policy

Kennedy makes his pitch to fight chronic disease

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The final version of the second MAHA Commission report looks markedly similar to a leaked draft that garnered criticism in recent weeks. But as STAT’s Isabella Cueto and Sarah Todd report, there’s a bit more detail.

Overall, the plan suggests that health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s game plan will involve little regulation or policy. Instead, it will double down on MAHA’s cultural messaging, ask companies to make voluntary commitments, and push federal agencies to conduct new chronic disease-related studies, including of previously approved medical interventions. Read more about the health secretary’s vision for a healthy America. 

Physical fitness for children and adults is a key part of Kennedy’s mission that was solidified in yesterday’s report. But the proposal to make physical activity a “vital sign” akin to blood pressure or growth is raising questions among physiology experts, STAT’s Elizabeth Cooney reports. Read her story about the practical barriers to adapting metrics used by adult athletes for kids.

And if you're having trouble keeping track of all of Kennedy's promises to remake health in America, don't worry, STAT has you covered. Isa and J. Emory Parker are launching a promises tracker — a running list of key goals Kennedy has set for himself over time, with details on the secretary’s progress toward them.

turmoil

A close look at the latest potential ACIP members

Federal health officials are planning to add more members to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ahead of a meeting next week, STAT’s Chelsea Cirruzzo confirmed. An email sent internally at CDC in recent weeks lists seven people whom the agency hopes to add to the panel, on top of the seven current members handpicked by Kennedy after he fired the entire committee in June. 

The apparent new candidates include a pharmacist who has focused on low-income medication distribution, an infectious disease expert who opposed Covid-19 mandates, and a physician who has called for mRNA shots to be pulled off the market. But questions remain about whether all the candidates will participate in committee votes — and whether some will be named to the panel at all.  Read more from a team of STAT reporters on what we know about these folks and what has and hasn’t been confirmed. 

fertility

How marijuana might affect female fertility

In a new paper, THC was linked to higher rates of chromosomal abnormalities in early embryos, providing new insight into the ties between cannabis use and female fertility. The findings are based on two studies — one lab study and one retrospective analysis of real-world data from patients undergoing IVF treatment. 

Some public health experts have warned that rising cannabis use could yield unintended consequences. While many previous studies have found that marijuana use can negatively affect male fertility, less is known about the impact of marijuana on female fertility. Still, the study’s lead author cautioned that the results should be seen as one data point, not an outright red flag. Read more from STAT’s Lev Facher on what that means.