Health Care News, Analysis and Opinion from POLITICO
- Now it’s Republicans blaming American companies for inflationby By Carmen Paun, Rachel Shin and Kelsey Tamborrino on April 16, 2026 at 9:43 pm
Trump Cabinet members RFK Jr. and Brooke Rollins joined GOP lawmakers Thursday in pillorying onetime allies.
- Trump chooses establishment pick to head CDCby By Sophie Gardner and Simon J. Levien on April 16, 2026 at 8:03 pm
The president selected Erica Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general during his first administration.
- ‘He’s got a lot of stamina’: What to watch as the RFK Jr. hearing palooza kicks offby By Carmen Paun, Simon J. Levien, Robert King and Cheyenne Haslett on April 16, 2026 at 8:45 am
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will make the case for the Trump budget. Democrats will test his political acumen.
- More Americans doubt vaccine safety than trust it, POLITICO Poll findsby By Lauren Gardner on April 14, 2026 at 9:00 am
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views are commonplace across the land.
- ‘A crisis in the making’: Nebraska races to impose work requirements on Medicaidby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on April 14, 2026 at 8:45 am
The state’s May 1 enforcement will be a test case for what could happen nationwide in January.
- Your guide to who’s who in the MAHA movementby By Sophie Gardner and Anna Wiederkehr on April 13, 2026 at 9:55 am
Sure, Americans know Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz. But Marty Makary? Calley Means?
- Trump is still trying to DOGE the NIH. Republicans are tired.by By Kelly Hooper on April 11, 2026 at 4:00 pm
The NIH has proven a difficult target for the White House budget director, because lawmakers have a symbiotic relationship with the agency.
- RFK Jr. has turned corporate America’s name to mud, POLITICO Poll findsby By Amanda Chu on April 11, 2026 at 11:00 am
Most Americans, especially Republicans, want to regulate food and drug makers now.
- After loss in court, RFK Jr. amends guidelines for key vaccine panel to emphasize risks of shotsby By Sophie Gardner and Lauren Gardner on April 9, 2026 at 8:40 pm
A federal judge put the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on ice last month. The changes could help Kennedy find a way around that decision.
- Top drug lobbyist to depart PhRMA at year endby By Amanda Chu, David Lim and Lauren Gardner on April 8, 2026 at 5:00 pm
The announcement of Steve Ubl’s departure, disclosed during a board call, caps a decade atop the brand-name drug lobby.
- Poll: Here’s what MAHA actually believesby By Marcia Brown and Kelly Hooper on April 6, 2026 at 9:00 am
A new POLITICO Poll finds that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy again supporters don’t align with him — or each other — on some key issues.
- How the GOP’s fraud crackdown could impact the midtermsby By Robert King on April 5, 2026 at 8:00 pm
While many Republicans approve of tackling fraud, the Trump administration’s recent efforts may not be enough to overcome concerns about higher costs.
- Trump admin moves Title X family planning program away from contraception, toward conceptionby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on April 3, 2026 at 9:04 pm
New guidance, and the promise of a new rule, are expected to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood starting in 2027.
- A slowdown in US visa processing is wreaking havoc on foreign doctors’ livesby By Simon J. Levien on April 1, 2026 at 9:00 am
Physicians from countries Trump deemed national security threats are reaching the end of their visas without responses to their renewal applications.
- New factories and supersized Obamacare premiums: North Carolina considers what Trump has wroughtby By Amanda Chu on March 30, 2026 at 8:45 am
The president’s health care policies are on the ballot in a crucial Senate race.
- ‘We love you!’: The MAGA base gives RFK Jr. a rousing welcomeby By Carmen Paun on March 29, 2026 at 12:59 am
The health secretary, a member of America’s most famous Democratic family, told the audience at CPAC that his father and uncle would have endorsed Trump’s decisions on Iran and Ukraine.
- Dan Sullivan knew health costs were a problem. Now he’s running the gauntlet.by By Simon J. Levien on March 26, 2026 at 8:45 am
The Alaska Republican senator is up for reelection and facing a barrage of critical ads.
- RFK Jr. is a ‘big fan’ of this treatment and plans to widen accessby By Lauren Gardner on March 22, 2026 at 4:00 pm
He indicated that the FDA will soon take action on peptides, the mini-proteins biohackers tout as therapies for a range of ills.
- RFK Jr. went too far with comments about gender care for minors, judge rulesby By Rachel Bluth on March 20, 2026 at 5:03 am
The ruling in a lawsuit brought by a group of states deals another setback to the Trump administration in its efforts to restrict the treatments.
- Federal judge puts RFK Jr.’s new vaccine schedule, advisers on iceby By Lauren Gardner on March 16, 2026 at 8:51 pm
As a result of the ruling, HHS has postponed a planned meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices this week.
- The Trump health care policy red and blue states are embracingby By Kelly Hooper on March 15, 2026 at 8:00 pm
More states are giving tax breaks to businesses that help employees sign up for Obamacare using an authority Trump created.
- Birth control clinics rush to reapply for funding after receiving new Trump admin guidanceby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on March 14, 2026 at 12:39 am
Current grants run out on April 1.
- RFK Jr.’s department is revealing its thoughts about women’s healthby By Carmen Paun on March 11, 2026 at 8:30 pm
A conference in Washington this week showcases mainstream and alternative health practices, a teen beauty queen and scientists.
- ‘Damaging and punishing’: Birth control clinics serving millions face federal funding cliffby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on March 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Clinics are pleading with Congress and HHS for answers amid “radio silence” about the imminent expiration of Title X funding.
- FDA backs away from RFK Jr.’s claims about drug’s promise for autism patientsby By Carmen Paun on March 10, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said in September he was changing leucovorin’s label because it could help “hundreds of thousands” of children with the neurological condition.
- ‘I share your outrage’: Democrats woo MAHA moms ahead of the midtermsby By Alice Miranda Ollstein and Ruth Reader on March 9, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Democrats hope the Trump administration’s recent pesticide move will sway voters in their direction.
- The food industry is done taking RFK Jr.’s abuseby By Amanda Chu on March 8, 2026 at 11:00 am
Processed food manufacturers say there’s a conflict between the Health secretary’s plans and Trump’s desire to rebuild factory towns.
- FDA vaccines chief who ran afoul of pharma to departby By Lauren Gardner on March 6, 2026 at 10:51 pm
Vinay Prasad’s exit — his second from the agency in less than a year — comes after sharp criticism of his handling of drug applications.
- The surgeon general nominee can’t get people to stop asking her about vaccinesby By Amanda Friedman and Carmen Paun on March 6, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Casey Means alarmed immunization advocates at her confirmation hearing, but some opponents don’t trust her either.


















