Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Former F.D.A. Chief Backs Kennedy’s War on Processed Food

NEW: David Kessler, who went after Big Tobacco when he ran FDA and later advised Biden, has given RFK Jr and Trump a legal strategy to go after Big Food. It’s a political gift and a shot across the bow. Will they take it?

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/u...

As Trump Administration Plans to Burn Contraceptives, Europeans Are Alarmed

Tens of thousands of US owned contraceptives are sitting in a Belgian warehouse.

Trump plans to burn them. @stephanienolen.bsky.social @jeannasmialek.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/w...

Under Trump, a New Focus for a Birth Control Program: Helping Women Get Pregnant

Trump wants women to have babies. He’s going to use a 55-year old Nixon-era birth control program, Title X, to achieve that goal by promoting “holistic” approaches to infertility — in keeping with his MAHA agenda. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/u...

With Flu Shot Vote, Kennedy’s Vaccine Skepticism Comes Full Circle

Thimerosal sent RFK Jr down the path of vaccine hesitancy two decades ago. It was his “passion.” Here’s the story of how it landed on the ACIP agenda — and what it says about the way Kennedy is using his power. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

The CDC posted this analysis of the safety of thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they took it down.

The Introduction of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis and Oral Polio Vaccine Among Young Infants in an Urban African Community: A Natural Experiment We examined the introduction of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) in an urban community in Guinea-Bissau in the early 1980s. The child population had been followed with 3...

This is the study RFK Jr. relied on to withdraw funding from GAVI, the global vaccines program for children. It examines vaccinated and unvaccinated infants born in an urban community in Guinea-Bissau between 1978 and 1983.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Cassidy, in Break With Kennedy, Calls for Vaccine Meeting Delay

Tomorrow's meeting of the CDC vaccine advisory committee will be one to watch. Cassidy wants it postponed. An ally of RFK is delivering a presentation on a vaccine preservative that was the subject of a 2014 book edited by Kennedy.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/u...

Cassidy, in Break With Kennedy, Calls for Vaccine Meeting Delay

Update to this story coming soon -- Kennedy says he never told Cassidy he would not change the makeup of ACIP

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/24/u...

RFK Jr just announced the new chair and co-chair of ACIP. Chair: Martin Kulldorff.
Co-chair: Robert Malone

He also said he never committed to Cassidy not to change the makeup of the panel.

Kennedy Announces Eight New Members of C.D.C. Vaccine Advisory Panel The appointments of at least two of the experts are likely to draw an uproar from pro-vaccine groups for their criticism of federal scientists and the Biden administration’s Covid vaccine policies.

RFK Jr has named eight new members of the ACIP. Two in particular -- Martin Kulldorff and Robert Malone -- are likely to draw an uproar from pro-vaccine groups.

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...

Secretary Kennedy on X: "On Monday, I took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). I retired the 17 current members of the committee. I’m now repopulating ACIP with the eight new members who will attend ACIP’s" / X On Monday, I took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). I retired the 17 current members of the committee. I’m now repopulating ACIP with the eight new members who will attend ACIP’s

BREAKING: RFK Jr. names Martin Kulldorff and Robert Malone and six others to ACIP.

x.com/SecKennedy/s...

Party Politics Is Said to Have Played a Role in Kennedy’s Firing of Vaccine Advisers The health secretary cited financial conflicts, but a White House official and someone familiar with his thinking said he was also concerned about ties to Democrats.

NEW: One reason RFK Jr fired the entire ACIP is that all were appointed by Biden and some had donated to Democrats. The committee has always been apolitical in the past.

Party Politics Is Said to Have Played a Role in Kennedy’s Firing of Vaccine Advisers www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/u...

AMA Calls for Senate Investigation of RFK Jr. 'We do not want to be on the wrong side of history,' one delegate said

BREAKING: The American Medical Association just passed an emergency resolution calling for the Senate to investigate RFK Jr over his decision to fire all 17 members of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee.
www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcover...

Kennedy’s War on Pesticides Riles Farmers and a G.O.P. Senator

Kennedy’s War on Pesticides Riles Farmers and a G.O.P. Senator www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/u...

Martha Stewart and the show chicken breeder she took under her wing How a Gen-Z animal obsessive and a domestic powerhouse formed an unlikely friendship and a new business.

