Oz Declined Shot at HHS Top Job; Gene Editing Death; CDC Ordered Border Detentions

— A weekly roundup of healthcare investigations

by Shannon Firth, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Today

July 29, 2026

• 2 min read

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, reportedly passed up an opportunity to step into the HHS Secretary's shoes amid a White House overhaul of the agency earlier this year. Here's how Oz gained the trust of the president, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and even longtime civil servants, and found himself in the position as the Secretary's heir apparent. (Bloomberg)

Oz Declined Shot at HHS Top Job; Gene Editing Death; CDC Ordered Border Detentions

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