The Big Story 

The White House released its long-awaited second report on fighting chronic disease by the Make America Healthy Again Commission. 

© AP

The paper laid out plans for increased scrutiny on vaccines and prescribing practices while taking a softer stance on pesticides.

It contained a roadmap to “make our children healthy again,” but it reiterated much of what was said in the first report issued in May and contained little policy or regulation.  

Instead, the strategy report issued Tuesday asked companies to make voluntary commitments and called for studies of previously approved medical treatments. It focused on better nutrition, more exercise; and a review of vaccines and prescription drugs.

“This strategy represents the most sweeping reform agenda in modern history—realigning our food and health systems, driving education, and unleashing science to protect America’s children and families,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “We are ending the corporate capture of public health, restoring transparency, and putting gold-standard science—not special interests—at the center of every decision.” 

The MAHA strategy includes: 

• Restructuring HHS to include the Trump administration’s Administration for a Healthy America. 
• A “vaccine framework” to be developed by the White House Domestic Policy Council and HHS. The framework will include ensuring the “the best childhood vaccine schedule;” addressing vaccine injuries; “modernizing” American vaccines; ensuring “scientific and medical freedom;” and “correcting conflicts of interest and misaligned incentives.”  
• A call for working to “reform the approval process” for chemicals and pesticides,” but no specifics on what those reforms will be. 
• Updating CDC guidance on water fluoridation and “forever chemicals” in water. 
• Creating a “mental health diagnosis and prescription working group” to evaluate prescription patterns for common psychiatric medications like antidepressants, mood stabilizers and stimulants. 

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

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