Healthcare reporter @semafor. Alum of @POLITICO, @IndustryDive, @InHealthPolicy. Tips: davidalim@protonmail.com. DM for Signal.
Articles by David Lim
Peptide group to meet with White House over pending regulatory plan
A pending regulation under White House review could expand access to peptides, largely unregulated substances that are popular with wellness influencers and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.
Exclusive / Trump FDA nominee played key role in overhaul of childhood vaccine policy Original
The News Heidi Overton, President Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration played a larger role in driving the process to reduce the number of vaccines the government recommends to children than emerged during her Senate confirmation last month, when Republican senators asked her whether she’d stand up to anti-vaccine voices in the administration.
Republican leadership of Senate health panel in doubt
Tight polls for Republicans are throwing future GOP leadership of the Senate health panel into question. With Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, fighting difficult reelection battles, it’s unclear who will replace Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy as the top Republican on the Senate HELP Committee. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the next most senior person, but he would have to give up leading the Homeland Security Committee to helm the health panel. And Sen.
CDC ‘closely monitoring’ suspected pneumonic plague case Original
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “closely monitoring” developments in a suspected case of pneumonic plague that led to the death of a researcher in Russia. “At this time, there is no indication of a broader threat to the United States, but CDC and our interagency partners are prepared and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the CDC posted on X.
Exclusive / Klomp wins over Democrat in bid to be No. 2 HHS official
Chris Klomp’s nomination to be the second-in-command at HHS has advanced to the Senate floor — with help from one Democrat. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., often a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, joined 14 Republicans to support Klomp. When asked about his vote, Whitehouse pointed to a longstanding Rhode Island Medicare reimbursement policy issue he said he hopes Klomp will help resolve.
Kilimanjaro: Going for Broke
Film | 2004 | 52 min | Dokumentar Instruktør: Richard Heap Medvirkende: Jamie Andrew, David Lim, Paul Pritchard Manuskriptforfatter: N/A Land: Storbritannien Sprog: Engelsk IMDB-bedømmelse: N/A Fire erfarne bjergbestigere med handicap beslutter sig for at begive sig ud på en krævende rute mod toppen af Afrikas højeste bjerg. Kilimanjaro: Going for Broke havde premiere på Netflix den 24. september 2026. Hvor mange stjerner vil du give Kilimanjaro: Going for Broke?
Exclusive / Trump administration backing off NIH grant order amid pushback Original
The Scoop The Trump administration is backing off its initial plan for an executive order that would give the president greater influence over decisionmaking on National Institutes of Health grants, according to three people familiar with the process. The move comes after Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, pressured the Office of Management and Budget to abandon the effort outright.
Africa CDC director calls for local vaccine manufacturing Original
Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control Jean Kaseya said Tuesday that the continent should begin making vaccines locally, as the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak continues to have a huge impact on the economies of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. “It’s time for us to manufacture our own vaccines,” Kaseya said at Semafor’s The Next 3 Billion.
Collins challenges NIH grant review plan Original
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is again confronting the White House on National Institutes of Health grant decision-making, calling on Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to drop his push to assert greater control over the NIH’s grant process.
Health wonks question who saves in Trump drug program Original
President Trump took a victory lap on his administration’s work on drug pricing today, announcing all 50 states will participate in the “most-favored-nation” program, saying “this one thing alone should win us the midterms.” But health policy experts question whether the changes will directlysave consumers money, and for how long.
Exclusive / White House claims drug pricing progress Original
President Donald Trump is focusing on drug pricing today, with his administration set to announce all 50 states will see most-favored-nation pricing for certain drugs in Medicaid programs, according to Trump administration plans shared first with Semafor. The White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates the effort will result in $27.6 billion in net savings for state governments and $36.6 billion in federal savings over 10 years.
Exclusive / FDA nominee preps for hearing next week Original
Heidi Overton is expected to sit for her FDA commissioner confirmation hearing next Thursday, but it is still unclear whether Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy is ready to support her.
