Skip to content
RollCall logo

Staff

Lia DeGroot

The Latest From Lia DeGroot
The seal of the Health and Human Services is pictured on a podium in the department's headquarters on April 16. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Greater share of US losing faith in health guidance, poll says

By Lia DeGroot
Posted April 29, 2025 at 11:23am
The CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control studies injuries, including those related to firearms, domestic violence and traumatic brain injuries.

Health groups urge RFK Jr. to reinstate injury center staff

By Lia DeGroot
Posted April 14, 2025 at 10:29am
A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is seen outside of the headquarters in White Oak, Md. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

Fired FDA communications staff worry about impact on public health

By Lia DeGroot
Posted April 14, 2025 at 6:04am
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, speaks on Wedneday outside the Department of the Health and Human Services after requesting a meeting with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Also appearing are, from left, Reps. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., Kathy Castor, D-Fla., Troy Carter, D-La., Marc Veasey, D-Texas, Lori Trahan, D-Mass., Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and Nanette Barragán, D-Calif. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., also attended.

As Kennedy tours West, frustrated Democrats demand meeting

By Lia DeGroot
Posted April 9, 2025 at 2:57pm
Matt Cutler, right, a former Health and Human Services employee who was fired on Tuesday, talks with Maine independent Sen. Angus King, left, inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Tuesday.

HHS layoffs cut deep swath through health infrastructure

By Sandhya Raman, Lia DeGroot and Jessie Hellmann
Posted April 1, 2025 at 6:06pm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington on March 10.

HHS to cut 10,000 jobs, ‘streamline’ operations

By Lia DeGroot and Sandhya Raman
Posted March 27, 2025 at 11:20am
Dr. Marty Makary, nominee to be commissioner of the FDA, appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for his confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington on March 6.

Targeting FDA user fees would leave agency gutted, experts say

By Lia DeGroot
Posted March 27, 2025 at 7:00am
Martin Makary, nominee to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for his confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 6.

Senate confirms Makary for FDA commissioner

By Lia DeGroot
Posted March 25, 2025 at 9:35pm
People protesting personnel cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hold signs outside the organization's main headquarters on Wednesday in Atlanta. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Weldon nomination yanked amid vaccine concerns

By Lia DeGroot and Jessie Hellmann
Posted March 13, 2025 at 11:17am, Updated at 1:58pm
A health care worker conducts a COVID-19 test at a drive-thru testing facility at George Washington University on May 5, 2020.

On COVID-19 anniversary, concerns about the lessons unlearned

By Lia DeGroot
Posted March 13, 2025 at 7:00am
Martin Makary, nominee to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for his confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Makary tells Senate panel he plans to review FDA job cuts

By Lia DeGroot
Posted March 6, 2025 at 3:07pm
Martin Makary speaks during a screening of the HBO documentary film 'Bleed Out' in 2018 in New York City.

FDA pick may differ from HHS head RFK Jr. in some key areas

By Lia DeGroot
Posted March 5, 2025 at 4:28pm
Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appear during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Texas measles outbreak results in death

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 26, 2025 at 5:26pm, Updated February 27, 2025 at 10:35am
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., leaves the Democratic Senate luncheon in the Capitol on Tuesday.

Senate Democrats press HHS over FDA firings

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 21, 2025 at 1:00pm
A demonstrator holds a DOGE sign during the "No Kings Day" protest to oppose the Trump administration’s policies including efforts to cut the federal workforce, at the Capitol Reflecting Pool on Monday.

Agency firings prompt worries about preparedness, FDA inspectors

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 19, 2025 at 7:00am
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 29.

Senate confirms RFK Jr. for HHS secretary

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 13, 2025 at 11:55am
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 29.

The MAHA movement in Congress: Who and what to watch

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 6, 2025 at 7:00am
Sen. Bill Cassidy waits to vote in the Senate Finance Committee on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of Health and Human Services on Tuesday.

Key GOP vote on RFK Jr. faces high-stakes primary

By Lia DeGroot
Posted February 5, 2025 at 5:30pm
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., waits to vote in the Senate Finance Committee on the nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Senate panel approves RFK Jr. nomination

By Jessie Hellmann and Lia DeGroot
Posted February 4, 2025 at 11:57am, Updated at 1:15pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, arrives for his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Wednesday.

Kennedy to divest interest from HPV vaccine lawsuits

By Lia DeGroot
Posted January 31, 2025 at 3:47pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies at his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Wednesday.

During Day 2 of RFK Jr. hearings, some GOP concerns

By Jessie Hellmann and Lia DeGroot
Posted January 30, 2025 at 5:04pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, and his wife Cheryl Hines, arrive for his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.

Democrats grill Kennedy on vaccines, abortion in Senate hearing

By Lia DeGroot and Jessie Hellmann
Posted January 29, 2025 at 3:12pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to be secretary of Health and Human Services, makes his way to a meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Dirksen Building on Jan. 8.

HHS pauses communications through Feb. 1, memo says

By Lia DeGroot
Posted January 22, 2025 at 6:49pm
Red Dye No. 3 can have deleterious health effects. The ring is a strawberry Ring Pop (red no. 40 and red no. 3).

FDA moves to ban Red Dye No. 3, years after groups petitioned agency 

By Lia DeGroot and Sandhya Raman
Posted January 15, 2025 at 2:59pm
Outgoing FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, pictured during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on April 11, 2024, had said the labeling proposal was on his list of priorities before the end of his tenure.

