Rachel Roubein

Why RFK Jr. is suddenly talking less about vaccines Health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on tour to tout his MAHA food initiatives and drug pricing over vaccines, an issue GOP pollsters see as a liability.

Ahead of the midterms, RFK Jr. is messaging on food & drug pricing, and downplaying vaccines, as some Republicans warn vaccines could be a liability.

This comes as influential MAHA leaders want to spend big for GOP. Tony Lyons wants to raise $100M.

w/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social

Trump order to promote weedkiller sparks fury in MAHA movement Allies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are frustrated that the Trump administration has embraced chemicals that they say harm human health.

Trump's order to promote a widely used weedkiller sparked swift & fierce backlash from some MAHA supporters

With @laurenweberhp.bsky.social

washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

FDA won’t review Moderna application for first mRNA-based flu vaccine The decision, which shocked company officials, comes as the FDA says it will take a stricter approach to federal vaccine approvals.

FDA refuses to review Moderna’s application for first mRNA flu vaccine www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/... @rachelroubein.bsky.social

We are absolutely heartbroken by the loss of two-thirds of our Washington Post health team. Editors, please hire these wonderful journalists.

We had devastating cuts to @washingtonpost. Our health team of 14 lost 9 reporters yesterday despite it being listed as part of the Post’s new focus.
But I still have my job. Along w/a core team, we are still dedicated to covering public health, holding the powerful to account.

I’m stunned and heartbroken. I’ve been laid off, along with so many dear colleagues. Making my way to The Post nine years ago felt like a dream come true.

It takes all of us to make The Washington Post. Every section works together to create this authoritative, entertaining, worldwide news report.

So, Jeff Bezos, #SaveThePost.

"While children in California, which does not allow for nonmedical vaccine exemptions, are vaccinated against measles at 96 percent, there is not a single county in Idaho, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah or Wisconsin whose kindergarten rates meet herd immunity protection."

Amid the changes, he leaned into his more broadly popular messaging around food, posting more than 2x as frequently about food than vaccines while in office.

Among the asks: Replace the membership of an influential vaccine panel. Reconsider the universal hep B vaccine recommendation. Revisit the use of multidose flu shot vials.

How RFK Jr. upended the public health system Interviews with almost 100 people reveal how Kennedy, as health secretary, has reshaped the vaccine and broader public health infrastructure in less than a year.

“Bobby has asked for the following changes,” top Kennedy aide emailed HHS officials. Email reveals his previously undisclosed role in seeking vaccine policy changes in a highly unusual way, per experts/former/current officials. W/ @lenasun.bsky.social @laurenweberhp.bsky.social
wapo.st/48YSPC1

U.S. plans to stop recommending most childhood vaccines, defer to doctors The plan, which is not finalized, suggests children get fewer shots and shifts to a model telling parents to consult doctors to make their own vaccine choices.

BREAKING: US. plans to stop recommending most childhood vaccines, defer to doctors, per sources familiar. HHS consulted w chief science officer and top FDA official. Me and @rachel_roubein
1/4
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Under RFK Jr., U.S. plans to stop recommending most vaccines, defer to doctors The plan, which is not finalized, suggests children get fewer shots and shifts to a model telling parents to consult doctors to make their own vaccine choices.

BREAKING: The U.S. is preparing to stop recommending most childhood vaccines and defer to doctors instead.

The plan, which is not finalized, marks a fundamental shift in the U.S. vaccine strategy, @lenasun.bsky.social & @rachelroubein.bsky.social report.

Gift link: wapo.st/4aXfzn5

More from our story on FDA:
—Officials have held meetings at the WH this week to discuss turmoil at agency
—Prasad’s vaccine email wasn’t cleared with HHS or RFK Jr.

with @ddiamond.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/ddia...

Ahead of Thanksgiving, Trump health officials thought they’d tamped down on the turmoil at the FDA.

But in the last week, the turnover & public concern over the direction of the agency has only grown.

Our latest w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/ddia...

FDA instability, alarm over agency’s direction escalate after top regulator exits As leadership churn continues, FDA’s unpredictability rattles companies relying on stable regulation.

The top drug regulator abruptly resigned. Staff complaints piled up. Outside experts warned FDA was in trouble.

That was a month ago, prompting urgent meetings. Leaders soon claimed problems were fixed.

Then it all happened again in the past week.

On FDA chaos w @rachelroubein.bsky.social

RICK PAZDUR is now planning to resign at the end of the year — three weeks after taking the job as FDA's top drug regulator.

Big shake-up after a year of turbulence at the agency.

Story w @rachelroubein.bsky.social.

(And credit to Stat's @lizzylawrence.bsky.social, who beat us out the door.)

The FDA's top vaccine regulator laid out a stricter approach for federal vaccine approvals in an internal email.

More on the changes and what this could mean with @ddiamond.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/ddia...

