The efforts of HHS RFK Jr. secretary could affect vaccines

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Less than two weeks have passed since Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outstanding vaccine skeptic, was confirmed to direct the Department of Health and Human Services.

But it is already making movements that could affect the absorption of immunization and politics in the HHS of the USA. They did not immediately respond to a request for comments on those efforts.

That is not a big surprise. Kennedy has made false and deceptive statements about the safety of the shooting. He has affirmed that they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that discredit that association.

Kennedy is also the founder of the non -profit children's health defense, the most funded anti -acuna organization in the United States in a government ethics agreement in January, said he stopped serving as president or legal advisor head of the organization A starting in December.

Kennedy tried to distance himself from those points of view during the Senate confirmation hearings, claiming that it is not “anti -vaccin” and would do nothing to make it “difficult or discouraged people to take” scaps for measles and polyomyelitis.

Louisiana Bill Cassidy Senator, who was considered one of the largest Republican Swing votes, finally supported Kennedy's nomination after receiving guarantees that the Trump administration did not dismant Government for immunizations.

But his history so far suggests otherwise.

This is what has supposedly happened with vaccines under Kennedy so far:

• Review of Children's Vaccination Schedule – In his first speech with the staff, Kennedy said last week that he will review the calendar of the children's vaccine despite the previous promises of not doing so. He promised that a new commission “Make America Healthy Again” would investigate vaccines, pesticides and antidepressants to see if they have contributed to an increase in chronic diseases in the United States, Trump formed that commission last week in an executive order. Although Kennedy did not directly ask for changes in the vaccination schedule, he made it clear that the Committee will investigate the problems, including children's vaccines, which “before were taboo or insufficient.”

• Promotional campaign of detainee CDC Vaccines – CDC was ordered to obtain some promotions that it created for a variety of vaccines, including a campaign that promotes seasonal flu vaccines, according to multiple points of sale. The assistant secretary of Public Affairs of the HHS informed the CDC that Kennedy wanted ads that promote the idea of ​​”informed consent” in the vaccine decision making, Stat News reported last week. Informed consent refers to a process in which patients receive important information, including possible risks and benefits, about a medical or treatment procedure. It comes in the middle of a brutal flu season in the United States that is still ongoing.

• Plan to delete some CDC, FDA advisors – Kennedy is preparing to eliminate members of the external committees who advise the food and medicines administration and CDCs on vaccine approvals and other key public health decisions, Politicus reported last week. According to the reports, he plans to replace the members that he receives to have conflicts of interest, although it is not clear how many people will be expelled or when. That is part of a broader effort to limit what has criticized as an influence of the undue pharmaceutical industry on government health agencies. Kennedy will probably go to the Immunization Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, which plays a fundamental role in establishing the Vaccine Policy of the United States. He is also examining other external panels, such as those who advise the FDA.

• First meeting of the postponed CDC Advisory Panel – The first Acip meeting since Kennedy swore has been postponed to “accommodate public comments before the meeting,” according to several media. The advisory panel meets three times a year to weigh the pros and cons of recent or updated shots. The ACIP helps CDCs make recommendations for states and insurers about which vaccines to cover, including children's immunizations. It is not clear if Kennedy was directly behind the delay of the meeting, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday to Friday. HHS officials did not share when it will be rescheduled.

We will continue following the fate of the nation's approach to vaccines. Are attentive to our updates.

Do not hesitate to send any advice, suggestion, stories ideas and data to Annika in [email protected].

Oracle On Monday he announced that he has formally submitted his application to join a new medical network backed by the federal government called Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Actation, or Tefca.

The network aims to standardize the legal and technical requirements to share patient data, which is a notoriously complex process. Medical care data is isolated and protected by laws such as the Portability and Responsibility Law of Health Insurance, or Hipaa, so exchanging this large -scale information is not an easy task.

Tefca was launched at the end of 2023 and falls under the scope of an office in the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States. Oracle had previously announced his intention to join Tefca in October.

Oracle acquired the giant of Cerner medical records for around $ 28 billion in 2022, and the company has been working to renew its technology in recent years. Joining Tefca is a “next natural step” for Oracle, Sema Verma, executive vice president of Oracle Health and Life Sciences, he told CNBC in an October interview.

“This is based on our long -standing leadership to boost interoperability to increase the efficiency of the entire industry and help ensure that patients retain control over their own data,” Verma said in a statement on Monday.

The main groups that participate in health data exchanges through Tefca are called qualified health information networks or QHINS. These networks must be approved and their participation is voluntary.

Until Tuesday, eight organizations, including Epic Systems of Oracle Competor, have been recognized as Qhin designated for Tefca Exchange.

If Oracle is approved to join Tefca, it would help expand the scope of the exchange and could further reinforce its credibility. The Oracle network would admit the exchange of data such as radiographs and magnetic resonances that are not traditionally available through other exchanges, the company added.

It is not clear immediately if the Oracle application will be approved or when it will be approved.

Do not hesitate to send any advice, suggestion, stories ideas and data to Ashley at [email protected].