Both the Endocrine Society and World Professional Association for Transgender Health argue the FTC's motives are retaliation for their views on gender-affirming care. The FTC says the investigation is necessary to eventually conduct enforcement.

Judge Questions Trump FTC’s Motives for Transgender Health Probe A federal judge seemed skeptical of the scope of probes into two health professional groups during arguments Tuesday in separate cases challenging the Federal Trade Commission investigations.

The District Court of DC heard two challenges to FTC probes from health professional organizations.

More here from this morning's arguments: news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

High Court Conversion Therapy Decision Underscores Trump Efforts The US Supreme Court’s ruling against Colorado’s ban on conversation therapy sparked concern among legal analysts that a door is opening for further state and federal limits on transgender rights thro...

What does last week's Chiles v. Salazar ruling on conversion therapy mean for further state and federal action on LGBTQ+ issues? Ian and I have more:

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Pediatrics Group Moves to Dismiss RICO Challenge Over Vaccines The American Academy of Pediatrics asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit from from a prominent anti-vaccination group that alleged they misled the public about the safety of childhood vaccines.

The AAP has asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit that alleges they misled the public about vaccines.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

GOP Mulls More Health Cuts - KFF Health News Despite public opposition to the cuts they made to federal health programs in 2025, Republicans reportedly are considering more cuts to help pay for the war in Iran. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled...

new #WTHealth podcast up! @alicemiranda.bsky.social, @sandhyawrites.bsky.social, and @jessiehellmann.bsky.social on R's pondering more health program cuts, SCOTUS on conversion therapy, and the politics of MAHA...
kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast...

Family Planning Clinics to Avoid Funding Lapse of HHS Grants Family planning clinics that receive federal funds were granted a lifeline Tuesday when the Trump administration signaled it would provide another year of grant money a day before funding is set to la...

3/31 Update: Title X Clinics will receive year-5 funding, avoid a funding gap ahead of Wednesday's deadline.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

WVC sign in convention center

If you’re at World Vaccine Congress this week and want to chat policy, send me a message. 👋🏾

White House’s Missed Deadline on CDC Pick Constrains Acting Role Without a new nominee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Wednesday’s deadline, acting director and current head of the NIH Jay Bhattacharya is poised to stay a top the agency with n...

Federal vacancies are complicated.
What exactly does end of the 210 day limit for the acting CDC director mean, you ask?

Here's our look at what tasks can still be delegated and some recent legal challenges to the authorities of acting officials. news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Family Planning Clinics Brace for Gap in Federal Grant Funding Family planning clinics that receive federal funds face a nearly impossible timeline to secure their next batch of grants at a time when many of these providers are already struggling to stay afloat.

Grant renewal applications for the Title X program are due today, but funding is set to end at the end of the month. More on what's happening with family planning clinics. news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

NIH Director Offers Assurance Over Concerns on Grant Delays The National Institutes of Health is pushing back on claims it is behind in dispersing the bulk of its fiscal year 2026 research money to grantees.

In addition, NIH downplayed concerns that there are delays in awarding grants.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

DeLauro at H. Appropriations hearing w/NIH says that OMB approved the agency's apportionment for fy26 last night. 👀

Trump Administration Delay of Cancer Research Funds Stokes Worry The US government is far behind its historical pace on disseminating funding for cancer research nearly halfway through the fiscal year, prompting concern from grantees that the Trump administration i...

For my second piece into the NIH grant delays, I looked at the National Cancer Institute. More on the implications for the biggest $ institute.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Vaccine Skeptics Focus on Injuries as CDC Panel Meeting Looms Panelists at a MAHA-aligned vaccine injury event offered splintered opinions on their end goals for the movement ahead of a much anticipated advisory panel’s foray into considering adverse effects of ...

Here's Monday's story from the MAHA-aligned conference looking at vaccine injuries.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

A reminder that my main beat now is HHS. If you're a current or former HHS employee and want to chat please reach out!