Exclusive / Klomp, nominated for No. 2 health post, faces Senate gauntlet Original
Democrats want to cast Chris Klomp as anything but a moderating force within Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services this week during two Senate hearings on his nomination to become Kennedy’s No. 2.
FDA: Foreign clinical trials must generate high-quality data
A group of top FDA officials is cautioning that despite the globalization of clinical trials, it is critical that companies continue to enroll American patients. ENROLL AMERICANS IN TRIALS — The top regulators said that while there are benefits to expanding clinical trials worldwide, overseas trials can create new challenges — including risks to data integrity, transparency and oversight.
Trump touts new most-favored-nation deals
A bevy of nine drugmakers made the trek to the White House on Monday for a now-familiar event with President MIDSIZED DRUGMAKERS VISIT WH — Donald Trump.
White House strikes new drug-pricing deals
President Donald Trump on Monday announced nine more deals with pharmaceutical companies to lower certain drug prices, the latest addition to his administration's effort to address health care affordability.
The questions facing FDA pick Heidi Overton
PROGRAMMING NOTE: This newsletter will be taking a beach break next week. We'll be back to our normal schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 1. With Carmen Paun WHAT'S THE OVERTON/UNDER? President Donald Trump 's announcement this week of White House aide Heidi Overton as his pick to lead the FDA gave the pharma world something to chew on ahead of the pre-Labor Day dog days of Washington summer — though not many answers to industry's biggest questions.
Trump picks ‘good soldier’ to lead FDA despite MAHA, industry misgivings
Heidi Overton's years of loyalty to Donald Trump helped her become his pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration, one of the government's most powerful regulatory agencies. But that devotion could ruin her chances at Senate confirmation.
Trump to select Heidi Overton for FDA commissioner
President Donald Trump will nominate White House official Heidi Overton to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to two people familiar with the pick granted anonymity to discuss the selection. Overton has served as Trump's deputy assistant for domestic policy with a focus on health policy since he reentered office last year.
Trump to select Heidi Overton for FDA commissioner
Follow Trump to select Heidi Overton for FDA commissioner Lauren Gardner and David Lim Tue, August 18, 2026 at 8:53 PM EDT Trump to select Heidi Overton for FDA commissioner President Donald Trump will nominate White House official Heidi Overton to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, according to two people familiar with the pick granted anonymity to discuss the selection.
Industry previews next Medicare drug price battles
Congress may be in the middle of August recess, but drugmakers and insurers spent Monday weighing in on how Medicare drug price negotiations should operate in the years ahead. MEDICARE DRUG PRICE TALKS — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is undertaking the first rulemaking to codify the Inflation Reduction Act 's Medicare drug price negotiation program after three cycles of implementing the law through guidance.
The great MMR divide
With Rachel Bluth SPLITTING UP? When announcing his latest executive order on vaccines Monday, President Donald Trump seized on the section urging manufacturers to break up the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — which he called, without evidence, “quite lethal” — into three separate shots. “What I've heard is that there are some people that say it is that way, and I say, ‘Well, let's say there's a 5 percent chance of it, let's split it up,'” Trump said.
For months, the administration laid low on vaccines. On Monday, Trump went there. Original
Earlier this year, the White House tried to tamp down Kennedy's appetite for vaccine overhauls. President Donald Trump, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Oval Office before Trump signs an executive order about vaccines, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. | AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin 08/11/2026 06:19 PM EDT The White House has for months sought to push Health Secretary Robert F.
Trump relitigates vaccines ahead of midterms
With Marcia Brown and Oliver Ward President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order on vaccines that public health experts immediately critiqued. | AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin DEJA VU — President Donald Trump on Monday reignited his effort to overhaul the government’s vaccine recommendations with an executive order directing federal agencies to reduce the number of recommended vaccines children get and spread the shots out.
Trump redoubles effort to shrink recommended vaccines ahead of midterm elections Original
It is unclear whether the latest effort will withstand legal challenges. President Donald Trump, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attend a meeting before Trump signs an executive order about vaccines, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.
