Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday that he’s gutting the panel that advises on vaccination safety and efficacy, arguing that it’s another step toward restoring public trust.
Kennedy, whose department has already made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense">several moves</a> to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hhs-investing-500-million-to-develop-universal-vaccines?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HHS+Investing+%24500+Million+To+Develop+Universal+Vaccines">shake up</a> vaccination research and recommendations, said he’s “retiring” all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, known as ACIP.
“Today, we are taking a bold step in restoring public trust by totally reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP),” RFK <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/rfk-jr-hhs-moves-to-restore-public-trust-in-vaccines-45495112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. “We are retiring the 17 current members of the committee, some of whom were last-minute appointees of the Biden administration.”
Kennedy said he had to remove these panel members or the Trump administration wouldn&#8217;t be able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028.
RFK Jr. suggested the panel effectively works as a rubber-stamp and is plagued with conflicts of interest.
ACIP, he highlighted, has never recommended against a vaccination it’s been asked to advise on, even vaccines that were later withdrawn for safety reasons. “It has failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women,” he wrote.
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“To make matters worse, the groups that inform ACIP meet behind closed doors, violating the legal and ethical principle of transparency crucial to maintaining public trust,” RFK said.
Kennedy cited a 2000 investigation that found enforcement of ACIP conflict-of-interest rules were “weak to nonexistent.”
“Committee members regularly participated in deliberations and advocated products in which they had a financial stake,” he wrote. “The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) issued conflict-of-interest waivers to every committee member.”
Citing a 2009 HHS inspector general report, Kennedy added that not all committee members completed full conflict-of-interest forms, and of the ones who did, it was found that 97% of the forms had omissions. Additionally, the CDC – which is the agency ACIP passes along its recommendations to – “took no significant action to remedy the omissions.”
“The public must know that unbiased science guides the recommendations from our health agencies,” Kennedy said. “This will ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible.&#8221;
As previously reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hhs-investing-500-million-to-develop-universal-vaccines?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HHS+Investing+%24500+Million+To+Develop+Universal+Vaccines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, HHS, under Kennedy&#8217;s leadership, is investing half a billion dollars into a project that seeks to develop universal vaccinations for numerous viruses, called &#8220;Generation Gold Standard.&#8221;
Moreover, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kennedys-cdc-to-reportedly-study-potential-link-between-vaccines-and-autism?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kennedy’s+CDC+To+Reportedly+Study+Potential+Link+Between+Vaccines+And+Autism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDC is studying the sharp rise in autism rates</a>, which reportedly includes research on whether there&#8217;s any link between vaccinations and the rise in autism.
And, last month, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense">CDC rescinded guidance</a> that pregnant women and children should receive a vaccine against COVID. “I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that, as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” RFK said at the time.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDC Stops Pushing COVID Shots For Healthy Pregnant Women, Children: ‘Common Sense’</a>

Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Delivers Address To Jewish Community In New York

RFK Jr. Guts CDC Vaccine Panel, ‘Retiring’ All 17 Members

COVID

Health

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

U.S.

Vaccines

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has committed to reviewing the abortion pill&#8217;s safety, according to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
Hawley posted a letter he received from Makary on social media, noting the FDA head promised to review the safety of mifepristone, the popular abortion drug.
&#8220;As the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, I am committed to conducting a review of mifepristone and working with the professional career scientists at the Agency who review this data,&#8221; Makary wrote in his letter to Hawley.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
FDA chief Marty Makary just committed to me to do a full review of the chemical abortion drug’s safety: “As Commissioner of Food and Drugs, I am committed to conducting a review of mifepristone” 👇 <a href="https://t.co/nMxUhE18UA">pic.twitter.com/nMxUhE18UA</a>
&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1929696353010987013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;As with all drugs, FDA continues to closely monitor the postmarketing safety data on mifepristone for the medical termination of early pregnancy,&#8221; Makary wrote.
Makary also noted that mifepristone is currently enmeshed in legal battles.
&#8220;FDA generally does not comment on matters that are the subject of pending litigation and therefore is unable to provide further information on this topic at this time,&#8221; the FDA chief said.
&#8220;FDA is committed to safeguarding public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of the products it regulates,&#8221; Makary wrote. &#8220;The Agency carefully evaluates the scientific data, leveraging rigorous science to make informed decisions.&#8221;
The two-pill chemical abortion regimen — mifepristone, usually followed by misoprostol — aims to end the life of the unborn baby and expel it from the woman’s uterus. However, the drugs sometimes fail to expel all the fetal tissue, which can cause life-threatening complications.
An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abortion-pill-22-times-more-dangerous-than-fda-claimed-new-study-says?author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Abortion+Pill+22+Times+More+Dangerous+Than+FDA+Claimed%2C+New+Study+Says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> released in April found that more than one in 10 women experienced a “serious adverse event” after taking the mifepristone abortion pill in 2023. This can include hemorrhaging, needing a blood transfusion, an emergency room visit, and even deadly conditions like sepsis.
That is about 22 times higher than what the FDA listed on its label for the brand Mifeprex in 2023. The FDA <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/020687Orig1s025Lbl.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cited</a> clinical studies saying less than 0.5% of women suffered “serious adverse reactions” to mifepristone.
Meanwhile, more than one in 20 women need a second abortion attempt after the abortion pill fails, another analysis of insurance claim data <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-than-1-in-20-women-need-second-abortion-attempt-after-abortion-pill-fails?author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=More+Than+1+in+20+Women+Need+Second+Abortion+Attempt+After+Abortion+Pill+Fails" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> this week showed.
Last month, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of the Department of Health and Human Services, told lawmakers he had requested the FDA do a “complete review” of the abortion pill in the wake of the new data.
“It’s alarming,” RFK Jr. told Hawley during a Senate committee hearing.
“Clearly, it indicates that at the very least the label should be changed,” he said. “I’ve asked Marty Makary, who’s the director of the FDA, to do a complete review and to report back.”
A few months before Roe v. Wade was overturned, the FDA scrapped the requirement that women must obtain abortion pills in person from a healthcare provider, allowing them to get them online through the mail.

