Daniel Payne
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danielpayne.bsky.social
Daniel Payne
@danielpayne.bsky.social
30K followers 280 following 220 posts
Washington Correspondent @statnews.com
daniel.payne (at) statnews (dot) com
Signal: danielp.100
@politico.com / Ole Miss alum
Posts Replies Media Videos
danielpayne.bsky.social
2026 is set to be a hugely consequential year for America’s vaccine policy.

What’s on the horizon:

www.statnews.com/2025/12/24/v...
The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT examines how U.S. vaccine policy is set to change next year.
www.statnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
helenbranswell.bsky.social
Robert Kennedy has long disbelieved the science around the safety & benefits of vaccines. Since becoming HHS head, he's wasted no time in altering vaccine policy. And there's more to come in 2026, @statnews.com's @danielpayne.bsky.social reports. www.statnews.com/2025/12/24/v...
The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT examines how U.S. vaccine policy is set to change next year.
www.statnews.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
NEW: The Trump administration’s plan to shrink the vaccine schedule is sending the health sector scrambling

w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @helenbranswell.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/12/23/t...
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
The health sector is working to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the U.S. vaccine program in decades.
www.statnews.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:38 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
New drug pricing policies are here — with the potential for billions in savings.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/22/t...
Trump administration proposes Medicare pilots to lower drug prices on par with peer countries
The experiments would cut the prices of some drugs to bring them in line with what other countries pay, saving Medicare billions.
www.statnews.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
News: The CDC employee who has been advising RFK Jr. on vaccines is getting a new role at the agency: overseeing research on adverse childhood experiences — and aligning it with MAHA priorities.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/19/w...
Kennedy vaccine adviser to take a new role at CDC on children’s health research
A vaccine adviser at the CDC with ties to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is being given a new portfolio overseeing research into adverse childhood experiences.
www.statnews.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
News: White House set to announce largest batch of drug pricing agreements yet

www.statnews.com/2025/12/19/t...
White House set to announce largest batch of drug pricing agreements yet
Nine drugmakers are set to unveil deals with the Trump administration to lower the prices of some of their drugs, marking the administration’s largest such deal to date.
www.statnews.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:22 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
The Trump administration intends to make its most forceful attempt yet at restricting gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the U.S.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/18/t...
In major effort to end gender-affirming care, Trump administration takes aim at hospitals
The Trump administration intends to make its most forceful attempt yet at restricting gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the U.S.
www.statnews.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:49 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
More drugmakers set to sign pricing deals with Trump on Friday

www.statnews.com/2025/12/17/p...
More drugmakers set to sign pricing deals with Trump on Friday
Pharma companies have agreed to lower prices and invest in the U.S. in exchange for avoiding tariffs and benefits like faster drug reviews.
www.statnews.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
alexhogan.bsky.social
Anyway check out the full new @statnews.com STATus Report video to learn all about the new CDC hepatitis B vaccine guidance! Feat @danielpayne.bsky.social youtu.be/43QtKjCnO5c
New CDC hepatitis B vaccine guidance, explained
YouTube video by STAT
youtu.be
December 17, 2025 at 5:31 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
As CDC approves the new vaccine recommendations, some pediatricians and health systems say they won't follow them

www.statnews.com/2025/12/16/h...
CDC approves new hepatitis B vaccine recommendation as some hospitals reject changes
Many states, hospitals, and doctors say they will continue to recommend hepatitis B shots at birth.
www.statnews.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
amanda-garces.bsky.social
We've received a wonderfully large number of requests for gift subscriptions to @statnews.com this holiday season. We don't have the ability (yet) to send a nice "Amanda bought this for you!" note, but reach out to subscribers[at]statnews[dot]com and we'd love to help! 🧪 📰
December 16, 2025 at 4:44 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
A(nother) must-read from @lizzylawrence.bsky.social on one of the most important storylines in health care today:

www.statnews.com/2025/12/11/t...
FDA staff fear Tracy Beth Høeg will bring bias and instability to embattled drug center
Høeg is set to become the fifth head of the FDA's drug center in a year.
www.statnews.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
ACA premium spike looms as Senate votes fail, House bill faces long odds

www.statnews.com/2025/12/11/a...
ACA premium spike looms as Senate votes fail, House bill faces long odds
Democratic and Republican proposals on health insurance voted down as year-end expiration of subsidies draws closer.
www.statnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
aniloza.bsky.social
This year, we @statnews.com have brought you the stories of who-knows-how-many scientists, federal workers, policy experts, and patients

For the next part of American Science, Shattered we revisit the stories of some of those people and how the year panned out

www.statnews.com/2025/12/11/a...
Postscripts from the frontlines of Trump's attacks on science: no simple happy endings
Stories from the frontlines of Trump's attack on science: Follow-ups from a year of struggles in Part 7 of our series "American Science, Shattered."
www.statnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
The federal vaccine advisers laid the groundwork this week to reexamine the childhood vaccine schedule broadly.