FDA publishes long-awaited front-of-package labeling proposal

By Lia DeGroot
Posted January 14, 2025 at 3:04pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be secretary of Health and Human Services, makes his way to a meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Dirksen Building on Wednesday.

Hawaii governor sounds alarm over RFK Jr.’s stance on vaccines

By Lia DeGroot
Posted January 8, 2025 at 5:57pm
Robert Kennedy, Jr., nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, arrives for his meeting with Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., in the Hart Senate Office Building on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

Kennedy faces questions about food, vaccines in GOP meetings

By Ariel Cohen, Lia DeGroot, Jessie Hellmann and Sandhya Raman
Posted December 17, 2024 at 6:53pm, Updated December 18, 2024 at 3:11pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives for a meeting with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on Monday.

Trump defends polio vaccines, rejects school vaccine mandates

By Lia DeGroot
Posted December 16, 2024 at 7:38pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Libertarian National Convention on May 24 in Washington.

Senate Democrats search for common ground with Kennedy

By Ariel Cohen and Lia DeGroot
Posted December 12, 2024 at 7:00am
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s intended nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has called for an overhaul of the FDA, including the possible elimination of the agency’s nutrition programs.

FDA’s nutrition goals similar to Kennedy’s, experts say

By Lia DeGroot
Posted November 20, 2024 at 2:37pm, Updated at 6:00pm
Pharmacy prescription drugs, for daily use to combat various medical problems, sit in a home in Sullivan County, N.Y.

Future of Medicare drug price negotiations murky under Trump

By Lia DeGroot and Jessie Hellmann
Posted November 15, 2024 at 10:18am
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifies during a hearing of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government on July 20, 2023.

Trump taps RFK Jr. to lead HHS

By Ariel Cohen, Lia DeGroot and Sandhya Raman
Posted November 14, 2024 at 5:44pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally former President Donald Trump at Macomb Community College on Nov. 1 in Warren, Mich. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

How RFK Jr.’s health proposals would stack up in practice

By Lia DeGroot
Posted November 8, 2024 at 2:53pm
Sarah McBride, Democrat representative-elect for Delaware, is seen on the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20.

How key results could influence health policy

By Sandhya Raman, Lia DeGroot and Jessie Hellmann
Posted November 6, 2024 at 4:10pm, Updated at 7:28pm
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump shake hands at a campaign rally in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 23.

Trump victory highlights distrust in public health institutions

By Lia DeGroot
Posted November 6, 2024 at 10:36am
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifies during the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government in 2023. Kennedy has emerged as a major surrogate for former President Donald Trump in the final days of the 2024 campaign.

Kennedy hints at vast health agency overhaul if Trump elected

By Lia DeGroot
Posted October 30, 2024 at 4:53pm, Updated October 31, 2024 at 2:46pm
Cigarette use among middle and high schoolers dropped to the lowest levels since 1999, but e-cigarettes remained the most commonly used tobacco product among youth for the 11th consecutive year, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Youth tobacco use drops to 25-year low, CDC survey concludes

By Lia DeGroot
Posted October 17, 2024 at 2:27pm
A worker at St. Supery winery in Rutherford, Calif., pours a glass of wine for a tasting. Since the Dietary Guidelines for Americans were last updated in 2020, more research has emerged suggesting that even drinking moderately could be associated with health issues.

Dietary guidelines become mired in row over alcohol safety

By Lia DeGroot
Posted October 16, 2024 at 6:30am
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio (left), speaks with Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., after their vice presidential debate on Tuesday in New York City. This is expected to be the only vice presidential debate of the 2024 general election.

Vance’s attempt to rewrite Trump’s Obamacare history

By Niels Lesniewski and Lia DeGroot
Posted October 2, 2024 at 8:39am
During Tuesday’s hearing, Senate HELP Chairman Bernie Sanders said he had received confirmation from “all of the major PBMs” that they wouldn’t reduce coverage if Novo Nordisk lowered their prices.

Novo Nordisk CEO blames PBMs, insurers for Ozempic price tag

By Lia DeGroot
Posted September 24, 2024 at 2:20pm
Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing in 2023.

Analysts say market forces will lower cost of obesity drugs

By Lia DeGroot
Posted September 23, 2024 at 7:00am
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris debate for the first time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 10.

Presidential contenders stay mum, for now, on menthol ban

By Lia DeGroot
Posted September 12, 2024 at 12:56pm
An exhibitor (out of frame) shows attendees a rapid fentanyl detection test during the Multilateral Conference on Synthetic Drugs in Mexico City on April 23.

CDC sees link between overdoses, other mental health disorders

By Lia DeGroot
Posted August 29, 2024 at 4:12pm, Updated at 6:26pm
A health care worker receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

FDA greenlights updated COVID shots, prepares for fall rollout

By Lia DeGroot
Posted August 22, 2024 at 3:24pm
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic nominee for president, speaks during a rally to kick off their campaign at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.

In picking Walz, Harris upends notion of ‘women’s issues’

By Lia DeGroot, Sandhya Raman and Ariel Cohen
Posted August 21, 2024 at 7:00am
Food and Drug Administration headquarters, White Oak, Md. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call file photo)

FDA rejects MDMA therapy for treatment of PTSD. What’s next?

By Lia DeGroot
Posted August 12, 2024 at 12:02pm
Then-Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., speaks with guests during a campaign event at the University of Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 28, 2016.

Walz’s personal experiences shape his health policy outlook

By Ariel Cohen, Lia DeGroot and Sandhya Raman
Posted August 6, 2024 at 3:01pm