President Trump Signs Executive Orders At The White House

FDA Chief Commits To Full Review Of Abortion Pill

Abortion

Abortion Drug

Josh Hawley

Medical Research

Pro-Abortion

The Biden administration ignored tens of thousands of concerning reports involving unaccompanied migrant children, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
Grassley looked into Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) records at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and found over 65,000 ignored or dismissed reports concerning migrant children. Nearly 7,000 of those reports were cases of suspected human trafficking and nearly 2,000 others were related to fraud.
Since President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, HHS has worked through over a quarter of those cases left over from the Biden administration and made dozens of arrests, according to Grassley.
“My oversight exposed the Biden-Harris administration for placing unaccompanied migrant children with dangerous sponsors and actively obstructing law enforcement and Congress’ efforts to rescue vulnerable kids. I applaud the Trump administration for its swift action to protect unaccompanied migrant children by addressing the concerning reports the Biden-Harris administration shelved,” said Grassley in a <a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-exposes-biden-harris-backlog-of-criminal-complaints-in-migrant-children-program">statement</a>. “I look forward to working with Secretary Kennedy to ensure justice is served.”
Back in April, HHS confirmed that tens of thousands of cases had been ignored and that it was working to clear the “backlog” left by the previous administration.
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“ORR is digging through nearly 65,000 reports of concern about unaccompanied alien children — most ignored, many dismissed — each one a missed chance to protect a child. This isn’t just paperwork. This is a systemic failure of the Biden administration. It is children&#8217;s lives put at risk,” HHS said in a statement posted to social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
ORR is digging through nearly 65,000 reports of concern about unaccompanied alien children — most ignored, many dismissed — each one a missed chance to protect a child. This isn’t just paperwork. This is a systemic failure of the Biden administration. It is children&#39;s lives put…
&mdash; HHS.gov (@HHSGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov/status/1914698523762639067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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At least 500,000 children entered the United States during former President Joe Biden’s tenure. Those children were often flown in or bused to the homes of strangers after the Biden administration relaxed rules on background checks for sponsors of the children.
At least 85,000 of those children who crossed as unaccompanied minors were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whistleblowers-detail-how-85000-unaccompanied-minors-went-missing-after-biden-admin-dropped-them-off-with-sponsors">lost</a> by the administration. HHS officials under the Biden administration failed to locate the children again after leaving them with sponsors.
Grassley wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ripping the previous administration for stonewalling the senator’s demands for information on unaccompanied alien minors (UAC).
“The purpose of my inquiry is clear: to determine the scope and severity of child trafficking and exploitation through the UAC program nationwide. After I made this urgent inquiry, HHS under Secretary Becerra obstructed my investigation and instructed contractors and grantees not to answer, and to instead send my inquiry to the Assistant Secretary for Legislation, who of course also failed to provide any requested information,” Grassley wrote in a Tuesday <a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_hhs_-_backlog_of_unaccompanied_migrant_children_reports.pdf">letter</a>.

