HEALTH CARE WARS:
DECEMBER 2025 DASHBOARD
THE IDEOLOGICAL THEATER
HHS Influencers' focus on "Big Food" and "Big Pharma" (X data)
Notable new X followings
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary
- Tiffany Ryder:
Pro-MAHA emergency medicine PA who champions "free markets" and "less corporate capture"
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya
- Luke Glowacki:
Anthropologist whose criticism of a Nature diversity policy was amplified by Director Bhattacharya - Dr. Tim Kelly:
"Ethical doctor and systems analyst"; co-founder of anti-COVID mRNA vaccine group The Hope Accord - Alexandra Rossetti:
Long COVID, ME/CFS, and Lyme disease research advocate
Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O'Neill
- James Bailey:
Providence College health and labor economist researching health policy through creative lenses - Jason C. Mercurio:
Founder of Ageless Partners, which offers anti-aging products and services
HHS Senior Advisor Calley Means
- John Arnold:
Founder of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy that funds health policy research and advocacy (also followed by Deputy Secretary O'Neill) - Ty Beal, PhD:
Nutrition scientist, critic of U.S. dietary guidelines, and podcast host
New Trump Administration hires and nominees
| Hire | Background | Pharma Perspectives | Food Perspectives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Ralph Abraham Jr., Principal Deputy Director, CDC | Surgeon General of Louisiana (2024–2025) who served as the U.S. representative for Louisiana’s fifth congressional district (2015–2021) | Endorsed Secretary Kennedy’s initiatives advising pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, discontinuing routine newborn hepatitis B vaccination, and eliminating aluminum and mercury-based ingredients from vaccines[1] | Supported barring the use of SNAP benefits to purchase soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy[2] |
| Yvette Herrell, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Congressional Relations, USDA | Former U.S. representative for New Mexico’s second congressional district (2021–2023) and New Mexico state representative (2011–2019) | In a 2021 hearing, while questioning the AbbVie CEO, indicated that “less government involvement in the price negotiation” of drugs would benefit consumers; also suggested that revisiting Medicare Part D within a “free-market” framework could lower prices[3] | Opposed the Biden Administration’s efforts to ban chlorpyrifos – a divisive but commonly used pesticide[4] |
Health care op-eds published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post
THE COMMERCIAL THEATER
Top health care ad spenders on Meta Platforms
Corporate sponsors of health care conferences and "fly-ins"
ObesityWeek 2025 – The Obesity Society (November 4–7)[5]
Platinum: Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk
Gold: Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim
Silver: Metsera
Bronze: AstraZeneca, Currax Pharmaceuticals, Dexcom, Kailera Therapeutics, Inc., Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Soleno Therapeutics, Structure Therapeutics, and Zealand Pharma
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting (November 6–10)[6]
Diamond ($500,000+): AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and Sanofi | Regeneron
Platinum ($300,000–$499,999): Blueprint Medicines, CSL Behring, DBV Technologies, Genentech, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, KalVista Pharmaceuticals, and Takeda
Gold ($100,000–$299,999): Amgen | AstraZeneca, ARS Pharmaceuticals, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Chiesi USA, Incyte, Eli Lilly, Pharming Group N.V., Pharvaris, and Stallergenes Greer
Silver ($50,000–$99,999): Organon and The Clorox Company
Other Contributors: ADMA Biologics, Ambu, Amgen, Astria Therapeutics, Aquestive Therapeutics, Chemotechnique Diagnostics / Dormer Laboratories, Insmed Incorporated, Intellia Therapeutics, Kaléo, KORU Medical Systems, Kyowa Kirin, and SmartPractice
USAsthma Summit 2025 – Allergy & Asthma Network (November 7)[7]
Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, and Sanofi | Regeneron
Newsletter sponsors
Axios (Vitals)
Politico – Health Care
(Pulse and Prescription Pulse)
Politico – Food/Ag
(Weekly Agriculture)
STAT News
(D.C. Diagnosis and
Morning Rounds)
- Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General [@la_surgeon], “Thank you President @realDonaldTrump and @SecKennedy for your leadership and a common sense approach…,” X, September 22, 2025, https://x.com/la_surgeon/status/1970272876436631778.
- Joe Gallinaro, “Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham supports new policy preventing SNAP recipients from using benefits to purchase candy, soft drinks and energy drinks,” Louisiana Radio Network, August 13, 2025, https://louisianaradionetwork.com/2025/08/13/43204.
- “Unsustainable Drug Prices (Part III): Testimony from AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, May 18, 2021, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-117hhrg44685/html/CHRG-117hhrg44685.htm.
- Press release, “Top Republicans Probe EPA Sidelining Top Scientists to Ban Chlorpyrifos on Food Products,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, November 4, 2022, https://oversight.house.gov/release/top-republicans-probe-epa-sidelining-top-scientists-to-ban-chlorpyrifos-on-food-products.
- "Corporate Sponsors," ObesityWeek, The Obesity Society, https://obesityweek.org/support/partner-organizations.
- "Program Guide – 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting," American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, https://college.acaai.org/wcontent/uploads/2025/11/ACAAI_ProgramGuide_2025_FINAL.pdf.
- "USAsthma Summit 2025: What Does the Future of Asthma Care Look Like?" Allergy & Asthma Network, November 14, 2025, https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/usasthma-summit-2025.
About Baron
Baron has guided clients for nearly two decades through the most challenging political terrain. Applying a methodology focused on mastering the strategic competition of interests, Baron advises some of the nation's most prominent organizations, including members of the Fortune 10, several of America's largest privately held businesses, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Baron's health care sector clients have included insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, integrated health systems, and medical device firms.
© 2026 Baron Public Affairs, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of these materials may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any other information storage or retrieval system known now or in the future, without the express written permission of Baron Public Affairs, LLC. These materials do not constitute advice on any particular investment or commercial issue or matter. No part of this work constitutes investment or legal advice and is not to be relied upon as such. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal and may result in civil or criminal penalties under the U.S. Copyright Act and applicable copyright law.