A delightful cross-generational story about a partnership between a 23-year-old animal lover (full disclosure: my young friend Ari Katz) and a woman 60 years his senior: Martha Stewart.

They are teaching people about Raising the Perfect Pet.

wapo.st/3Fkengj

Reporting while Jewish. This person's mother needs to wash out his mouth with soap.

Energized by Kennedy, Texas ‘Mad Moms’ Are Chipping Away at Vaccine Mandates

These "mad moms" in Texas have been fighting vaccine mandates for 10 years Now they have an ally in Washington: RFK Jr. Their dream is a world in which "your vaccination status is irrelevant to your participation in society."

They're getting closer to it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/u...

RFK Jr., asked how the US will remain competitive against other countries in biomedical research while also cutting funding, replied: "The Chinese are not spending a lot of money on D.E.I. and we are cutting those studies."

Kennedy to Defend H.H.S. Overhaul as Democrats Denounce ‘War on Science’

RFK Jr says mass firings and budget cuts at HHS will save money “without impacting critical services.” He will face tough questions on the Hill today.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/u...

Kennedy to Defend H.H.S. Overhaul as Democrats Denounce ‘War on Science’

RFK Jr makes his first appearance on the Hill since becoming health secretary. Gonna be some fireworks. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/u...

Kennedy Swims in Washington Creek That Flows With Sewage and Bacteria

Enough said.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/u...

Far-Right Activist Targets Trump’s Surgeon General Pick

Does the Surgeon General have to be a practicing physician? Casey Means, a wellness specialist who left her surgical residency to practice "functional medicine" is sparking a debate. Laura Loomer is targeting her. Her brother Calley advises RFK and Trump. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/u...

Trump Administration Fires Librarian of Congress

"Thank you for your service." The Library of Congress is a national treasure. Trump fired its leader in a two-sentence email. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/u...

Trump Administration Slashes Research Into L.G.B.T.Q. Health Nearly half of the N.I.H. grants canceled through early May — together worth more than $800 million — addressed the health of sexual and gender minority groups, The Times found.

Trump's assault on LGBTQ-related health research:

Nearly half of the 669 NIH grants that have been canceled in whole or in part related to LGBTQ health, according to a review by @nytimes.com of every terminated grant. @benjaminmueller.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/04/h...

Kennedy Advises New Parents to ‘Do Your Own Research’ on Vaccines In an interview with Dr. Phil, the health secretary offered false information about vaccine oversight and revealed a lack of basic understanding of new drug approvals

RFK Jr.'s message to parents of newborns considering vaccination: "Do your own research."

Yes, really. w/ @by-cjewett.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/u...

Opinion | Scroll through Trump’s new covid website — and have your mind blown Scrolling through Trump’s latest foray into history-washing.

"The font fades toward the bottom of each word, in a way you are most accustomed to seeing not on government websites, where the goal is legibility, but rather on airport fiction."

Thank you, really thank you @monicahesse.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Colleague of Harvard scientist held by ICE warns that foreign scientists are scared Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova has been in ICE custody for about two months. Her colleague and friend Leon Peshkin says her case is causing some scientists to reconsider working in the U.S.

Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova has been in ICE custody for about two months. Her colleague and friend Leon Peshkin says her case is causing some scientists to reconsider working in the U.S.

Federal Officials Promise to Restore Funding to Women’s Health Initiative The decades-long research effort has contributed to thousands of research papers, altering medical care for women around the world.

Well, I guess somebody came to their senses.

Federal Officials Promise to Restore Funding to Women’s Health Initiative www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/h...

NCA Provides Chocolate and Candy for 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll The National Confectioners Association issued the following statement on its participation in the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll: “We’re proud to partner with the White House on the 2025 Easter Egg ...

Days before RFK Jr. and other Trump administration officials announced they are banning certain food dyes, the National Confectioners Association provided candy for the White House Easter Egg Roll that contain the dyes they want to ban.

candyusa.com/news/nca-pro...

Trump Aides Solicit Ideas to Raise Birthrate, From Baby Bonuses to Fertility Planning Baby bonuses and menstrual cycle classes are among the ideas pitched to Trump aides as they consider plans to try boosting the birthrate.

The White House wants women to have more children. Seriously. Conservatives are on board. "We need to channel the MAHA spirit and really dive deep into infertility.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/u...