Chuck Grassley

Chuck Grassley: Biden Admin Ignored 65,000 Troubling Reports About Unaccompanied Alien Children

Department of Health and Human Services

Illegal Immigration

Mars Inc.’s Skittles candies are no longer being made with a popular food additive called titanium dioxide.
The chemical, which whitens foods and brightens colors, was recently targeted in the MAHA Commission report, which was headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Others in the MAHA movement have identified the ingredient as a &#8220;toxin.&#8221;
&#8220;The momentum is unreal,&#8221; MAHA influencer Vani Hari, aka &#8220;Food Babe,&#8221; wrote in a post online. &#8220;Mars Inc. Skittles dropping titanium dioxide in the U.S. Already banned in Europe due to DNA damage and cancer risk. Let’s go!!!!!&#8221;
&#8220;I just heard some amazing news,&#8221; Hari said in a video attached to the post. &#8220;Titanium dioxide is getting removed from Skittles. This is one less toxin in the &#8216;taste of rainbows.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The momentum is unreal. Mars inc Skittles dropping titanium dioxide in US. Already banned in Europe due to DNA damage and cancer risk. Let’s go!!!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FoodBabeArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FoodBabeArmy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAHA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MAHA</a> <a href="https://t.co/XX3b2g9BYZ">pic.twitter.com/XX3b2g9BYZ</a>
— Vani Hari (@thefoodbabe) <a href="https://twitter.com/thefoodbabe/status/1927479542974742903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
A spokesperson for the candy <a href="https://torontosun.com/life/food/skittles-removes-controversial-additive-targeted-by-rfk-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> to Bloomberg News on Tuesday that titanium dioxide was removed from all Skittles production at the end of last year.
In the MAHA report, the chemical was identified as a potentially concerning food additive, possibly having &#8220;carcinogenic effects.&#8221;
&#8220;Over 2,500 food additives — including emulsifiers, binders, sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives — may be used to mimic the taste and texture of conventional food and increase its shelf life,&#8221; the report highlighted. &#8220;Studies have linked certain food additives to increased risks of mental disorders, ADHD, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndromes and even carcinogenic effects.&#8221;
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&#8220;Titanium Dioxide, widely used in a range of candies and sauces, may cause cellular and DNA damage,&#8221; the report said.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jr-to-ban-petroleum-based-food-dyes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, Kennedy has already targeted food dyes, another controversial food additive.
RFK Jr. announced in April that he&#8217;s directing food manufacturers to phase out eight petroleum-based food dyes from candy, cereals, sports drinks, and other grocery staples by the end of 2026.
The dyes targeted <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/dining/rfk-jr-food-dyes.html">include</a> Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Red No. 3, and Orange B. Skittles candies still contain some of these dyes.
&#8220;Certain food colorings, such as red 40, which is present in widely-consumed products have been associated with behavioral issues in children, such as increased hyperactivity and symptoms consistent with ADHD,&#8221; the MAHA Commission report said of the additives. &#8220;Additionally, preliminary evidence suggests a possible association between the consumption of food colorings and autism, although further long-term research is necessary to establish a definitive link.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-looming-gop-food-fight-over-pesticides?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Looming+GOP+Food+Fight+Over+Pesticides" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Looming GOP Food Fight Over Pesticides</a>

Skittles  Candy  At Costco Wholesale

Skittles No Longer Uses Controversial Ingredient Eyed By RFK Jr.

Skittles Removes Controversial Ingredient Eyed By RFK Jr.