Jamie Carragher might be right: Bradley Barcola is not a replacement for Mohamed Salah
Jamie Carragher and Mohamed Salah//Bradley Barcola / Tribuna.com Collage: Getty Images Jamie Carragher's reaction to the Bradley Barcola links was blunt, but that is probably why it resonated. When Liverpool were urged to see the PSG winger as the answer to life after Mohamed Salah, Carragher's response was simple: Barcola plays on the opposite flank.
Act before the notice arrives — Managing regulatory and litigation risk under the Bulk Data Transfer Rule
A man types into a keyboard in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. on July 29, 2017. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab August 07, 2026 - The Department of Justice ("DOJ")'s Bulk Sensitive Data Transfer Rule (the "Rule") is no longer forthcoming, it is here. Originating from Executive Order 14117 and codified at 28 C.F.R. Part 202, all elements of the Rule have been fully effective since October 6, 2025.
A window into TrumpRx's demand
With Amanda Chu CHECKING IN ON TRUMPRX — Buried in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing is a glimpse into how a major TrumpRx partner views the financial impact of the effort to connect Americans with lower-cost drugs. GoodRx, which has certain discounts integrated into TrumpRx.gov , said in a 10-Q filing published Wednesday that initial demand is concentrated in weight loss drugs. But the overall effect of the program appears to be limited.
Braking under pressure: differential effects of cue utilisation across hazard types in driving
Abstract This study investigated drivers’ responses to three types of driving hazards (anticipation, complexity, and surprise) during a simulated drive, considering variations in hazard perception, cognitive load, cue utilisation, and visual attention. Drivers recorded the shortest brake response distances for anticipation (i.e. cued) hazards, intermediate distances for complexity (i.e. multi-cue) hazards, and the longest for surprise (i.e. uncued) hazards.
FDA's Moderna flu shot call
ALL EYES ON FLU — The FDA's deadline to decide on Moderna's seasonal flu vaccine application is Wednesday — a major federal health agency milestone ahead of the midterms. Moderna is seeking full approval for the vaccine's use in 50- to 64-year-olds and accelerated approval for individuals 65 and older, with a post-marketing study requirement for the latter group.
Replimune gets a favorable vote after Capricor falls short
REPLIMUNE GETS A WIN — The FDA's Cellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee voted 10-3 Thursday in favor of the clinical benefit of Replimune's investigational treatment for advanced melanoma, Lauren reports, a day after reaching the opposite conclusion for a separate therapy.
POLITICO — FDA panel to consider previously spurned drugs
Lauren Gardner and David Lim A RARE REDO — An FDA advisory committee will hold two days of meetings this week to review applications for novel therapies disfavored by political appointees who have since left the agency. The Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee will review Capricor’s deramiocel to treat heart issues in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients on Wednesday. Thursday will focus on Replimune’s twice-rejected immunotherapy for advanced melanoma.
FDA panel to consider previously spurned drugs
A RARE REDO — An FDA advisory committee will hold two days of meetings this week to review applications for novel therapies disfavored by political appointees who have since left the agency. The Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee will review Capricor's deramiocel to treat heart issues in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients on Wednesday. Thursday will focus on Replimune's twice-rejected immunotherapy for advanced melanoma.
Salah, Vlahovic and 47 more star free agents available this summer
David Alaba and Mohamed Salah / Reuters We're gradually returning to club football after the World Cup. So what's going to dominate the headlines now? Transfers, of course. Alongside blockbuster deals worth tens of millions, we'll also be following the futures of players who currently find themselves without a club. The summer of 2026 is unusual in that respect. We've put together a list of almost 50 star players who are currently free agents.
FDA advisers endorse legal path for peptides
PEP IN THE STEP — Outside advisers to the FDA voted Thursday in favor of creating a legal pathway for four peptides popular with wellness influencers and longevity clinics, despite FDA employees' warnings of limited data showing safety or efficacy, Lauren writes.
Drug pricing, biosimilars under consideration on the Hill
MARKUP WEEK — The House Energy and Commerce Committee recessed quickly Monday evening after brief opening remarks — but an onslaught of bills which include drug pricing legislation will likely be debated when the committee reconvenes this morning.
