tarabannow.bsky.social profile of Brad Smith, the semi-hidden figure who led DOGE cuts at HHS: www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/b...

The Trump administration is turning its back on mRNA just 5 years after harnessing the tool to save lives during Covid. The about-face is horrifying people in the worlds of public health and biotech. NEW with @lizzylawrence.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/m...

mRNA, a Nobel-winning technology harnessed by the Trump admin to create Covid shots, is becoming a political reject as the nation's health leaders openly embrace vaccine skepticism. Inside the political battle over mRNA, from me and @isabellacueto.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/06/02/m...

STAT is hiring! Come be our savvy news editor: www.statnews.com/careers/news...

Yesterday, we dove into all the data on chronic disease in the U.S. So, what can actually make a dent in it? Here are 3 big ideas: www.statnews.com/2025/05/21/r...

How do you solve a chronic disease crisis? It depends on what you care about most. That's what RFK Jr. will have to decide soon. Our new project splits the nation's health into 9 "priorities." Choose your adventure based on your top concerns. Dive in: www.statnews.com/2025/05/20/k...

Read @isabellacueto.bsky.social on what the new MAHA report has to say about ultra-processed foods, agriculture pesticides, smartphones, and more: www.statnews.com/2025/05/22/r...

We have a MAHA Commission report. Here are 4 key takeaways from the 68-page document: www.statnews.com/2025/05/22/r...

Yesterday, we dove into all the data on chronic disease in the U.S. So, what can actually make a dent in it? Here are 3 big ideas: www.statnews.com/2025/05/21/r...