Business

Health and Human Services

Tensions between Russia and the United States rise as Trump and Putin escalate their war of words, NPR follows Harvard in suing the Trump administration in order to retain public funding, and MAHA has set its sights on regulating pesticides, but it’s causing a rift among Republicans.
It’s Wednesday, May 28, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>NATO Readies For War</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926063" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_00_22_06.Still002-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: The U.S. reinforces Europe’s northern front as Russia ramps up its assault on Ukraine.
President Trump took public shots this weekend at Vladimir Putin, calling him “crazy” after he launched an unprecedented aerial barrage on Ukraine. The Kremlin responded by issuing a sarcastic statement, saying, “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process…This is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.&#8221;
That clearly angered Trump, who issued a new statement on Tuesday with a clear threat. “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!”
A number of reports from the White House suggest the president could roll out new sanctions on Moscow as early as this week. Trump is reportedly concerned that sanctions could drive Putin even further from a ceasefire and prolong the war, but the reality is that, barring increased military support for Ukraine, he doesn’t have many other options for exerting pressure.
Because existing sanctions have essentially cut off all trade between the U.S. and Russia, new sanctions would have to target countries doing business with Moscow and theoretically isolate them from the global economy. One proposal would impose a 500% import tariff on any nation that continues to purchase Russian oil, natural gas, and petroleum. Leaders in Congress have told the White House they would approve new sanctions with overwhelming bipartisan support.
However, some experts believe the Russian war machine is robust enough to weather further Western sanctions.
“The Russian economy is relatively stable,” Rebekah Koffler, a former defense intelligence analyst and author of Putin’s Playbook, told The Daily Wire. “Russia produces in three months more military hardware than the entire NATO Alliance produces in one year. … Putin transitioned his military and economy on a wartime footing a decade ago in 2015. They&#8217;re even more adequate right now after three years than before.”
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<h2>Trump Vs Harvard</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926069" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_01_21_16.Still003-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: NPR joins Harvard in suing the Trump administration – in an attempt to cling to their taxpayer funding.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration directed federal agencies to terminate $100 million in remaining contracts with Harvard, citing its failure to address antisemitism and promote national interests. This is the latest development in an ongoing feud between the White House and America’s oldest university, which in the span of about a month has included attempts to cut billions of dollars in federal grants to Harvard and restrict its ability to admit foreign students.
Last Friday, a federal judge in Boston issued a temporary restraining order, stopping the Trump administration’s attempt to block the enrollment of Harvard’s international students. The policy would impact more than 7,000 foreign visa holders, about 30% of Harvard’s student body. Harvard argues that the move by the Trump administration is a direct response to the university&#8217;s refusal to comply with demands to have race-blind admissions, end DEI programs, and screen international students for alleged ties to terrorism or antisemitism. Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, told NPR that these actions threaten not just the university, but critical research.
“They see this as a message,” Garber said. “If you don’t comply with what we are demanding these will be the consequences.”
Trump says he’s considering directing Harvard’s funding to trade schools to develop the American workforce instead.
“We give them billions of dollars, which is ridiculous,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1926773697458712841">said</a> on Sunday. “I&#8217;m not going to have a problem with foreign students, but it shouldn&#8217;t be 31%. It&#8217;s too much, because we have Americans that want to go there and other places, and they can&#8217;t go there … No foreign government contributes money to Harvard. We do.”
Meanwhile, NPR, along with three Colorado public radio stations, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging President Trump’s May 1 executive order to cut all federal funding to NPR and PBS, which totals more than $500 million annually. The lawsuit argues the order violates the First Amendment’s protections of free speech and the press. NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, called it “retaliatory, viewpoint-based discrimination,” accusing the administration of punishing NPR for its reporting.
<h2>MAHA Eyes Pesticides</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-926067" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004.jpeg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/SEGMENT-HEADERS.00_02_18_10.Still004-300x169.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></div>
Topline: A push to regulate pesticides is causing a rift within the GOP.
At the federal and state levels, there’s a looming battle within the Republican Party over potential pesticide regulations. Some Republicans and the broader MAHA coalition of activists want to see pesticides that have been banned in other countries, which are similarly prohibited in the United States. Others within the Republican Party say they’re worried about farmers in their districts who rely on pesticides like glyphosate, which has caught the eye of HHS, and there have been reports about concerns from within the White House that abrupt regulatory action could trigger supply chain issues.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken out against pesticides for years, claiming that they’re poisoning American children. He’s not backing down from that, but his department has so far toed the line between these two camps in the GOP. For example, top Kennedy advisor Calley Means signaled earlier this month that while HHS will state the “truth” about pesticides, the department has no desire for “nanny state” regulatory measures on these chemicals.
“We ingest 25% of the world’s pesticides in the United States,” Means said at an Axios event. “Other countries across the world have chosen to phase [many leading American pesticides] out or ban them, calling them carcinogenic and disruptive to kids. … The policy solutions from this are not obvious. Pesticides are deeply ingrained into the U.S. agricultural system and it would be a disaster to phase them out tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, there’s legislation in more than a dozen states to shield Bayer – a German multinational chemical company that purchased the American agricultural giant Monsanto in 2018 – from forthcoming legal action over its “failure to warn” about potential harms associated with its products. GOP-led states <a href="https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2025/05/19/823734.htm#:~:text=A%20new%20first%2Dof%2Dits,weedkiller%20Roundup%20could%20cause%20cancer.">North Dakota</a> and <a href="https://hpj.com/2025/05/27/georgia-shields-bayer-from-roundup-lawsuits/">Georgia</a> have both passed laws to shield Bayer. Other states, including Iowa, Idaho, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, have similar pending legislation. There have been n<a href="https://lacykatzen.com/blog/roundup-loss-in-the-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-is-a-victory-for-consumers-injured-by-the-dangerous-weedkiller/">early 200,000 lawsuits</a> filed against Bayer, connecting it to the development of cancer and other diseases.
“I think it’s atrocious to believe that any company – any company in America or anywhere – should get any form of blanket immunity for the products that they’re putting in the stream of commerce,” Missouri Republican state Senator Nick Schroer told The Daily Wire. Schroer said that state Republicans were divided over support for the bill, partially because of lobbying by Bayer, but also because many farmers are concerned that they may lose access to herbicides and pesticides if Bayer goes under.

