A new senate report is full of *shocking* details about DOGE activities inside the federal government. Including, unfortunately, the disturbing access that DOGE affiliates had to our SSNs: "One whistleblower noted the possibility that the agency may need to re-issue SSNs to all who possess one."

As always, @rosebroderick.bsky.social delivers.

Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is the front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute, NIH's largest institute. Nice exclusive via @matthewherper.bsky.social and @angusrohan.bsky.social for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/24/n...

Trump, Kennedy say the data show that Tylenol use during pregnancy causes autism. It doesn't, but the PACER files show that the researcher whose data is fueling their conclusions was paid $150,000 to testify in a case against Tylenol. www.statnews.com/2025/09/23/r...

Smart story from @jonathanwosen.bsky.social and @angusrohan.bsky.social on the dangerous new territory Trump waded into Monday as he issued direct medical advice regarding the use of Tylenol. Almost makes one nostalgic for the days of some light bleach-pushing. www.statnews.com/2025/09/23/t...

What President Trump said today about vaccines could send shockwaves through the country for a very long time. Story from @danielpayne.bsky.social @aniloza.bsky.social @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/t...

A very unusual move at the FDA as the Trump administration unveils its "Autism Action Plan" www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/f...

Had a really interesting convo with the guy who coined the term "evidence based medicine," who has also worked on some systematic reviews of gender-affirming care. He says using the reviews as justification for banning care is an “egregious and unconscionable” misuse www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/e...

A STAT Investigation: To avoid fines for reporting excessive hospital-acquired infections, some facilities are discouraging testing. www.statnews.com/2025/09/22/h...

Missed this wild story from @kakape.bsky.social on a big setback for the Gates Foundation-backed project leading the way on development and deployment of gene drives.

So a disappeared report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on inflation (finance.yahoo.com/news/bls-del...), a canceled USDA survey on hunger (www.wsj.com/economy/trum...) and EPA ending collection of pollution emissions data (www.nytimes.com/2025/09/12/c...)

Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible” In Q&A, Drew Weissman says vast literature shows Covid shots are safe, refutes claims from Retsef Levi www.statnews.com/2025/09/20/d...

That was quick: @rosebroderick.bsky.social has the news on @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/19/c...

The CDC's vaccine panel recommended that people 6 months and older consult with their doctor before getting the Covid vaccine - preserving insurance coverage of the shots and diverging with the FDA's more limited approval: www.statnews.com/2025/09/19/a...

Mario Guevara is here legally and is not facing any criminal charges. He is being thrown out of the country for nothing but reporting news.

A federal judge has thrown out President Trump's lawsuit against The New York Times. The suit, he says, "stands unmistakably and inexcusably athwart the requirements" of federal court rules. It is "decidedly improper and impermissible." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

NEW: A federal judge said today that she’s “inclined” to order the Trump administration to restore $500 million in frozen UCLA grants, the bulk of the remaining grant suspensions at the Westwood campus: www.latimes.com/world-nation...

"We took an oath. You did too. Will you uphold yours?” Nearly 900 federal workers, including CDC and NIH staff, signed a letter to Congress urging it to protect medicine and science. Story via @angusrohan.bsky.social and @aniloza.bsky.social for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/f...

New: Cassidy invites RFK Jr. to testify before Senate health panel www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/c...

NIOSH is one of those entities that you don’t notice, until it’s gone and everything starts getting a lot more dangerous. RFK’s gutting of the office is “a mortgaging of our future,” said one former NIOSH division director. Really important story from @josheidelson.bsky.social :

Since May, when NIH abruptly disallowed foreign subawards, scientists have been anxiously waiting to see the new grant structure replacing them. On Friday, it was quietly released, but with few details. NIH's Jon Lorsch told @statnews.com more about what to expect: www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/n...

Older Americans have the highest rates of gun suicide of any age group. Not by a little — by a lot. Why? I spent months exploring this question through data, field reporting, and interviews with experts. Our story is up today on @thetrace.org www.thetrace.org/2025/09/gun-...

A late scoop: HHS abruptly cancelled a meeting today w/ Kennedy, David Geier and the officials at a key vaccine safety database. Lots of nuggets, but the upshot: RFK Jr and Geier want to study the pediatric vaccine schedule to find a link with autism. www.statnews.com/2025/09/17/r...