I'm on Signal 📱at sandhyawrites.30 or you can always email 📩 me at sraman@bloombergindustry.com

Trump Administration Funding Delays Worry NIH Grant Recipients The National Institutes of Health is months behind on dispersing the bulk of its fiscal 2026 money to grantees, and research advocates worry that without an update on the delay the Trump administratio...

My story from Tuesday: NIH is months behind previous years on dispersing much of its grant funding. There's worry that the delay could be a backdoor way to force clawing back funds or implementing multiyear grants.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

I was just saying yesterday I hope someone writes about their social media strategy because I wanted to know more! Great piece, guys!

Just realized I hadn't blasted out my new details on bluesky yet but as of this week I'm at Bloomberg Law. I'll still be covering health policy but will be more focused on HHS.

Send tips/say hello at sraman@bloombergindustry.com 👋

CDC Vaccine Panel to Consider Covid-19 Injuries at March Meeting The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influential vaccine advisory panel will consider issuing recommendations related to vaccine injuries and long Covid, a shift outside what traditionally...

From this morning: Next month's ACIP meeting will include consideration of Covid-19 vaccine injuries -- a shift from what has traditionally been its jurisdiction.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

Personal News: After almost 9 years, today is my last day at CQ Roll Call with the health team. It's bittersweet to leave so many great people, but I'm excited for a new adventure.

Next week I start as a senior health reporter for Bloomberg Law.

My colleague Aris also had a piece on the House GOP weighing if they want to restore earmarks in the Labor-HHS-Education bill
plus.cq.com/doc/news-840...

House members push for PBM changes, question Trump drug plan Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle came down hard on various sectors of the U.S. prescription drug supply during a hearing on Wednesday.

And Lia had a story on how some House lawmakers are pushing for PBM changes but questioning Trump’s drug plan
rollcall.com/2026/02/11/h...

After stalled health deal, voters want Congress to deliver After stalled health deal, voters want Congress to deliver - Health Care Concerns about health costs are a top issue for voters.

Lia and I have a story now on Roll Call that looks at how popular making health care more affordable is to voters and how complicated and tricky that actually will be to bring to fruition
rollcall.com/2026/02/13/a...

But late yesterday, a district judge temporally blocked the administration from rescinding those funds, at least for now. My story:
plus.cq.com/doc/news-840...

Earlier this week, appropriators were notified of the coming $600M+ in CDC grant cuts to 4 states: Calif., Colo., Ill., and Minn. Ariel and I have more:
plus.cq.com/doc/news-840...

Another catchup thread with some health care policy this week 🧵

HHS Gets Funding, But How Will Trump Spend It? - KFF Health News Congress has passed — and President Trump has signed — the annual spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. But it’s unclear whether the administration will spend the money as Con...

On this week's #WTHealth podcast: HHS gets funded, but will RFK Jr. follow Congress's priorities or his own? Plus ACA negotiations break down, again. With @annaedney.bsky.social, @sandhyawrites.bsky.social, and @joannekenen.bsky.social. kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast...

The bipartisan Senate group is still hoping to find a compromise on the expired ACA subsidies during meetings this week. But at least two issues proposed by Moreno are sticking points for Democrats.

More on the outlook and what pieces need to align for CQ:
plus.cq.com/doc/news-8398742

We talked to the 4 Democrats involved with the discussions. The tepid reaction casts more doubt on the prospect of a deal.

Lia and I have more on CQ from today. plus.cq.com/doc/news-839...

Today's big question will of course be can we get to a place to avoid a shutdown, which lies on finding a path for DHS. But also what is the reaction and general appetite from Dems on Moreno's draft bill?

But from a bird's eye view: after enthusiasm has been building on a trio of bipartisan health priorities: HHS funding, the extenders package and a Senate ACA deal --> that energy is fading over other partisan tensions

plus.cq.com/doc/news-839...