Drugs

MAHA Report Questioned on ‘Nonexistent Science’

Restoring FDA’s and other health agencies’ credibility always starts at the top. So when HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is called out for citing nonexistent science as the partial basis for his recent Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report (see story), how seriously will stakeholders and the public take his promises to use gold-standard science?

Kennedy's report cited hundreds of studies, but an examination by the news organization NOTUS found that some were nonexistent. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the report will be updated. “I understand there was some formatting issues with the MAHA report that are being addressed and the report will be updated." Leavitt told reporters during a briefing this week. “But it does not negate the substance of the report, which, as you know, is one of the most transformative health reports that has ever been released by the federal government.”

The report says it “presents the stark reality of American children’s declining health, backed by compelling data and long-term trends… By examining the root causes of deteriorating child health, this assessment establishes a clear, evidence-based foundation for the policy interventions, institutional reforms, and societal shifts needed to reverse course.” The assessment identifies these potential drivers behind the rise in childhood chronic disease: poor diet that leans on ultra-processed foods, aggregation of environmental chemicals, lack of physical activity and chronic stress, and overmedicalization.

HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon told NPR: "Minor citation and formatting errors have been corrected." He described the report as an “historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation's children.”

Kennedy’s repeated promises to bring “radical transparency” and gold-standard science to the public health agencies are falling on deaf ears after he refused to release details about who authored the MAHA report, according to NPR.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome