Overview

• Stevens alleges an abdication of duty, citing cuts to research on cancer, childhood cancer, sudden infant death syndrome and addiction, plus politicization of the FDA and CDC and misleading statements during confirmation.
• Her filing follows disputed health guidance, including White House and HHS claims linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism, which medical groups contest as unsupported by evidence.
• The FDA said it is moving toward a label change on acetaminophen to note possible neurodevelopmental risks while stating a causal link has not been established.
• HHS under Kennedy has faced institutional turmoil, including the ouster of CDC Director Susan Monarez, multiple senior resignations, replacement of the CDC vaccine advisory panel and a letter from over 1,000 HHS employees urging his resignation.
• Some Republicans have voiced concern over recent health pronouncements, even as the White House defends Kennedy, and Stevens’s move also comes as she runs for Michigan’s 2026 U.S. Senate seat.