Then, late Friday, Trump himself directed HHS to do exactly that.

w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/12/05/c...
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots.
www.statnews.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
rickberke.bsky.social
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots www.statnews.com/2025/12/05/c... via @statnews.com @danielpayne.bsky.social @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots.
www.statnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 11:52 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
Next up: ACIP is set to review the childhood vaccine schedule broadly.

Aaron Siri, a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement with ties to RFK Jr., will brief them.

More on Siri’s presentation:

www.statnews.com/2025/12/05/a...
In sweeping presentation, vaccine critic set to urge government advisers to rethink childhood shots
WASHINGTON — The future of children’s vaccines is on the agenda at today’s meeting of federal vaccine advisers, who are reviewing the childhood schedule.
www.statnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
helenbranswell.bsky.social
A panel that advises #CDC on vaccine policy votes to do away with the recommendation all babies should be vaccinated against #hepatitisB at birth. "We are doing harm," said panel member Cody Meissner, who voted against this #ACIP recommendation. www.statnews.com/2025/12/05/c...
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
The CDC's ACIP panel voted to recommend delaying the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, ending a policy that has reined in the virus.
www.statnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
This morning, in a 76-slide presentation before federal vaccine advisors, a leading vaccine critic is set to make the case for sweeping changes to childhood shots.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/05/a...
In sweeping presentation, vaccine critic set to urge government advisers to rethink childhood shots
WASHINGTON — The future of children’s vaccines is on the agenda at today’s meeting of federal vaccine advisers, who are reviewing the childhood schedule.
www.statnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:38 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
More on today's federal vaccine advisory meeting:

www.statnews.com/2025/12/04/c...
CDC vaccine advisers appear likely to recommend delaying hepatitis B vaccine birth dose
A panel that issues advice on U.S. vaccine policy appears prepared to vote to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B.
www.statnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:13 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
Top Senate health leader calls CDC vaccine panel ‘totally discredited’

via @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/12/04/c...
Top Senate health leader calls CDC vaccine panel ‘totally discredited’
A top Senate health leader called a federal panel of vaccine advisers “totally discredited” just minutes ahead of its planned meeting.
www.statnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:36 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
New: A new advocacy group will launch today, representing 70,000 independent doctors.

The nonprofit (and associated PAC) comes amid increased consolidation among providers.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/03/i...
Independent doctors get a new advocacy group as skepticism of health giants grows
The group, called IndeMed, is focused on issues like prior authorization and payment policies.
www.statnews.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
elizabethcooney.bsky.social
“How they’re approaching this is not how science works,” Sean O’Leary, a doctor who chairs the American Academy of Pediatric’s Committee on Infectious Diseases, said. More from @danielpayne.bsky.social and @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social at @statnews.com

www.statnews.com/2025/12/02/a...
As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded
CDC experts and manufacturers haven't been consulted for an ACIP review of hepatitis B vaccine, raising concerns over any change in the vaccine schedule.
www.statnews.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:44 PM
danielpayne.bsky.social
News: Government vaccine advisors have excluded industry and CDC experts from its review of the hep B vaccine

Officials have skipped usual safety data consultations with the makers of the shots, which they will review this week

w/ @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social

www.statnews.com/2025/12/02/a...
As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded
CDC experts and manufacturers haven't been consulted for an ACIP review of hepatitis B vaccine, raising concerns over any change in the vaccine schedule.
www.statnews.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Daniel Payne
statnews.com
#News: Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur filed papers to retire from the Food and Drug Administration at the end of this month, but could withdraw them
www.statnews.com/2025/12/02/r...
Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur set to leave FDA
Top drug regulator Richard Pazdur filed papers to retire from the Food and Drug Administration at the end of this month, but could withdraw them.
www.statnews.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM