RFK Jr. forces FDA to reconsider 12 unproven peptides after 2023 ban
There doesn’t seem to be new safety or efficacy data, but Kennedy touts them anyway.
Beth Mole
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Beth Mole
Senior Health Reporter
beth.mole@meincmagazine.com
Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Before becoming a science writer and journalist, she conducted post-doctoral research on drug development and antibiotic resistance. Now, with over a decade of experience reporting on life sciences and biomedical research, she specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. Before joining Ars in 2015, her stories were featured in publications such as Nature, Science, The Scientist, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Science News. In 2014, her work was honored by the DC Science Writers Association. She currently resides in the Raleigh, NC area, where she runs, bakes, decorates cakes, and builds Lego and train sets with her family. You can find her on Bluesky @bethmariem.bsky.social.
Recent stories by
Beth Mole
Florida surgeon charged with killing man after removing liver instead of spleen
It wasn’t the first time the surgeon cut out the wrong organ.
Beth Mole
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259
Americans ask AI for health care. Hospitals think the answer is more chatbots.
Do you trust AI chatbots for health advice? What about one in your patient portal?
Beth Mole
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153
Measles takes a plane to Idaho, which has worst vaccination rate in US
In the 2024-2025 school year, only 78.5% of kindergartners had measles vaccination.
Beth Mole
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209
RFK Jr. rewrites CDC panel’s charter, opening door to anti-vaccine quacks
ACIP’s charter now full of anti-vaccine terms and welcomes fringe groups to CDC.
Beth Mole
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101
CDC study shows COVID shot benefits; Trump official blocks release
Study found shots cut urgent care and hospitalization by about 50% in healthy adults.
Beth Mole
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100
Trump admin makes sweeping request for medical records of federal workers
The unprecedented proposal would give the Trump admin access to doctors’ notes.
Beth Mole
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203
After court loss, RFK Jr. gives himself more power over CDC vaccine panel
The charter renewal gives Kennedy broad authority to pick anyone for the panel.
Beth Mole
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Most Read
RFK Jr. wants Americans to use peptides that were banned over safety risks
The FDA is reportedly planning to allow production of 14 previously banned peptides.
Beth Mole
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169
Water utility announces it’s ditching fluoride—then reveals it did so years ago
The water utility highlighted unsubstantiated health concerns.
Beth Mole
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262
Outbreak linked to raw cheese grows; 9 cases total, one with kidney failure
Raw Farm denies link to illnesses, while patients keep identifying its products.
Beth Mole
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175
As RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine ways turn toxic to GOP, CDC director is hard to find
Wednesday was the deadline to nominate a new director.
Beth Mole
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96
Antibiotic resistance among germs swells during droughts, study suggests
Study links two crises: Climate change and antibiotic-resistant infections.
Beth Mole
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“The last straw”—RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine ally angrily quits CDC panel after spat
Robert Malone quit a vaccine panel, blaming an HHS spokesperson for “trashing” him.
Beth Mole
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121
Trump’s MAHA pick for surgeon general flounders amid GOP doubts
She stalled over MAHA woo-woo, anti-vaccine views, and lacking medical background.
Beth Mole
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108
You’re likely already infected with a brain-eating virus you’ve never heard of
Fatal brain infection was thought to be from profound immune suppression. Not anymore.
Beth Mole
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161
RFK may replace entire panel of CDC vaccine advisors again, ally lets slip
Robert Malone made the claim, then retracted it, as HHS denied it.
Beth Mole
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92
RFK Jr. has destroyed over a quarter of health dept’s expert panels
Under Kennedy, the health dept. has wiped out 75 advisory boards, corrupted others.
Beth Mole
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132
FDA links raw cheese to outbreak; Makers “100% disagree,” refuse recall
Of the seven illnesses identified so far, four are in children age 3 or younger.
Beth Mole
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234
RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine changes to CDC vaccine guidance blocked by judge
Ruling temporarily blocks changes to vaccine recommendations and an advisory board.
Beth Mole
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95
Woman sneezes out maggots after fly larvae get trapped in her deviated septum
She made a full recovery, despite the maggots.
Beth Mole
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156
Measles vaccinations rose 291% among New Mexico adults during outbreak
Despite anti-vaccine rhetoric, New Mexico residents embraced lifesaving shots.
Beth Mole
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95
Report: RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine agenda curbed as GOP realizes it’s unpopular
Meanwhile, Kennedy’s allies want all vaccine recommendations eliminated.
Beth Mole
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195
FDA contradicts Trump admin, declines to approve generic drug for autism
In the end, the FDA only approved the drug for a rare genetic condition with clearer data.
Beth Mole
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105
Trump’s divisive FDA vaccine regulator self-destructs, will exit agency (again)
It’s unclear what Prasad’s FDA exit means, but some drug makers are happy to see him go.
Beth Mole
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65
Fishing crews in the Atlantic keep accidentally dredging up chemical weapons
Fishing crews face horrifying burns from dredging the dumped chemical weapons.
Beth Mole
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155
Americans trust Fauci over RFK Jr. and career scientists over Trump officials
RFK Jr. has tried hard to villainize Fauci. Americans still trust Fauci more.
Beth Mole
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161
RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine policies are “unreviewable,” DOJ lawyer tells judge
The startling claim came amid a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Beth Mole
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243
Medical journal The Lancet blasts RFK Jr.’s health work as a failure
Kennedy’s destruction “might take generations to repair,” The Lancet said.
Beth Mole
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131
In puzzling outbreak, officials look to cold beer, gross ice, and ChatGPT
An AI chatbot convinced health investigators they had the right answer.
Beth Mole
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181
Could a vaccine prevent dementia? Shingles shot data only getting stronger.
Latest data hints that benefits seen so far could be underestimates.
Beth Mole
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305
Trump’s MAHA influencer pick for surgeon general goes before Senate
Casey Means holds no active medical license and promotes alternative medicine.
Beth Mole
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189
MAHA moms threaten to turn this car around as RFK Jr. flips on pesticide
MAHA members call movement a “sham” after Kennedy supports glyphosate order.
Beth Mole
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486
Controversial NIH director now in charge of CDC, too, in RFK Jr. shake-up
The unusual dual role has renewed criticism of Bhattacharya’s lack of leadership.
Beth Mole
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FDA reverses surprise rejection of Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine
Trump admin’s vaccine chief overruled FDA scientists to initially reject the shot.
Beth Mole
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136
99% of adults over 40 have shoulder “abnormalities” on an MRI, study finds
Some adults over 40 have shoulder pain, but nearly all have “abnormal” joints.
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