Tag

Vaccines

All articles tagged with #vaccines

politics54 minutes ago•13 min saved

Vaccines at the Center as Surgeon General Nominee Faces Senate Scrutiny

At a Senate confirmation hearing, Casey Means, President Trump’s surgeon general nominee, was grilled over vaccines and the autism link, refused to push universal vaccination, and urged parents to discuss shots with doctors while acknowledging vaccines’ life-saving role and supporting shared clinical decision-making; lawmakers pressed on universal hepatitis B birth-dose policy and Means’s credentials, including her inactive medical license and wellness-influencer background.

via Politico|

#autism-debate #casey-means #hepatitis-b

health6 hours ago•6 min saved

Typhoid’s Drug-Resistant Wake-Up Call Goes Global

The typhoid fever bacterium is rapidly gaining extensive drug resistance and spreading internationally, threatening all oral antibiotics as resistance reaches both frontline drugs and newer treatments like azithromycin. A 2014–2019 genome study of 3,489 S. Typhi samples from South Asia and beyond shows accelerating spread of extensively drug-resistant Typhi, prompting calls for expanded vaccination and new antibiotic research to avert a global typhoid crisis.

via ScienceAlert|

#antibiotic-resistance #azithromycin #health

health11 hours ago•3 min saved

Means Walks a Fine Line on Vaccines in Senate Hearing

During a Senate confirmation hearing, surgeon general nominee Casey Means said vaccines save lives and supports vaccination but did not unequivocally urge people to get vaccinated, instead emphasizing individuals should discuss medical decisions with their doctors and signaling a broader focus on chronic disease; she avoided firm stances on vaccine recommendations and acknowledged ongoing autism research while facing questions from lawmakers.

via Axios|

#autism #casey-means #confirmation-hearing

advice1 day ago•12 min saved

Expecting mom’s vaccine rules for visitors spark family clash, Abby advises boundaries

A pregnant woman asks whether visitors should be up-to-date on vaccines as her doctor recommended; some relatives resist and prefer testing or masking, leaving her stressed and resentful. Dear Abby says to prioritize the baby’s safety, follow medical guidance, and set clear boundaries (even distancing for the first three months) if family won’t respect wishes, and to consider family therapy for ongoing family tensions.

via The Mercury News|

#advice #boundaries #family

health1 day ago•6 min saved

Moderna’s combo flu-COVID shot shows durable immune response in mid-stage trial

Moderna reported that its experimental mRNA-1073 two-in-one flu and COVID-19 vaccine elicited durable immune responses against matched influenza and SARS-CoV-2 strains for six months in a small 550-participant mid-stage trial, with no serious safety concerns; the briefing also covers ongoing Potomac River contamination concerns after a wastewater spill, a long-term MSU study showing college students rebounded emotionally post-pandemic, and other health news highlights.

via CIDRAP|

#clinical-trials #covid-19 #health

health3 days ago•8 min saved

Public health in peril as Kennedy reshapes vaccine policy

A UCLA physician argues that RFK Jr.’s first year as HHS Secretary—firing the vaccine advisory panel, replacing it with vaccine skeptics, cutting NIH funding, pausing certain mRNA research, and downgrading the childhood immunization schedule—undermines scientific consensus and risks a measles resurgence, eroding public trust in health institutions and demanding urgent accountability.

via Los Angeles Times|

#health #immunization-schedule #measles

politics4 days ago•10 min saved

Kennedy’s Health Push Adjusts Course as White House Balances Midterm Realities

Two years into RFK Jr.’s tenure as health secretary, the White House is dialing back his anti-vaccine and anti-chemical push in favor of nutrition guidance and drug-pricing deals, while leaning on farm and pharmaceutical interests—illustrated by a glyphosate production order and leadership reshuffles—as it recalibrates ahead of the midterms.

via Politico|

#glyphosate #maha #midterms

politics5 days ago•30 min saved

New Documents Trace Controversial Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Study's Shortcut to CDC Approval

A Rolling Stone investigation shows that a $1.6 million birth-dose hepatitis B vaccine study in Guinea-Bissau was moved directly from the CDC director’s office to grants management, bypassing normal scientific review and ethical oversight, amid pressure from Kennedy allies and irregular ethics approvals, drawing WHO concern and congressional scrutiny as the project remains in limbo.

