Main Street Independent

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Trump Health Policy Overhaul

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s restructuring of CDC, FDA, and the childhood vaccine schedule under the Make America Healthy Again agenda

How U.S. aid cuts are reshaping HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa

Illustration accompanying article: How U.S. aid cuts are reshaping HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa
  • The Trump administration's sharp cuts to foreign assistance have created uncertainty for PEPFAR, the U.S. HIV/AIDS program that the State Department estimates has saved roughly 26 million lives since its launch in 2003.
  • NPR reporters documented closed U.S.-funded clinics, health workers forgoing pay, and community-care programs destabilized by the policy changes during nearly two weeks of reporting in South Africa and Mozambique.
  • HIV activist Lucky Mazibuko, who disclosed his HIV-positive status in 1999, said the pre-PEPFAR era "was filled with the stench of death" and described the current uncertainty as threatening to reverse decades of progress.
  • Health workers and advocates in both countries told NPR they remain committed to their work despite uncertain funding, with some going without full pay to maintain patient trust.
 3 MIN READ

New World screwworm detected in Texas calf, first US livestock case since 1966

Illustration accompanying article: New World screwworm detected in Texas calf, first US livestock case since 1966
  • The USDA confirmed on June 4 that New World screwworm larvae were found in a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, the first U.S. livestock detection since 1966.
  • The flesh-eating parasite, spread by flies laying eggs in open wounds, can be deadly to animals but poses no common risk to humans and is not a food safety concern, according to the USDA.
  • The detection adds pressure on U.S. ranchers as the national cattle herd sits at its smallest since the 1950s, with beef prices at record highs.
  • The USDA will establish a 12.4-mile infested zone, step up surveillance, and expedite releases of sterilized flies to curb the parasite's spread.
 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Fringe rancher group now advising Trump's agriculture team

Judge blocks US changes to vaccine recommendations for children

2026-03-15

Federal judge Brian E. Murphy on March 16 temporarily blocked U.S. health officials from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every child and said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in reshaping the vaccine advisory panel. The order halted decisions by the reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and postponed a meeting of the panel in Atlanta this week.

Judge temporarily blocks changes to U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations

2026-03-15

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the U.S. health department from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for most children, pausing parts of a policy overhaul led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The ruling also put on hold a Kennedy-appointed advisory committee’s work, including a meeting in Atlanta that was scheduled for this week.

FDA approves leucovorin for folate-transport disorder, walks back autism hopes

2026-03-13

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a generic version of leucovorin for a rare genetic condition that limits folate delivery to the brain, while retracting earlier statements from President Donald Trump and other administration officials that the drug could help people with autism. FDA officials said the evidence for autism support was limited and that a study previously used to support the broader claim was retracted.

FDA says leucovorin lacks evidence for autism benefit

2026-03-13

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a generic form of leucovorin on March 10 for a rare genetic disorder that impairs folate delivery to the brain. The approval comes after the agency walked back statements made by President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the drug could help a sizable share of children with autism. FDA officials said the review was narrowed to the ultra‑rare condition and noted that a study once cited to support the autism claim had been retracted.

FDA Limits Autism Drug Approval to Rare Genetic Condition

2026-03-13

The Food and Drug Administration approved leucovorin for a rare brain disorder on Tuesday, but sharply narrowed its use and retracted earlier claims by President Donald Trump and other officials that the drug showed promise for autism.

Surgeon general nominee grilled over vaccines and qualifications

2026-02-26

Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer and entrepreneur, faced sharp questions from senators on Wednesday during a Senate health committee hearing on her nomination to become the next U.S. surgeon general. Means, 38, said during the hearing in Washington that the country should address chronic disease by focusing on shared root causes rather than “reactive sick care.”

FDA relaxes rules for food labels that claim 'no artificial colors'

2026-02-05

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it will allow food labels to say “no artificial colors” if products are free of petroleum-based dyes, even when they contain color additives derived from plants and other natural sources. The agency said the change replaces a previous standard that required products to have “no added color whatsoever.” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the label shift is meant to encourage companies to use natural colors instead of synthetic dyes.

U.S. diet guidelines urge higher protein; experts question the shift

2026-01-18

The U.S. released updated federal dietary guidelines that advise Americans to “prioritize protein foods at every meal” and to increase daily protein intake to as much as double previous recommendations, the Associated Press reported. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the government was “ending the war on protein.” Several nutrition experts questioned whether most people need to raise protein consumption that much and warned it could lead to higher fat intake and diabetes risk.