A lot happened today on the Hill! My ace colleagues @danielpayne.bsky.social and @isabellamweber.bsky.social have the recap you need:

A deep dive into the destruction of US cancer research by @jonathanmahler.bsky.social “It’s an absolutely unmitigated disaster,” a former top official at NIH told him. “It will take decades to recover from this, if we ever do.” Gift link: nyti.ms/48iH3Cr

Pollution? What pollution? E.P.A. To Stop Collecting Emissions Data From Polluters www.nytimes.com/2025/09/12/c...

The CDC plans to fund new research on the previously debunked connection between vaccines and autism. More on the proposed research and the researcher tapped for the job: www.statnews.com/2025/09/12/v...

New @statnews.com via @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social: Lawmakers have snubbed health secretary RFK Jr. by including an amendment in a spending bill mandating that an agency under his purview continue to research messenger RNA vaccines. 🩺💉 #mrna #vaccines #publichealth

If you run a life science lab where research has either significantly slowed or shut down completely due to Trump administration policies, I’d like to hear your story. I'm a biotech and life sciences reporter for @statnews.com, and you can reach me at [email protected] #journorequest

Monarez to testify in Senate hearing next week www.statnews.com/2025/09/09/f...

Over the next year, two historic trials of genetically modified pig kidneys will get underway in the U.S. The studies are informed by a handful of patients who have received such organs through expanded access, including one who just passed the 6-month mark: www.statnews.com/2025/09/08/p...

Whoa. www.ft.com/content/9af0...

BREAKING, from NY Playbook PM: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign an executive order allowing pharmacists to prescribe and administer Covid vaccines to New Yorkers who request them.

"Visible fractures": Analysis from @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social at @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/k...

A partial list of politicians and organizations that have called for RFK Jr to resign

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

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

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a striking turn, accuses ousted CDC director Susan Monarez of lying about the leadup to her firing, Andrew Joseph reports for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...

About this Florida vaccine story: When they were little - 1 yr and 3 1/2 - my two older boys, who’d had all their shots, got whooping cough. We asked their pediatrician what would’ve happened if they hadn’t been vaccinated. “Oh, they’d have died.”

NEW: More details on Trump's Chicago immigration blitz. -230 agents arrive from LA this weekend w/ 140 unmarked vehicles -30 already arrived and are practicing crowd control with shields/flashbangs -agents will leave base daily by 5 a.m. -new no-fly zone at NSGL to keep away news choppers/drones

NEW: RFK Jr. pushed out Susan Monarez, former CDC director, last week — suggesting it was needed to reform the agency. But many of Kennedy’s reform ideas match a memo Monarez sent HHS leaders nearly a month ago. www.statnews.com/2025/09/03/k...

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...

As Florida phases out all childhood vaccine mandates, western states are teaming up to coordinate their immunization plans based on recommendations from respected national medical organizations, which they say, no longer includes the CDC. www.statnews.com/2025/09/03/w...

House bill cuts HHS budget but excludes RFK Jr.’s reorganization and maintains NIH funding. Story via John Wilkerson & me for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/02/h...

NEWS: For the first time in the U.S., an identical twin has been convicted based on DNA evidence. It comes as DNA analysis and genetic genealogy are playing a greater role in cold and active cases. My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

This firefighter arrived in the US at age 4, has been here for 19 years, was on track to legal status, and was on a crew trying to contain a major blaze (in Washington state, vs Oregon, fwiw.) h/t @joshuajfriedman.com www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

BREAKING: Social Security Administration chief data officer and whistle-blower Charles Borges has resigned after bombshell report that SSA put highly-sensitive data at risk. He sent out an email to colleagues moments ago. Here is the text of his email shared with me:

Jim O’Neill to be acting director of CDC. You may remember O'Neill from his role co-founding the Thiel Fellowship or his time as CEO of Silicon Valley's anti-aging nonprofit, SENS Research Foundation. From @danielpayne.bsky.social and @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/j...

This is telling: People I spoke to are talking about CDC in the past tense. www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/c...

NEW: Inside the meetings and disagreements over vaccine policy that led to Susan Monarez's ouster at CDC — and a series of other agency leaders' resignations www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/c...