MRN 5.28.25 Thumbnail_V1

Morning Brief: Trump-Putin Faceoff, NPR Sues Trump, & GOP Pesticide War

Donald Trump

Harvard University

Media

Morning Wire

National Public Radio (NPR)

Politics

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has rescinded guidance that pregnant women and children should receive a vaccine against COVID.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the change in guidance on Tuesday. Kennedy in a video statement was flanked by National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary.
“I couldn&#8217;t be more pleased to announce that, as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy then slammed the Biden administration for pushing COVID shots and boosters on healthy children “despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.”
Bhattacharya jumped in: “That ends today. It&#8217;s common sense and it&#8217;s good science.”
Makary added: “There&#8217;s no evidence healthy kids need it today, and most countries have stopped recommending it for children.”
“We&#8217;re now one step closer to realizing President Trump&#8217;s promise to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’”  Kennedy finished.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCgov</a> recommended immunization schedule. Bottom line: it’s common sense and it’s good science. We are now one step closer to realizing <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’s promise to Make America Healthy Again. <a href="https://t.co/Ytch2afCLP">pic.twitter.com/Ytch2afCLP</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1927368440811008138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
The announcement follows the release of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bombshell-biden-admin-covered-up-adverse-covid-vaccine-reactions-including-myocarditis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> earlier this month from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on the potentially deadly side effects associated with COVID vaccines and the Biden administration’s lack of action to notify the American people.
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The report is titled: “Failure to Warn: How Federal Health Agencies Downplayed the Risk of Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination.” The investigation into the Biden administration’s handling of COVID vaccines found that officials “knew about the risks of myocarditis,” “downplayed the health concern,” and deliberately “delayed informing the public about the risk.”
Committee chair Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that the Biden administration covered up vaccine side effects to prevent “vaccine hesitancy,” but “in being concerned about that, they violated the inviolable principle of informed consent.”
Amanda Prestigiacomo contributed to this report.

CDC Stops Pushing COVID Shots For Healthy Pregnant Women, Children: ‘Common Sense’

COVID-19 Vaccine

Jay Bhattacharya

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary says the &#8220;Make America Healthy Again&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jrs-highly-anticipated-maha-commission-report-is-out-heres-what-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> on potential causes of chronic diseases in American children calls for a shift from a &#8220;reactionary&#8221; to a &#8220;proactive&#8221; healthcare system in the United States.
The Trump administration official, who appeared for &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6373468984112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Fox News anchor Jackie DeAngelis, argues that more focus should be placed on food and environmental toxins rather than fixating on drugs and treatments.
&#8220;Scientists have been waving the flag for years, saying you have got to look at this body of scientific data. And the modern medical establishment really has been disconnected. We have been so busy focusing on treatment, on billing and coding in a high-throughput model,&#8221; Makary said.
&#8220;We have got to stop and ask ourselves, should we be focusing more on school lunch programs, not just putting every kid on Ozempic?&#8221; he added, referring to a drug widely used for weight loss. &#8220;We have got to talk about food as medicine and gut health and the microbiome. We have got to talk about environmental toxins that cause cancer, not just the chemo to treat it.&#8221;
&#8220;And maybe we need to treat more diabetes with cooking classes, not just throwing insulin at people. This report is a fresh new approach that really calls for a transformation of our health care system from a reactionary system to a proactive system.&#8221;
Makary said he could &#8220;not be more excited&#8221; about the report with its takeaways about ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, stress, and the lack of physical activity, as well as the reliance on medications and vaccines. The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jrs-highly-anticipated-maha-commission-report-is-out-heres-what-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered</a> its findings last week when it was released by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
&#8220;There are no sacred cows. It talks about 70% of the diet being ultra-processed. It talks about pesticides, microplastics, natural light exposure in children, sleep quality,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And, remember, Republican, Democrat and independent moms showed up in high numbers to vote for President Trump over this very issue.&#8221;
Makary emphasized the findings come from a &#8220;purely independent scientific report on the state of health in America&#8221; when DeAngelis pressed him about the power of the food industry and lobbyists in Washington who might try to fight to stop change.
&#8220;This report talks about how we fix our broken health care system by getting at the root causes and the ultimate issue that we have not been talking about, and that is the health of the population,&#8221; Makary said. &#8220;When you have 40% of our nation&#8217;s children with a chronic disease, that portends for a very expensive future health care system. We can address it. There are many things that we can do even at the FDA addressing food, which many people forget is, the first letter of the FDA is food. It&#8217;s not just drugs.&#8221;

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary

‘MAHA’ Report On Chronic Disease Will Cause Major Shift In Healthcare, FDA Chief Predicts

