Dr. Weldon was set to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions the morning of March 13, but it was canceled, according to the committee’s website.
An administration official told CBS News that Dr. Weldon’s nomination was withdrawn because “it was clear he did not have the votes in the Senate.”
Dr. Weldon practiced medicine in Florida after becoming a physician and served seven terms in Congress representing Florida’s 15th District. He has shared skepticism of vaccines in the past and introduced the Vaccine Safety and Public Confidence Assurance Act in 2007, which aimed to move most vaccine safety research from the CDC to an HHS independent agency. It did not pass Congress.
President Donald Trump said in a Nov. 22 Truth Social post that Dr. Weldon would “restore the CDC to its true purpose and will work to end the chronic disease epidemic.”
Here are eight more federal health updates:
1. FDA, NIH nominees clear first hurdle. The HELP Committee voted March 13 to advance both Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, as NIH director in a 12-11 vote and Marty Makary, MD, as FDA commissioner in a 14-9 vote, NBC News reported.
Dr. Bhattacharya faced sharp questioning during his March 5 first confirmation hearing related to his vaccine views and proposed NIH funding cuts for indirect research costs from the Trump administration. Dr. Bhattacharya stressed his commitment to fostering a culture of “scientific dissent” in the agency where leaders “will actively encourage different perspectives and create an environment where scientists … can express disagreement respectfully.”
During a March 6 hearing, Dr. Makary told the committee that he would stick to science and wants to help restore American trust in the FDA and its regulated products if confirmed. He also said he plans to have the FDA look into inflammation-causing chemicals in food to tackle childhood illness and obesity and wants to tackle high prescription drug costs.
2. HHS to consolidate Office of the General Counsel. HHS has shared plans to reorganize its Office of the General Counsel, consolidating its number of regional offices from 10 to four.
Regional officers will remain in Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City and Philadelphia to “provide the same geographic support for regional HHS offices at lower operating costs,” according to a March 11 news release.
The OGC has also named Robert Foster to the newly created role of chief counsel for food, research and drugs as part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new priorities as HHS secretary. The position will supervise the FDA chief counsel, including the National Institutes of Health Branch of the OGC and the Food and Drug Division of the OGC. Mr. Foster currently serves as the FDA chief counsel and deputy general counsel in the OGC.
3. Buyout offers at HHS. HHS has included around two months in paid administrative leave to some employees if they accept the organization’s $25,000 buyout, Bloomberg reported March 11. Agencies were directed to submit further layoff plans no later than March 13.
Around 80,000 employees received the unsigned voluntary buyout offer with a March 14 deadline to respond. While a “broad population of HHS employees” received the offer, the FDA told employees March 11 that those who review drugs, medical devices and tobacco products are not eligible for the offer, Bloomberg reported.
4. NIH to pull grants on vaccine hesitancy research. The National Institutes of Health is rolling back dozens of grants for research projects focused on understanding the factors driving vaccine hesitancy and how to increase uptake among reluctant populations, according to an internal email obtained by The Washington Post and NPR. The email, sent by Michelle Bulls, director of the Office of Policy for Extramural Research, directs agency officials to send grant termination letters to researchers for more than 40 studies focused on addressing vaccine hesitancy.
The internal email said termination notices to researchers should include the following language: “It is the policy of NIH not to prioritize research activities that focus on gaining scientific knowledge on why individuals are hesitant to be vaccinated and/or explore ways to improve vaccine interest and commitment.”
The move comes amid a measles outbreak in West Texas, with more than 250 cases reported as of March 11, mostly affecting unvaccinated individuals.
5. Tariffs. Twenty-five percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports took effect March 12, with the White House confirming there will be no exceptions or exemptions, according to a statement sent to ABC News. The levies are expected to affect the medical device industry, as the two are essential materials in devices ranging from surgical instruments to implants and wheelchairs. China is the only country facing tariffs above 25% on these materials, as the new duties are being imposed on top of an existing 20% tariff on all Chinese imports.
Meanwhile, on March 6, President Trump granted temporary tariff exemptions for imports from Mexico and Canada under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The exemptions apply to about half of all Mexican imports and 38% of goods from Canada and are set to last until April 2.
6. Federal spending bill awaits Senate vote. The federal government is facing a potential shutdown as Senate Democrats refuse to back a Republican stopgap funding bill, The New York Times reported March 13. On March 11, House Republicans passed a continuing resolution to keep the government running through Sept. 30, though Democrats say they had no input on the bill and are instead calling for a one-month extension to allow further negotiations to reach a bipartisan agreement on long-term funding. The Senate is expected to vote on the measure before government funding expires at midnight on March 14.
The March 11 bill includes key healthcare provisions that were set to expire March 31. The bill would extend telehealth waivers, maintain funding for hospital at home and delay Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts through Sept. 30. However, physician groups criticized lawmakers for failing to address Medicare reimbursement cuts.
7. Dr. Oz’s first CMS confirmation hearing. Mehmet Oz, MD, will have his first confirmation hearing with the HELP Committee the morning of March 14 as President Trump’s nominee for CMS administrator. If confirmed, Dr. Oz will oversee the federal agency that provides more than 160 million Americans coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
8. CMS payment models to end early. The CMS Innovation Center will terminate four Medicare payment models early — by the end of 2025 — in a bid to save nearly $750 million and shift focus to more viable approaches to value-based care. In addition, CMS will no longer pursue implementation of the Medicare $2 Drug List and Accelerating Clinical Evidence models.