via Rolling Stone|

#cdc #ethics #guinea-bissau

politics7 days ago•17 min saved

RFK Jr.'s Jeans Become Political Meme Amid Health-Policy Debates

Rolling Stone highlights RFK Jr.'s unusual habit of wearing jeans in daily life and in a promotional workout video with Kid Rock, sparking memes that label him a “Never Nude,” while tying the quirk to his tenure as HHS secretary and ongoing vaccine-policy debates.

via Rolling Stone|

#jeans #kid-rock #never-nude

health7 days ago•2 min saved

FDA Reverses Course, Will Review Moderna’s mRNA Flu Vaccine for Adults 50+

The FDA reversed its earlier decision and will review Moderna’s new mRNA flu vaccine for adults 50 and older, using a standard pathway for ages 50–64 and accelerated approval for those 65+, with a required post‑marketing study and a target review date of August 5.

via statnews.com|

#biotech #fda #flu-vaccine

politics10 days ago•21 min saved

Kennedy's Public-Health Crusade Becomes a High-Stakes Tug-of-War in Washington

RFK Jr., sworn in as Trump’s health secretary, launched the Make America Healthy Again commission to tackle children’s health and nutrition, but faces fierce pushback from farmers, Republicans, and industry groups. The May report singled out ultraprocessed foods and pesticides like glyphosate, triggering lobbying pressure and tense meetings with lawmakers; subsequent reports largely avoided pesticides to mollify allies. Kennedy’s vaccine-policy moves—reducing recommended vaccines and reshaping FDA oversight—have sparked lawsuits, partisan based pushback, and leadership upheaval within HHS and FDA, signaling that much of his agenda may be rolled back by future administrations or Congress. The result is a precarious balance: impactful but reversible policy wins amid a deep partisan rift over public health, industry influence, and regulatory reform.

via Politico|

#fda #glyphosate #maha

health10 days ago•50 min saved

FDA Refusal to File Moderna Flu Vaccine Signals Chilled Innovation in Vaccines

Moderna’s mRNA influenza vaccine was not even considered by the FDA after a “refuse to file” ruling, despite earlier signals that its trial design was acceptable. The decision is described as coming from Vinay Prasad, an FDA appointee aligned with RFK Jr., who overruled career staff, signaling a broader shift under Kennedy’s leadership away from standard scientific processes. The piece warns this regulatory pivot could deter vaccine investment, undermine pandemic preparedness, and slow the development of future mRNA vaccines.

via The Bulwark|

#fda #health #moderna

science11 days ago•6 min saved

Genetic Variant Linked to Rare Clotting After Some COVID Vaccines

A Nature study traces vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) to a genetic mutation in antibody-producing cells that alters antibodies to bind PF4 after exposure to an adenovirus used in some COVID vaccines (AstraZeneca/J&J). This explains why rare clotting occurred in a subset of recipients and suggests a genetic predisposition, though not all carriers develop VITT; the researchers analyzed samples from 21 affected individuals and showed the mutated antibodies drive more clots in animal tests.

via Nature|

#adenovirus #genetics #pf4

health16 days ago•5 min saved

Measles outbreaks spur renewed vaccine push as U.S. fights elimination status

Amid measles outbreaks across several states and a risk of losing the U.S. measles elimination status, health officials including Mehmet Oz urged Americans to get vaccinated, defending revised vaccine guidance and reiterating that access to the measles vaccine will remain available through Medicare and Medicaid. The article also notes rising distrust in vaccines, political debate over vaccine policy, and state-level authority over school vaccination requirements, alongside data showing declining vaccination rates and increasing vaccine-prevention diseases.

via PBS|

#health #measles #outbreaks

health-policy19 days ago•4 min saved

Don't Copy Denmark: The U.S. Needs Its Own Vaccine Schedule

A STAT opinion piece argues that CDC’s newly modeled childhood vaccine schedule—which mirrors Denmark and removes vaccines like hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningitis, and varicella from routine use—risks preventable disease in American children. The author, drawing on experience in Denmark, contends the U.S. health system’s size and fragmentation require a distinct, comprehensive schedule, and warns that abandoning vaccines could lead to outbreaks and serious illnesses, despite Denmark’s centralized care. He defends the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule and urges the U.S. to lead rather than imitate foreign policies.

via statnews.com|

#denmark #health-policy #immunization