Children

Drugs

Food

Ozempic

Trump Administration

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday released the highly anticipated MAHA Commission report, detailing findings on potential causes of the epidemic of Americans, particularly children, fighting chronic illnesses. 
The report, which is 68 pages long, details findings concerning ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, stress, and the lack of physical activity, and reliance on medications and vaccines. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: The MAHA Commission Report &#8220;identifies four major factories that are contributing to the rise of childhood chronic disease&#8221;:
&#8211; Poor diet 
&#8211; Environmental chemical exposure 
&#8211; Lack of physical activity 
&#8211; Overmedicalization <a href="https://t.co/HWGgirNkR0">pic.twitter.com/HWGgirNkR0</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1925605095032463619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
On nutrition, the report notes Americans&#8217; reliance on ultra-processed foods, which it says leads to &#8220;nutrient depletion, increased caloric intake, and exposure to harmful additives.&#8221; The report found that 70% of children’s calories now come from ultra-processed foods, contributing to chronic conditions.
On environmental chemicals, the report says children are being &#8220;exposed to an increasing number of synthetic chemicals, some of which have been linked to developmental issues and chronic disease.&#8221;
Specifically, when it comes to pesticides, the report&#8217;s authors order a study on the chemicals by next year, but it also tires to quell fears of quick regulatory action. Notably, some Republicans have expressed concern about action on pesticides because of how it might impact farmers.
&#8220;American farmers rely on these products, and actions that further regulate or restrict crop protection tools beyond risk-based and scientific processes set forth by Congress must involve thoughtful consideration of what is necessary for adequate protection, alternatives, and cost of production,&#8221; the report states.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Excessive screen time, inactivity, sleep deprivation, and chronic stress were also identified as significant factors contributing to the rise in chronic diseases and mental health challenges.
Addressing the over-medicalization of children, the <a href="https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/fd441e56ad4bcf36/2f18e38b-full.pdf">report</a> cites a 1,400% increase in antidepressant prescriptions and increased prescribing of stimulants, antibiotics, and asthma drugs, an Axios report notes.
Vaccinations were also highlighted, specifically calling for &#8220;more rigorous clinical trial designs.&#8221;
The detailed report is framed as a &#8220;call to action.&#8221;
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&#8220;It presents the stark reality of American children’s declining health, backed by compelling data and long-term trends,&#8221; it reads. &#8220;More importantly, it seeks to unpack the potential dietary, behavioral, medical, and environmental drivers behind this crisis. 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.&#8221;
In the coming 80 days, Secretary Kennedy is tasked with creating a strategy based on these findings to tackle the chronic disease crisis.
</div>
</div>
</div>

RFK Jr’s Highly Anticipated MAHA Commission Report Is Out. Here’s What To Know

RFK Jr’s Highly Anticipated MAHA Commission Report Is Out. Here's What To Know

A new policy rolled out on Tuesday will limit recommendations for an annual COVID-19 booster shot to the elderly and to children and younger adults who have at least one health condition that puts them at greater risk for developing severe disease.
According to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-fda-kennedy-covid-shots-rfk-trump-bb4de15b6ff955d6cd0b406aaec3cdc5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published Tuesday morning by The Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would recommend annual booster shots for adults over the age of 65 in addition to younger adults and children whose pre-existing conditions or health concerns put them at greater risk of hospitalization or death from contracting COVID-19.
An <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsb2506929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> published on Tuesday by the New England Journal of Medicine provides a framework for developing and testing annual vaccines that might eventually be offered to generally healthy people who don&#8217;t fall into the currently recommended age and risk categories.
&#8220;For all healthy persons — those with no risk factors for severe Covid-19 — between the ages of 6 months and 64 years, the FDA anticipates the need for randomized, controlled trial data evaluating clinical outcomes before Biologics License Applications can be granted,&#8221; the article read. &#8220;Insofar as possible, when approving a Covid-19 vaccine for high-risk groups, the FDA will encourage manufacturers to conduct randomized, controlled trials in the population of healthy adults as part of their postmarketing commitment.&#8221;
The article, titled &#8220;An Evidence-Based Approach to COVID-19 Vaccination&#8221; and written by FDA Commissioner Marty Makari and Dr. Vinay Prasad, noted that COVID vaccine recommendations in European nations already reflected a move toward protecting the elderly and those at greatest risk rather than blanket coverage of the entire population, and their goal was to shift the United States to a similar standard.
&#8220;The FDA’s new Covid-19 philosophy represents a balance of regulatory flexibility and a commitment to gold-standard science. The FDA will approve vaccines for high-risk persons and, at the same time, demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk. These clinical trials will inform future directions for the FDA, but more important, they will provide information that is desperately craved by health care providers and the American people.&#8221;

