Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns

Remember Aaron Siri? The lawyer and RFK ally who wanted to revoke approval of the standalone polio vaccine? He's pushing for warning labels on Tylenol now.
@by-cjewett.bsky.social reports on Siri's ties to Kennedy and his outsized influence on vaccine policy.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/h...

Trump Announces Deal With Pfizer to Sell Drugs to Medicaid at European Prices

I keep seeing photos of men who make US health policy, like this one of Trump announcing lower drug prices. HHS.gov features only men: Bhattacharya, Oz, Trump, Kennedy, Makary.

HHS has 35 top slots. 21 men. 6 women. 8 are vacant.

Just saying.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/h...

Going through my email and found this vile, anti-Semitic, racist rant. Ordinarily I wouldn't share or amplify. But it also seems to me that people ought to be reminded that this exists.

A President’s ‘Surreal’ Advice Worries Pregnant Women

She's 27 weeks pregnant and healing from a shattered vertebrae. On bad days, the pain is unbearable. She stopped taking heavy painkillers. Trump says she should give up Tylenol and "tough it out."

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/u...

Opinion | ‘This May Be the Most Difficult Day in My Career’: Experts React to Trump’s Autism Remarks

"In some respects this was the most unhinged discussion of autism that I have ever listened to."

"We agree we need gold standard science, but that’s not what we got."

Experts react to Trump & RFK Jr.'s press conference on autism. @nytimesoped.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/o...

For Trump, Who Has ‘Strong Feelings’ About Autism, the Issue Is Personal

For Trump, Who Has ‘Strong Feelings’ About Autism, the Issue Is Personal

Here’s why;
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/u...

BREAKING: Florida judge dismisses Trump $15B case against @nytimes @nytimes.com @susannecraignyt.bsky.social @russbuettner.bsky.social @peterbakernyt.bsky.social Michael Schmidt

Fired C.D.C. Director Describes Clashes With Kennedy and Turmoil at Agency

UPDATE: Today Cassidy invited RFK Jr. to testify. Kennedy spox was noncommittal; told me he will "will continue to hold productive conversations" with the health committee. Here's a recap of yesterday's hearing, ICYMI. w/Megan Mineiro

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/u...

The Fired C.D.C. Director Testifies

ICYM Susan Monarez's testimony, here's my take on The Daily with @rachelabramsnyt.bsky.social. There's much more at stake than one woman's firing. The future health of all Americans -- and especially children -- is on the line.

Listen here:

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/p...

Former C.D.C. Director to Tell Lawmakers She Was ‘Fired for Holding the Line’

Monarez is testifying now. Here's my preview from yesterday of her prepared remarks: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/u...

Trump Administration Live Updates: Fired C.D.C. Director to Testify About Dispute With Kennedy

Susan Monarez will tell the Senate that RFK Jr. fired her from CDC for “holding the line on scientific integrity.” She told him he could fire her if he didn’t trust her. Deb Houry, who quit CDC, will also testify.

I’ll be in the room. Watch here for live updates.

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...

Cassidy, His Job in Peril, Scrutinizes Kennedy on Vaccines

Cassidy paved the way for Kennedy's confirmation, saying RFK Jr. promised a "unprecedentedly close collaborative working relationship." Now the senator faces a tough primary challenge at home. He's dancing a fine line on Kennedy. w/ Megan Mineiro
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/u...

Robert Redford, Screen Idol Turned Director and Activist, Dies at 89

Pausing to remember Robert Redford, Screen Idol Turned Director and Activist. He was 89. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/m...

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. on X: "Chair Cassidy Commits to Work with Secretary Kennedy to Stop Whooping Cough Outbreak, Asks him to Encourage Vaccination WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today committed to https://t.co/kotHRAfhqP" / X Chair Cassidy Commits to Work with Secretary Kennedy to Stop Whooping Cough Outbreak, Asks him to Encourage Vaccination WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today committed to https://t.co/kotHRAfhqP

Cassidy is asking RFK Jr. to encourage vaccination, amid whooping cough outbreak in Louisiana:
x.com/senbillcassi...

The Jarring Contradiction at the Heart of Kennedy’s Agenda

RFK Jr. is far more willing to crack down on Big Pharma than he is on Big Food or Big Ag. Smart news analysis by @benjmueller.bsky.social and Dani Blum

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...

C.D.C. Uncertainty Upends Covid Vaccine Access at CVS and Walgreens

My colleagues published this late last month: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/w...

Anyway, thank you for being kind.

🤣

Thank you. My preference is to avoid labels if possible. I don’t like anti-vaccine and honestly I’m not a fan of vaccine skeptic either. I’d rather be more descriptive but sometimes we resort to shorthand, imperfect though it is. I’ll give it some more thought.

Prince Harry Reunites With King Charles for First Time in Over a Year

BIG NEWS! Seriously. Prince Harry had tea with his father, King Charles. I am such a sucker for the royals. And I hate family feuds.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/w...

Kennedy, Rejecting Data, Fuels Distrust of His Own Agencies

To your point: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/u...

Vaccines and C.D.C. Chaos Expose Tensions Between Trump and Kennedy

NEW: Trump was irritated by the negative coverage around chaos at the CDC, and the White House told RFK Jr. to tone down his rhetoric. Still, no evidence of a break between the president and his celebrity health secretary.

w/ Maggie Haberman www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/u...

Report from MAHA presser: A reporter asked RFK Jr. if he agreed with President Trump that some vaccines work, pure and simple.

Kennedy said, "I agree with that."

Then he banged the gavel, ending the press conference.

Uh, did you read the story?

Kennedy, Rejecting Data, Fuels Distrust of His Own Agencies

Kennedy is tapping into widely-held concerns about the medical establishment putting profits over patients. But experts in conspiracy theories say his 'conspiratorial mind-set' is dangerous for public health. My analysis of Thursday's hearing:
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/u...

Prediction: ACIP will abandon its recommendation for routine HepB vaccination for infants. Senate Republicans including two doctors -- Rand Paul and Roger Marshall (see below) are laying the groundwork for it.

Kennedy, Rejecting Data, Fuels Distrust of His Own Agencies

What does Kennedy's 'conspiratorial mindset' mean for public health? My analysis, after Thursday's fiery hearing.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/u...

Update from Katie Rogers

Trump is clearly hedging his bets on RFK Jr and vaccines:
“I think you have to be very careful when you say that some people don’t have to be vaccinated.”

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...

RFK Jr.'s HHS Orders Lab Studying Deadly Infectious Diseases to Stop Research NIAID's Integrated Research Facility is one of the few federal facilities charged with studying Ebola. Tuesday afternoon, all of its work was put on indefinite pause by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s departm...

RFK Jr. ordered the NIH’s Integrated Research Facility in Frederick to stop all research on serious infectious diseases yesterday at 5:00 PM.

They study pathogens like Ebola there. You may be familiar with it from The Hot Zone.

www.wired.com/story/hhs-ni...

Live Updates: Senators Unite in Criticizing Kennedy for Attacks on Vaccines

Lots of fireworks as RFK Jr. is testifying this morning. I'm in the room. Follow our live updates here:
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...