An out-of-pocket prescription
A team of economists with ties to the Democratic Party has crafted a health care proposal designed to reduce Americans' medical bills — but in a way that they argue is both concrete and marketable to the public. The central idea: capping the amount of money people pay out of pocket in any given month.
Pallone scrutinizes FDA staffing ahead of user fee negotiations
The top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee wants the Government Accountability Office to examine the impact of the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts on Food and Drug Administration staffing and use of industry user fees.
The unapproved but very online weight-loss drug
With help from Amanda Chu ARE YOU RETA FOR IT? If you cultivate your social media algorithm just right, you can find myriad websites where retatrutide — Eli Lilly's next-generation, investigational weight-loss drug — is just a few clicks away from being delivered to your door.
FDA unveils peptides position
PEPTIDES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE — The new roster of the FDA's advisory panel on drug compounding contains several members who would benefit from the agency endorsing broader use of peptides and other alternative wellness treatments, Lauren writes. The advisory panel helps give non-binding advice to the FDA on compounding, a practice where a pharmacy or facility alters a drug to meet the needs of an individual patient.
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“Part of the change in Harold was the result of his maturing out of Nellie’s influence.
FIFA step up efforts to expand Club World Cup to 48 teams, more Premier League clubs to be involved
According to The Guardian, FIFA has agreed to form a joint venture with European Football Clubs to run the Club World Cup. This move could lead to more Premier League teams participating in future editions. The partnership is expected to speed up plans to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 clubs by the next edition in 2029, after pressure from leading European sides attracted by the competition's financial rewards.
Republicans debate insulin pricing cap ahead of daunting midterms
A group of Senate Republicans wants to ensure private insurance patients with diabetes don't have to pay more than $35 a month for insulin. The move is a major shift for a party that's long viewed price controls as anathema to free markets. And it's the latest sign that GOP lawmakers are trying to address affordability issues ahead of the midterms.
Republicans debate insulin pricing cap ahead of daunting midterms
A bipartisan bill to implement a $35 cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs is gaining steam among Republicans, but big hurdles remain to get the legislation through Congress.
HHS wants to boost American clinical trial research
The Trump administration on Monday unveiled a multi-pronged effort to bolster the United States' early clinical trial ecosystem — an effort nicknamed Operation Trialblazer that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said will help return early medical research to America. BOOSTING CLINICAL TRIALS — In recent years, a growing share of early-stage clinical research has been conducted abroad.
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IN the full meeting of the ‘1922 Committee’ of Conservative ministers on Suez, both Macmillan, Chancellor of Exchequer and Home Secretary, Richard Austen Butler (“Rab”) addressed the full cabinet which included the junior minister, Enoch Powell. Macmillan, unlike the crest fallen but loyal Butler, skillfully distanced himself from the fiasco.
FDA allows Colorado drug imports, in theory
THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT? The FDA gave Colorado the green light Monday for its plan to import prescription drugs from Canada, making it the second state to win the agency's authorization for such a program. Still, the FDA decision begs the question: Will this actually work in practice? Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is bullish.
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To the then US Vice President Nixon he was like “a meteor that shot across the skies of the Middle East” that entranced the much oppressed Arab populations in the whole region. In keeping with the Bandung Spirit, Nasser maintained friendly relations with both the Soviet Union and the United States.
Covid vaccine still pays off, report says
MORE THAN A SHOT IN THE ARM — A prominent nonprofit that evaluates the clinical effectiveness and the value of medicines released an updated analysis Thursday that found Covid-19 vaccines to be cost-effective interventions for the coming season for all subpopulations of the U.S. at current prices.
A new sunscreen on the horizon
The FDA is expected to approve a chemical-based sunscreen for the first time. | Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images DAY IN THE SUN — The FDA could sign off on a new chemical sunscreen filter as soon as this week, Lauren writes, a development that doctors and industry alike say could help steer more consumers toward the sun-protection products.
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