FDA Will No Longer Approve Annual COVID Vaccine For Younger, Healthy Patients

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ripped into the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “moribund” institution under undue influence from China in a Tuesday message to the organization’s governing assembly. 
In a video message shown at the World Health Assembly in Switzerland on Tuesday, Kennedy called for nations to follow America’s lead and create new health-focused institutions. His address comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-u-s-to-withdraw-from-world-health-organization?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Orders+U.S.+To+Withdraw+From+World+Health+Organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrawing</a> the United States from the WHO, citing its handling of the COVID pandemic and “onerous payments.”
“Like many legacy institutions, the WHO has become mired in bureaucratic bloat, entrenched paradigms, conflicts of interest, and international power politics,” Kennedy said Tuesday. “While the United States has provided the lion’s share of the organization’s funding historically, other countries such as China have exerted undue influence over its operations in ways that serve their own interests and not particularly the interests of the global public.”
During COVID, Kennedy said that the WHO suppressed reports of human-to-human transmission and worked at the behest of China to promote the “fiction” that COVID originated from bats and not a government-sponsored lab in Wuhan. 
“Not only has the WHO capitulated to political pressure from China, it’s also failed to maintain an organization characterized by transparency and fair governance by and for its Member States,” Kennedy said. “The WHO often acts like it has forgotten that its members must remain accountable to their own citizens and not to transnational or corporate interests.”
He said the international health body has reflected the biases of corporate medicine and has pushed “harmful gender ideology” at the expense of wellness. 
Kennedy said he would like to see other public health officials reboot their entire systems, pointing to the changes he has implemented in the United States. He cited his department&#8217;s focus on chronic health issues, removing dyes and additives from food, investigating the cause of autism, and moving away from processed foods. 
“Global cooperation on health is still critically important to President Trump and myself, but it isn’t working very well under the WHO as the failures of the COVID era demonstrate,” he said. “I urge the world&#8217;s health ministers and the WHO to take our withdrawal from the organization as a wake-up call.”
The World Health Assembly is made up of member nations that determine the WHO&#8217;s policies, budget, and leadership.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Like many legacy institutions, the WHO has become mired in bureaucratic bloat, entrenched paradigms, conflicts of interest, and international power politics. While the United States has provided the lion’s share of the organization’s funding historically, other countries such as… <a href="https://t.co/VvWbVBkb6M">pic.twitter.com/VvWbVBkb6M</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1924790453682970951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

RFK Jr. Slams World Health Organization In Message To Group’s Annual Meeting

RFK Jr. Slams World Health Organization In Message To Group's Annual Meeting

China

COVID-19

World Health Organization

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is removing from the market prescription drug products for children that contain concentrated ingestible fluoride, the agency announced this past week.
The FDA cited studies that suggest a connection between ingested fluoride in children and lower IQ, weight gain, and thyroid issues.
&#8220;Unlike toothpaste with fluoride or fluoride rinses, these products are swallowed and ingested by infants and toddlers,&#8221; a press release from the agency said. &#8220;They have also never been approved by the FDA.&#8221;
&#8220;Ingested fluoride has been shown to alter the gut microbiome, which is of magnified concern given the early development of the gut microbiome in childhood,&#8221; the press release added. &#8220;Other studies have suggested an association between fluoride and thyroid disorders, weight gain and possibly decreased IQ.&#8221;
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said it&#8217;s vital that the FDA &#8220;err on the side of safety&#8221; when it comes to our children.
&#8220;The best way to prevent cavities in children is by avoiding excessive sugar intake and good dental hygiene, not by altering a child’s microbiome. For the same reason that fluoride may kill bacteria on teeth, it may also kill intestinal bacteria important for a child’s health,” the commissioner said in a statement. “I am instructing our Center for Drug Evaluation and Research to evaluate the evidence regarding the risks of systemic fluoride exposure from FDA-regulated pediatric ingestible fluoride prescription drug products to better inform parents and the medical community on this emerging area. When it comes to children, we should err on the side of safety.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, the FDA is taking action to remove concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market. A growing body of research is demonstrating how ingested fluoride can alter the gut microbiome. This is especially concerning with young children… <a href="https://t.co/pKTtkGyV3J">pic.twitter.com/pKTtkGyV3J</a>
— Dr. Martin Makary (@DrMakaryFDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA/status/1922412396766785898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. applauded Makary for the action.
&#8220;Thank you, [Dr. Marty Makary] for your leadership on this issue,&#8221; he posted to X on Saturday. &#8220;A recent systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzing 74 high-quality studies, found a clear association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children. This isn’t fringe science—this is mainstream, peer-reviewed data. Yes, when it comes to children, we should always err on the side of safety.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrMakaryFDA</a> for your leadership on this issue. A recent systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzing 74 high-quality studies, found a clear association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children. This isn’t fringe science—this is mainstream,… <a href="https://t.co/zLpV90d628">https://t.co/zLpV90d628</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1923742771581423787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kennedy has been a long-time critic of the addition of fluoride to the public water supply. Since RFK Jr. took over as secretary of HHS, a number of states have taken steps to remove the chemical from public drinking water. So far, Utah and Florida have officially banned the chemical.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-raises-larger-issues-desantis-bans-fluoride-in-florida-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It Raises Larger Issues’: DeSantis Bans Fluoride In Florida Water</a>

