HHS secretary recovering at home after hospital stay

WASHINGTON – A spokeswoman says health secretary Alex Azar is recovering at home in Indianapolis after his second hospitalization in less than a week for treatment of a painful bowel condition.

Health and Human Services spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said in a statement Friday evening that Azar’s doctors have advised him to rest and it’s unlikely he’ll be back at work in Washington until sometime next week.

Azar, 50, was diagnosed with diverticulitis, an inflammation or infection of small pouches that bulge outward through the colon.

A former government and pharmaceutical company executive, Azar is playing a key role in drafting President Donald Trump’s plan to try to reduce prescription drug costs. The White House is expected to unveil the plan next week.