FDA fast-track drug voucher program sparks legal questions and internal turmoil

2026-01-16

The Associated Press reported that the FDA’s “National Priority Voucher” program to speed drug reviews is drawing legal questions and alarm among some agency staffers, who say decisions are being moved away from career scientists and toward political leadership. The report said senior FDA officials raised concerns about who can legally sign off on expedited approvals, and that the program is tied to White House drug-pricing efforts.

FDA fast-track voucher drug reviews spark legality, staff concerns

2026-01-15

The Associated Press reports that a new FDA fast-track program tied to Commissioner Marty Makary is sparking legal concerns among top officials and anxiety within the agency’s drug-review center. The AP said agency staffers worry the program could shift key approval decisions away from career scientists and into the hands of political leadership, amid ties to the White House’s drug pricing push.

HHS cuts, then restores $2 billion in mental health and substance abuse grants

2026-01-15

The Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday restored nearly $2 billion in federal grants to substance abuse and mental health service providers after abruptly terminating the funding two days earlier, leaving roughly 2,000 organizations scrambling to reverse layoffs and other emergency measures already set in motion. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notified grant recipients of the restoration Thursday morning, hours after a separate 2 a.m. email reiterating the original cuts was confirmed to have been sent in error.

Trump signs school milk bill as geopolitics dominates Oval Office ceremony

2026-01-14

President Donald Trump signed the "Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act" at the White House on Wednesday, but the Oval Office ceremony became a vehicle for a series of unrelated announcements — including Trump's claim that Iran had halted plans for mass executions, the arrest of a leaker he connected to Venezuela, and the signing of executive orders on semiconductor and rare earth mineral tariffs. The dairy legislation arrived near the end of the event, with a glass bottle of whole milk placed on the Resolute Desk going untouched throughout.

Trump signs law returning whole milk to school cafeterias

2026-01-14

President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Wednesday, allowing schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to serve whole and 2% fat milk for the first time since 2012. The signing reverses Obama-era restrictions that had limited cafeteria milk to skim and low-fat varieties. The change will affect meals served to roughly 30 million students enrolled in the program.

SAMHSA reverses $2 billion in mental health grants after abrupt cuts triggered layoffs

2026-01-14

The Trump administration reversed the cancellation of approximately 2,000 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants representing nearly $2 billion in funding on Wednesday, hours after the abrupt Tuesday-night cuts had already prompted grant recipients to lay off employees and cancel services. Grant recipients told the Associated Press they had not yet received direct notification of the reinstatements by Wednesday evening, and the reason for the reversal was not made public.

DeLauro slams HHS after SAMHSA grant cuts then reversals

2026-01-13

A top House Democrat on Wednesday criticized the Trump administration for canceling thousands of substance-abuse and mental health grants and then reversing course, after some recipients said they began cutting staff. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said the decision-making by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was “dangerous and haphazard.”

Trump signs bill allowing whole milk again in school lunches nationwide

2026-01-13

President Donald Trump signed a law Wednesday that overturns Obama-era limits on higher-fat milk options in school lunches, allowing participating schools to serve whole and 2% milk alongside required lower-fat products. The change could take effect as soon as this fall, officials said, and affects meals served through the National School Lunch Program to about 30 million students.

Federal judge orders HHS to restore $12M in pediatric grants, citing retaliation

2026-01-12

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics on Sunday, finding that the Health and Human Services Department likely acted with a "retaliatory motive" when it terminated funding to the pediatric group in December. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell of Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction siding with AAP, ruling that the group had shown it would likely suffer irreparable harm from the cuts and that the public interest favored allowing the programs to continue while the underlying lawsuit proceeds.

Judge orders HHS to restore nearly $12M in AAP grants while case continues

2026-01-11

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics as a lawsuit continues, according to a court decision. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a preliminary injunction late Sunday in Washington, D.C., directing the Health and Human Services Department to reinstate seven grants that were terminated in December.

Pediatricians warn federal vaccine guidance changes sow confusion, could harm kids

2026-01-10

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week removed universal federal recommendations for childhood vaccines against six diseases, drawing immediate condemnation from pediatricians who said the changes will deepen vaccine hesitancy and lead to more illness and death. On Friday, the American Academy of Pediatrics and more than 200 medical, public health, and patient advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress demanding an investigation into why the schedule was altered and why scientific evidence was bypassed.

Vaccine schedule change uses ‘shared decision-making,’ doctors warn it could confuse

2026-01-10

The Associated Press reported that new U.S. childhood vaccine guidance replaces blanket recommendations for protection against six diseases with recommendations only for certain high-risk children or through “shared clinical decision-making” with a health care provider. Doctors who treat children in the U.S. said the federal changes and the new terminology are confusing parents and could make it harder for some children to get recommended shots.