HHS Secretary Kennedy Holds News Conference On Synthetic Dyes In Food Supply

FDA Makes Big Announcement On Fluoride

Florida

Utah

President Donald Trump’s new <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/12/trump-most-favored-nations-drug-price-order-what-to-know.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a> on prescription drug prices — which he called “one of the most consequential executive orders in our country’s history” — may well live up to the hype, but not in the way Trump intends.
Trump&#8217;s announcement of a “most favored nation” <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/global-trends/us-news-trumps-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy-and-how-will-it-reduce-costs-slash-prescription-drug-prices-by-30-to-80-percent/articleshow/121109365.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">policy</a> means the United States government will only pay drug prices equal to the lowest paid by any developed nation. This is what Germany, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom currently do: pay less for drugs than they’re worth. In turn, the United States picks up the tab when it buys up drugs for Medicaid.
We overpay, and it’s easy to write it off as unfair freeloading by Europe, a recurring theme for the Trump administration. But this remedy will not come without its costs, and consumers will feel it down the line.
The Trump administration&#8217;s solution for drug pricing is identical to its approach to tariffs. Instead of finding leverage in a target-rich environment to coerce Europe into paying market rates, thus giving American consumers a break, they’ve decided to join the race to the bottom. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) must be quietly pleased to see his socialist dream of price controls go mainstream within the MAGA coalition, even though he has <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-warning-trump-drug-pricing-executive-order-2071155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> that Trump’s drug pricing measure would be better served by legislation.
If it was not clear to Republicans before, it should be now that free market policymaking is on the outs in the second Trump administration.
Let’s be honest about what’s happening. The White House wants to trim federal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AmCRxm6P4o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spending</a> without touching politically sensitive programs like Medicaid. To square that budgetary circle, they’ve decided to force pharmaceutical companies to sell their products to American patients at the same rate they’re sold to socialized healthcare systems abroad.
This move, unthinkable for a Republican administration two decades ago, assumes that America can have the world’s most innovative pharmaceutical sector and also ask “Big Pharma” to forgo the billions in profits they reinvest back into research and development. It’s a fantasy.
The United States is the engine of pharmaceutical innovation. Over half of all new drug patents originate here specifically because America allows firms to see a return on investment. Drug development isn’t like manufacturing sneakers or soda. It’s a high-risk, capital-intensive endeavor where failure is more common than success. A single treatment can take over a decade to develop, cost billions, and then <a href="https://med.uc.edu/depart/psychiatry/research/clinical-research/crm/trial-phases-1-2-3-defined#:~:text=Subjects%20in%20a%20Phase%20II,go%20on%20to%20Phase%20III." target="_blank" rel="noopener">never make it</a> to FDA phase III trials.
Cutting-edge treatments come to market and make the impossible suddenly possible, albeit at a premium price point. It’s true, on brand-name drugs, Americans <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/comparing-prescription-drugs#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20U.S.%20prices%20across,adjustments%20for%20estimated%20U.S.%20rebates." target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay a lot</a> more.
However, like clockwork, generics get developed and costs for the consumer crater. Generic medications account for 91% of prescriptions in the United States. For those, we <a href="https://x.com/cremieuxrecueil/status/1921730579675934991" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay far less</a> for those drugs than nearly any other country, something Daily Wire editor emeritus Ben Shapiro <a href="https://youtu.be/XYBuphYtp6I?si=U5SKZ4aI99bvS70w&amp;t=2662" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a> this week.
If Medicaid won’t pay a fair price, pharmaceutical companies will raise prices on private insurers to compensate. That means higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans who get coverage through work or on the open market.
And that’s <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/6/7/22522479/medicaid-health-insurance-doctors-billing-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assuming</a> companies continue to sell to Medicaid at all.
Why isn’t Trump hammering European nations that want access to American-made drugs and have them negotiate fair, value-based deals for our biotech? It’s a crown jewel of America that global elites travel near and far to access. We should be twisting wrists abroad, not kneecapping our pharmaceutical industry.
<div>If we want lower drug costs, allowing drug approval reciprocity — as <a href="https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-introduces-legislation-to-modernize-fda-prescription-drug-approvals-and-lower-drug-prices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-introduces-legislation-to-modernize-fda-prescription-drug-approvals-and-lower-drug-prices/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1747494596378000&amp;usg=AOvVaw27BgpCiXpYt8qvN3lERP1n">suggested</a> by Sen. Rand Paul — to increase competition between drug approval regulators globally would be a great start. The FDA’s approval process could also be reformed to accelerate trials and drug approval.</div>
America leads the world in medical breakthroughs for a reason. We cannot afford to surrender that leadership by copying the failures of Europe’s socialized health systems. Europe as we know it today is a warning, not a model.
Stephen Kent is the Media Director of the Consumer Choice Center.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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