NPR (Pien Huang) - Dr. Erica Schwartz confirmed as CDC director, filling a leadership vacuum
Schwartz takes command of a public health agency that has lost thousands of employees, amid layoffs, resignations and leadership turmoil.
AXIOS (Adriel Bettelheim) - Senate confirms Schwartz for CDC director
The Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz for Centers for Disease Control director on Wednesday, giving the beleaguered agency its first full-time political leader in almost a year. Why it matters: While the 51-44 vote marked a step toward refilling the depleted ranks of the Trump administration's health care leadership, it didn't fully resolve questions about whether Schwartz could steer clear of political interference. Driving the news: Just one Democrat — Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) — supported Schwartz's nomination, along with all of the Republicans present. - "She's got the qualifications for the job," Kaine told Politico last week after voting to advance Schwartz's nomination out of committee. Schwartz is a physician who worked at the…
THEAMERICANCONSERVATIVE (Joseph Addington) - FDA Commissioner Makary Resigns Amid Controversy
State of the Union: The outgoing agency head had angered pharma companies, pro-life Republicans, and vaping lobbyists. The post FDA Commissioner Makary Resigns Amid Controversy appeared first on The American Conservative .
The head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Marty Makary, resigned Tuesday after leading the agency for just 13 months. Makary’s tenure at the FDA was marked by significant controversy, as he angered a number of political constituencies. Makary was elevated to head the FDA by President Donald Trump as part of the administration’s embrace of the Make America Healthy Again movement, represented by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His time at the FDA saw a significant exodus of agency officials and employees, which created turmoil in the agency’s drug review program and frustrated pharmaceutical companies waiting for regulatory approval for their products. He also angered pro-life Republicans, who accused him of…Open
NEWSNATIONNOW (Andrew Dorn) - UnitedHealthcare to eliminate prior authorization for 30% of services
UnitedHealthcare plans to eliminate prior authorization requirements for 30% of services by the end of 2026.