Vermont reaffirms childhood vaccine schedule after CDC narrows federal list

2026-01-08

Vermont health officials reaffirmed the state's existing childhood immunization schedule Tuesday after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved six vaccines out of its recommended category the previous day. Vermont Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant told state lawmakers that vaccines for flu, RSV, meningococcal disease, and hepatitis A and B remain recommended or required for child care and school attendance in Vermont — unchanged from the schedule that preceded the federal action.

Trump administration issues dietary guidelines urging whole foods, less sugar

2026-01-07

The Trump administration released updated federal dietary guidelines Wednesday, urging Americans to eat more whole foods and protein, sharply limit added sugars and highly processed foods, and reduce alcohol consumption. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans at a White House briefing, drawing mixed reactions from nutrition and medical experts.

Vermont officials reaffirm childhood vaccine schedule amid CDC changes

2026-01-07

Vermont health officials said Tuesday they will continue to follow the state’s existing childhood immunization schedule after federal guidance was scaled back on childhood vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved six immunizations out of the “recommended” category, and Vermont officials and health experts said insurers would still cover the vaccines.

CDC makes broad childhood vaccine recommendation changes after Trump request

2026-01-06

U.S. health officials on Monday made broad changes to childhood vaccine recommendations, effective immediately, reducing the number of diseases recommended for all children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will now recommend routine vaccination against 11 diseases, down from 18 a year ago.

Trump administration releases 2025-2030 dietary guidelines emphasizing whole foods

2026-01-06

The Trump administration on Wednesday released the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, urging Americans to eat more whole foods and proteins while limiting highly processed foods and added sugars. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the guidance will shape federal nutrition programs and policies.

Trump’s vaccination “72 jabs” claim was not required, AP fact check says

2026-01-06

President Donald Trump, in social media posts about changes to U.S. childhood vaccination recommendations, shared a graphic and statement implying children would no longer need 72 “jabs,” an Associated Press fact check said. The AP said “72 injections were never ‘required,’” and that the government’s prior recommended schedule covered routine protection against 18 diseases spread across ages.

US cuts childhood vaccine recommendations to 11 diseases for all children

2026-01-06

The U.S. on Monday cut the number of vaccines it recommends for every child, effective immediately, moving protections for several diseases to only high-risk groups or to “shared decision-making” with doctors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will now recommend vaccination against 11 diseases for all children.

CDC narrows childhood vaccine schedule; pediatricians warn of health risks

2026-01-05

WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials on Monday narrowed federal childhood vaccine recommendations, reducing the number of diseases for which all children are urged to get vaccinated from 18 to 11, effective immediately. The Department of Health and Human Services said the overhaul came at the direction of President Donald Trump, who in December asked the agency to review vaccine practices among peer nations. The nation's major medical groups said they would not follow the new guidance and warned the rollback could increase preventable illness and death in children.

HHS narrows childhood vaccine schedule to 11 diseases; medical groups warn of preventable deaths

2026-01-05

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reduced the number of vaccines it recommends for every child, narrowing the universal schedule to 11 diseases — a move that leading medical organizations said would result in more hospitalizations and preventable deaths. The change, effective immediately, removes universal recommendations for vaccines against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, certain meningitis strains, and RSV. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called it a step toward rebuilding public trust. Physicians' groups said it would put children's lives at risk.

US health policy reshaped under RFK Jr., triggering vaccine and science concerns

2025-12-31

President Donald Trump’s second-term health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has overhauled the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and changed agency guidance on topics including COVID-19 vaccines, according to Associated Press reporting. The first-year shakeups include job and research cuts at multiple agencies, alongside support from some backers of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. Many doctors and public health experts say the moves risk hollowing out U.S. scientific capacity.

US health policy reshaped in RFK Jr.’s first year at HHS

2025-12-30

President Donald Trump’s second-term health policy has been reshaped in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first year leading the Department of Health and Human Services, according to an Associated Press review. Since February, Kennedy has overseen major staffing changes and research cuts at HHS and its agencies, and has pushed policy shifts on topics including vaccines, fluoride and diet.

US health policy dramatically reshaped under RFK Jr. in Trump’s second term

2025-12-29

The Trump administration’s second term has seen major changes at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who took office as health secretary in February. In a year marked by staffing reductions and shifts in health guidance, HHS has also promoted “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA, priorities while critics raised concerns about how vaccine policy and science roles are being handled.

Ice cream makers covering 90% of U.S. supply pledge to drop artificial dyes by 2028

2025-07-14

About 40 ice cream and frozen dairy dessert makers representing approximately 90 percent of the U.S. supply pledged Monday to remove seven petroleum-based artificial dyes from their products by 2028, federal health officials announced. The commitment follows similar pledges in recent weeks from companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills, as the Trump administration presses food manufacturers to eliminate synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects.