Liz Essley Whyte
@lizessleywhyte.bsky.social
Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering the intersection of health + D.C. | Signal = JournoLiz.80 | Email = liz.whyte@wsj.com
Great scoop from Liz
Liz Essley Whyte@lizessleywhyte.bsky.social · last wk.NEW At a lunch at his northern Virginia golf course in May, president Trump told his health secretary RFK Jr. that he had the yips. Our look inside Trump's push to get Kennedy to do more on vaccines: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
NEW At a lunch at his northern Virginia golf course in May, president Trump told his health secretary RFK Jr. that he had the yips. Our look inside Trump's push to get Kennedy to do more on vaccines: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump Turns Up the Heat on RFK Jr. to Cut Back Childhood Vaccines
The president is focused on the shots’ alleged tie to autism, even though White House advisers wanted to tone down attention to the issue ahead of the midterms.
wsj.com
NEW from me & stellar colleagues: Inspectors found bacteria and many other problems at Abbott's baby formula plant. DOJ opened a criminal probe. Now it's been closed -- a sign of the times as the Trump admin opts for civil penalties against corporations. 🎁🔗 www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Exclusive | The Baby Formula Probe Produced a Pile of Evidence. Then the DOJ Dropped the Case.
Some prosecutors believed they had enough to charge Abbott Laboratories, but senior officials opted for civil settlement.
wsj.com
NEW Grocery affordability concerns are bogging down RFK Jr.'s food agenda gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
America’s Affordability Crisis Is Jamming Up RFK Jr.’s Food Agenda
Behind the scenes, some food companies and Trump administration officials are pushing to consider costs associated with potential regulations.
wsj.com
This week on #WTHealth podcast: @sangerkatz.bsky.social, @alicemiranda.bsky.social, and @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social on new Medicaid work rules, politics and grant funds, and fixing the surprise bill mess. Also, the latest #BOTM. kffhealthnews.org/podcast/what...
Medicaid Work Rules Surprise States - KFF Health News
Adult Medicaid enrollees with serious health conditions may not be automatically exempt from new work rules, according to a new regulation from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the administration ...
kffhealthnews.org
NEW The FDA has launched a study of the safety of the abortion pill. The effort was kicked into high gear after complaints from anti-abortion advocates and an October court deadline. Results are expected at the end of the year. (After the midterm elections.) 🎁🔗 www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Exclusive | FDA Launches Study of Abortion Pill Safety as Opponents Push for Limits
The effort is expected to take about six months, meaning its results would come after the midterm elections.
wsj.com
NEW exclusive - HHS has found a new lever (using existing law + AI) to cut off potentially billions in funding it believes is wasteful Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Exclusive | HHS Launches Crackdown Using AI to Detect Medicaid Fraud and Waste
The department plans to examine annual audits filed with the federal government, and recipients could lose funding if they don’t address concerns about weak oversight.
wsj.com
NEW from me and Josh Dawsey- Inside Marty Makary's downfall at the FDA Lots of juicy detail in here Gift link: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Inside Marty Makary’s Downfall at the FDA
Senior administration officials concluded that the Food and Drug and Administration commissioner was out of step with President Trump’s priorities.
wsj.com
NEW - Trump has signed off on a plan to fire his FDA Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary. www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Trump Planning to Fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary
The doctor, a MAHA advocate, has had a tumultuous tenure that has included clashes over vaping, abortion and vaccine policy.
wsj.com
SCOOP- Trump upbraided FDA Commissioner Marty Makary over the weekend for not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vapes. Makary has been on thin ice with his superiors in the administration in recent days, according to people familiar with the situation. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
NEW: RFK Jr. debuts moves aimed at weaning some Americans off antidepressants www.wsj.com/health/welln...
RFK Jr. Wants to Wean Some Americans off Antidepressants
Health department will encourage doctors to consider lifestyle changes, not drugs, to treat depression.
wsj.com
❗️LOTS of exclusive details in my story on MAHA evangelist Casey Means, including: “Not going to burn capital on Casey” - text from a WH staffer to a GOP staffer trying to schedule her hearing t.co/MfXHLCLZCf
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/casey-means-surgeon-general-what-happened-19417c9e?st=ZiFrd6&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
t.co
Takeaways from Kennedy's seven hearings before lawmakers over the last week: (gift link) www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Lawmakers Grilled RFK Jr. Seven Times in a Week. Here Are the Key Takeaways.
President Trump’s health secretary sparred with Democrats over budget cuts and faced questions about vaccines from both sides of the aisle.
wsj.com
From court losses to SNL mockery, the Make America Healthy Again movement is having a rough go of it. foodfix.co/a-rough-patc...
