The Host
In a extremely uncommon White Home information convention this week, President Donald Trump — with out proof — boldly blamed the painkiller Tylenol and a string of childhood vaccines for inflicting a current rise in autism. That got here simply days after the newly reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, now populated with vaccine skeptics and opponents, voted to alter long-standing suggestions.
Podcast host Julie Rovner interviews Demetre Daskalakis, who till final month was the pinnacle of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Nationwide Middle for Immunization and Respiratory Illnesses, concerning the response to those unprecedented actions.
In the meantime, as the federal government approaches a possible shutdown, with Congress at a standoff over funding for the brand new fiscal 12 months that begins Oct. 1, the Trump administration is ordering federal companies to not simply furlough employees however to fireside them if their jobs don’t align with the president’s priorities.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name.
Panelists
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- The federal Workplace of Administration and Finances on Wednesday night time despatched a memo to authorities companies asking for contingency plans within the occasion of a authorities shutdown beginning Oct. 1. Such a memo isn’t uncommon in the case of pre-shutdown planning. This time round, it took an unprecedented flip in informing company personnel that they need to put together for mass firings of workers whose packages lack various funding sources or who’re engaged on a program whose mission doesn’t immediately align with Trump’s priorities. Although federal RIFs, or reductions in power, and authorities shutdowns have every occurred earlier than, the mixed RIF/shutdown risk is a primary.
- It appears we’re headed for a shutdown. Earlier than adjourning till after the fiscal 12 months ends Sept. 30, the Home authorized a stopgap funding measure. However, as a result of Home members don’t plan to return to Washington till Oct. 6, that leaves the Senate in a jam. If senators change something within the invoice, it could require one other Home vote, which, due to the Home schedule, won’t occur earlier than the month ends.
- There’s additionally interparty strife. Republicans say they need a clear invoice to supply short-term funding, whereas Democrats produce other concepts. Their prevailing angle is that they went together with this strategy in March and obtained burned. This week, Trump additionally canceled a gathering with Democratic leaders. The underside line is that each side are jockeying for a place that might enable them to solid shutdown blame throughout the aisle. Some name it a recreation of three-dimensional chess, whereas others name it a recreation of rooster. Both means, there can be penalties.
- Confusion and chaos have emerged as buzzwords to explain two current occasions: final week’s assembly of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and this week’s White Home press convention about autism. Each have been marked by blended messages. On the White Home occasion, as an example, Trump warned pregnant girls to not take Tylenol. However the FDA data that shortly adopted downplayed the Tylenol threat.
- The Trump administration’s new $100,000 payment for H-1B visas might have an effect on well being care. Such visas are sometimes utilized by graduating medical college students and different well being professionals who come to the U.S. for coaching, then keep to apply. That $100,000 payment is steep and generated an nearly rapid backlash from hospitals and well being methods, particularly these in rural areas — a response that caught administration officers off guard. Administration officers have advised that well being professionals would qualify for an exemption from this payment. What will not be but clear is what hoops the sponsoring hospitals must bounce by way of to qualify for it.
- Trump has given 17 drug corporations a Sept. 29 deadline by which they must decide to adopting his “most favored nation” pricing coverage. It’s meant to extend the associated fee drugmakers cost in different international locations whereas reducing costs within the U.S. Talks between the administration and the drugmakers are ongoing. Up to now, indications are that Trump would possibly find yourself with half a loaf. Some giant drugmakers have introduced they’ll elevate the costs of particular drugs in different international locations however haven’t agreed to scale back costs within the U.S.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: NBC Information’ “RFK Jr. Has the Federal Vaccine Court docket in His Sights. Attacking It May Threaten Vaccine Manufacturing within the U.S.“To liz szabo.
Anna Edney: The Washington Submit’s “Do State Abortion Legal guidelines Have an effect on Girls’s Recruiting? That’s As much as Athletes,” by Kevin B. Blackistone.
Sandhya raman: ProPublica’s “Psychiatric Hospitals Flip Away Sufferers Who Want Pressing Care. The Amenities Face Few Penalties,” by Eli Cahan.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
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