FDA to impose strict new vaccine requirements, claiming child covid shot deaths Vinay Prasad, the nation’s top vaccine regulator, said his team concluded that coronavirus shots were linked to children’s deaths, necessitating a new approach.

Big change: FDA to impose strict new vaccine requirements under RFK Jr ally

Vinay Prasad signaled changes to annual flu shots, concurrent vaccines + more

Prasad said his team found link between covid-19 shots and kids' deaths, necessitating a new approach overall

with @rachelroubein.bsky.social

Pazdur and Makary have disagreed over the commissioner’s plan to reduce the number of research studies needed to justify more drug-related decisions, such as changes to drug labels, two of the people said. Makary has argued his plan to reduce the burden of proof to a single study would allow the agency to more quickly respond to new evidence. Pazdur has countered that multiple studies may be necessary in many cases and would better protect public health. Pazdur has also raised concerns about Makary’s new drug-review program, which has been part of Trump’s push for lower drug prices and efforts to boost domestic manufacturing. Pazdur told colleagues the program — which allows the agency to significantly shorten review times and expedite approvals for treatments that are aligned with the country’s health priorities — is not sufficiently transparent and could be illegal, the people said. The Trump administration has partly leaned on the program as it seeks to strike deals with drug companies to voluntarily cut their prices in exchange for quick drug approvals and other benefits.

Pazdur, a longtime FDA employee, has taken issue with Commissioner Marty Makary's plans to reduce the number of research studies needed to justify more drug-related decisions — with Makary arguing just one study is sufficient.

Also has warned that new Trump drug voucher plan may not be legal.

Top FDA drug regulator raises alarms about expediting approvals Richard Pazdur, who assumed his new role this month, has warned that new Trump administration initiatives could be illegal and pose a risk to public health.

exclusive: Rick Pazdur, the official just tapped by Trump administration to be FDA's top drug regulator has privately warned that some of the agency's new initiatives could be illegal and dangerous.

w @rachelroubein.bsky.social

How scientists are trying to solve something RFK Jr. hates about your food Inside the lab where scientists are inventing food dyes of the future

RFK Jr.'s campaign against artificial colors has sent the food industry scrambling. Inside one lab where scientists are inventing food dyes of the future ⬇

& photos by Andrew Spear

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

ByHeart recalls all baby formula amid botulism outbreak Officials have identified 15 cases of infant botulism potentially linked to the company’s organic products. The recall is not expected to create a nationwide shortage.

New from this a.m.: ByHeart recalls all baby formula amid botulism outbreak.

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

ByHeart recalls all baby formula amid botulism outbreak Officials have identified 15 cases of infant botulism potentially linked to the company’s organic products. The recall is not expected to create a nationwide shortage.

BREAKING: ByHeart, the organic baby formula maker, is recalling all of its formula after an infant botulism outbreak linked to its product.

@rachelroubein.bsky.social with the scoop www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

A new WaPo-KFF poll found bipartisan support among American parents for much of RFK Jr.'s concerns about the food supply. But support for his MAHA movement skews along partisan lines.

w/ @sfcpoll.bsky.social & Paige Winfield Cunningham

bsky.app/profile/sfcp...

Means did a YouTube video titled “Unbox My Genova Metabolomix+ Nutrition Test With Me! 🧪” about a test that can cost hundreds of dollars. Genova Diagnostics is a sponsor of her book tour and newsletter, according to her financial disclosures, for $20,000 and listed as a partner of her book launch on her website. She did not expressly disclose that connection in the video, but did note viewers could get 10 percent off in the description. She also did not disclose the partnership in a May 2024 newsletter when she promoted the brand.

NEW: A Washington Post deep dive into surgeon general nominee Casey Means found she blurred sponsorship lines as she promoted supplements and products outside the medical mainstream.

Here’s one example.

And a gift link to read more: wapo.st/46LWoKQ

Casey Means left her surgical residency in 2018. She's frequently suggested Americans should question advice from medical authorities.

Now, she’s HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pick for surgeon general, one of the nation’s most trusted medical posts. https://wapo.st/3KMq0im

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.'s surgeon general pick Casey Means, the surgeon general nominee, has criticized the medical establishment. She could be put in position to change it.

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.'s surgeon general pick

Read my and @rachelroubein.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com deep dive on Casey Means

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: RFKJr’s handpicked vaccine panel met this week. They were unprepared, misunderstood or ignored key data + highlighted flawed or inconclusive research often trumpeted by vaccine critics, per medical/scientific experts who watched meeting @davidovalle.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social + me.

Bill Cassidy cast the key vote for RFK Jr. What is he thinking now? The GOP senator has invited Susan Monarez, the former CDC director, to testify about her concerns that Kennedy is threatening vaccine access in America.

Sen. Bill Cassidy's decision to support RFK Jr. came down to the morning of a crucial committee vote.

Now, he's publicly pressing the nation's top health official to endorse common vaccines & set to quiz a CDC head ousted by RFK.

w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...