All articles tagged with #mmwr
U.S. health officials halted publication and later canceled a study on whether the Covid-19 vaccine prevents hospitalizations and ER visits, citing concerns about the methodology used to estimate vaccine effectiveness; the authors reportedly did not want to adjust their approach, prompting debate about how to measure real-time vaccine impact and potential biases from prior infection and care-seeking behavior.
The CDC’s acting director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, reportedly delayed the release of an MMWR study showing Covid vaccines reduce severe illness, citing concerns about the observational method; the paper, based on a test‑negative design, was expected to indicate about a 50% reduction in severe outcomes among adults with the 2025‑26 vaccine formulation. Officials say leadership routinely reviews papers for methodological issues, while critics within and around the Trump administration have framed vaccine research debates as political interference. If the MMWR paper isn’t published, the authors could submit the findings to a medical journal after further analysis.
The CDC's acting director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, reportedly postponed releasing an MMWR study showing that 2025–26 Covid vaccines may reduce severe illness, citing concerns about the observational test-negative design; the move has sparked debate about political interference in vaccine research, though officials say it's routine to review methodology and that publication delays are sometimes necessary to ensure analyses are sound.
The NEJM and CIDRAP are launching a new, free publication of public health alerts as an alternative to the CDC's MMWR, aiming to improve timely dissemination of outbreak data amid declining trust and operational challenges faced by the CDC's traditional publication.