A rough patch for MAHA ahead of midterm season
From court losses to SNL mockery, the Make America Healthy Again movement is having a rough go of it.
foodfix.co
NEW - HHS is weighing replacing its vaccine advisers After a judge said RFK Jr.'s remake of the ACIP was unlawful, finding a new slate of members is an option on the table www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
HHS Weighs Replacing CDC Vaccine Advisers
A federal judge in Massachusetts this week declared RFK Jr.’s panel appointments unlawful.
wsj.com
What happened after the weird Sept 2025 White House press conference on autism? 📉 Tylenol use in the ED dropped >10% among pregnant patients 📈 leucovorin rx jumped 93% among kids 5-17 immediately afterwards new @thelancet.com today with @jeremyfaust.bsky.social www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Changes in paracetamol and leucovorin use after a White House briefing
Changes in federal prescribing recommendations follow deliberate and transparent processes involving US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientists, which normally include input from stakeholders an...
thelancet.com
A senior FDA official on a press call attacked an experimental treatment for a rare disease. An HHS official later told me the company behind the treatment, Uniqure, "lied." www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Federal Health Officials Attack Rare-Disease Drug, Say Company Lied
The FDA is already under fire from lawmakers for recent delays and rejections of new drugs for rare diseases.
wsj.com
“It is unclear who Trump will tap to lead the agency on a permanent basis—Dr. Heidi Overton, who helps lead his Domestic Policy Council, already turned down the job, according to people familiar with the matter.”
Liz Essley Whyte@lizessleywhyte.bsky.social · 5mo agoInside the turmoil and leadership vacuum at the CDC The Trump administration intends to nominate a permanent director soon One person already turned the job down NEW [gift link] www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Inside the turmoil and leadership vacuum at the CDC The Trump administration intends to nominate a permanent director soon One person already turned the job down NEW [gift link] www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Turmoil Takes Hold at CDC as Top Officials Keep Leaving
Trump plans to nominate a new director at the nation’s top health agency following months of upheaval.
wsj.com
FDA's decision to review Moderna flu shot, after initially refusing, came after discussions with HHS and WH officials www.wsj.com/health/healt...
FDA Reverses Course and Will Now Review Moderna’s Flu Shot
The company’s mRNA flu shot, if approved, could be available for the 2026-27 flu season.
wsj.com
NEW- Our interview with Dr. Rick Pazdur on why he left FDA less than a month after his promotion to lead its drugs division And his concerns about the agency's future “This wall between the commissioner’s office and the review staff has been breached" www.wsj.com/health/healt...
Top FDA Scientist Explains Why He Quit After Getting a Promotion From RFK Jr.
Richard Pazdur, a longtime regulator, said politics risks outweighing science at the agency.
wsj.com
via @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social Kennedy successfully petitioned a federal court in 2020 to force the FCC to review its wireless-radiation rules. RFK has also represented plaintiffs who have sued telecom comps, alleging cellphones caused their brain tumors. #Medsky #publichealth
Exclusive | RFK Jr.’s Health Department Quietly Removes Webpages Saying Cellphones Aren’t Dangerous
The Department of Health and Human Services undertakes a study on the health effects of cellphones.
wsj.com
NEW: ProPublica Publishes Unreleased Data on the Origins of Generic Prescription Drugs, by @bxroberts.org
ProPublica Publishes Unreleased Data on the Origins of Generic Prescription Drugs
The dataset powers our Rx Inspector tool, which lets you find the factories that made your generic drugs and their FDA inspection track records.
propublica.org
RFK Jr persuaded medical associations to back the new dietary guidelines by compromising on saturated fat - a compromise that leaves a big contradiction in the government's advice Illuminating work from @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social
How RFK Jr. Won Over His Skeptics and Overhauled Federal Food Guidelines
Major medical associations backed his food guidelines, giving him a victory even as some doctors remain critical.
wsj.com
NEW: RFK Jr.'s health department is studying the health effects of cell phones 📳 and has removed FDA web pages saying cell phone radiation is not dangerous www.wsj.com/health/rfk-j...
RFK Jr.’s Health Department Is Studying Health Effects of Cellphones
Government webpages saying cellphones aren’t dangerous have been quietly removed.
wsj.com
NEW: Top RFK Jr. confidante Calley Means is taking a permanent role in the Trump administration www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Exclusive | Top Kennedy Adviser Calley Means to Join Trump Administration
The MAHA leader will take on a senior role at the Department of Health and Human Services.
wsj.com
[I missed this at the time. Ck it out if you want to get caught up quickly.] Video from Sept. 19th after the CDC's vaccine panel met and voted on new guidance for immunization. @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social does a great job summarizing events. And interviews @drdebhoury.bsky.social. 4 minutes long.
Former CDC Leader Says Vaccine Panel’s Decisions Are ‘Concerning’
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine panel voted on new guidance for immunizations. Debra Houry, the agency’s former chief medical officer, explains her concerns for public health ...
wsj.com
excellently reported — and deeply revealing — piece by @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social www.wsj.com/health/healt...
RFK Jr.’s Team Wanted to Tout an Autism Therapy. He Went After Tylenol Instead.
The heads of key health agencies advocated for putting the emphasis on leucovorin, but Kennedy became convinced that he had a moral duty to get the word out about the risk of acetaminophen.
wsj.com
