All articles tagged with #vaccinations
The Washington Post’s The Post's View argues that RFK Jr.’s push to loosen peptide regulations contradicts FDA scientists’ warnings that many peptides are ineffective and potentially dangerous, accusing him of hypocrisy for promoting an experimental wellness trend while doubting vaccines.
Pfizer and Valneva report that their four-dose experimental Lyme disease vaccine reduced infections by more than 70% in a 9,400-person trial and plan to seek regulatory approval, potentially becoming the first widely available Lyme vaccine; a previous vaccine, LYMErix, drew controversy despite no proven harm.
Washington Post health writer Fenit Nirappil reflects on the COVID-19 era—the toll on hospitals, masking and lockdowns, and how vaccine messaging and politics shifted public perception—arguing that four core truths have become clouded over time.
The CDC has updated its travel advisory, highlighting about 30 polio-circulating countries (including the UK, Germany and Pakistan) and urging travelers to ensure timely polio vaccination. Polio remains a global risk even though the U.S. has been polio-free since 1979; vaccines (like IPV) provide long-term protection, so travelers should verify their vaccination status and consult CDC country notices before trips.
In a Washington Post Ask a Vet column, Dr. Jane Sykes outlines the five core vaccines dogs need, explains why they protect against serious diseases like leptospirosis and parvo, and discusses why annual vaccination is increasingly emphasized over the older three‑year cycle to safeguard both canine and public health.
Vinay Prasad, the FDA’s controversial head of vaccines and complex therapies, will step down at the end of April after a tenure marked by divisive drug and vaccine decisions and a push to tighten vaccine approvals; his tenure included a prior brief removal and quick reinstatement in 2025.
GP Dr Philippa Kaye explains COPD is a chronic, incurable lung condition often linked to smoking; while not curable, symptoms can be markedly improved by quitting smoking (the single most important step), engaging in supervised exercise via a pulmonary rehabilitation program, using inhalers correctly, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying up to date with vaccines (flu, pneumococcal, RSV). Seek GP help if breathlessness or coughing worsens.
Surgeon general nominee Casey Means faced questions from the Senate Health Committee about her views on vaccines, pesticides, and RFK Jr.’s vaccine stance, while lawmakers scrutinized her past business ties and potential conflicts of interest as they weigh her nomination.
The Washington Post notes that with the U.S. seeing more than 900 measles cases so far this year (per CDC), measles is a “canary in the coal mine” for public health. Experts warn that if vaccination rates keep falling, nine other vaccine-preventable diseases could re-emerge, including rubella, meningitis and hepatitis, underscoring the need to maintain high vaccination coverage to prevent larger outbreaks.
The Washington Post reports that RFK Jr., depicted as health secretary, has long campaigned against vaccines and has tied his own voice-change to the flu vaccine—an assertion medical experts say lacks scientific support. Amid a severe flu season, federal guidance was revised to no longer routinely recommend flu vaccines for children and adolescents, and Kennedy ordered an end to a government flu-vaccine ad campaign, signaling a notable shift in public health policy.
The FDA reversed its earlier decision and will review Moderna’s first mRNA-based influenza vaccine after Moderna agreed to conduct additional studies in older adults under a revised review process.
The Atlantic's second‑person essay about a mother's encounter with a child's death from measles drew emotional responses, but controversy surged when readers learned the piece was reported fiction, prompting a broader debate about the ethics of fictionalized narratives in journalism and the handling of vaccine‑related storytelling.
A nine-year-old unvaccinated child died of measles in Israel, the 15th death linked to an ongoing outbreak; the Health Ministry stresses that vaccines are safe and effective, urges routine vaccination for children ages 1–6, and notes dose recommendations in outbreak areas as well as precautions for the unvaccinated and their families.
Virginia public health officials warn of possible measles exposure after a contagious passenger traveled through Dulles International Airport; authorities declined to release details about the individual, including age, vaccination status or condition.
South Carolina is facing the country’s largest measles outbreak in decades, with more than 840 cases—mostly among unvaccinated individuals. The outbreak, which began in October in the Spartanburg area where vaccination coverage has slipped below what’s needed to stop transmission, underscores broader national trends of declining vaccination rates due to exemptions and rising clusters of susceptible people that enable the highly contagious virus to spread.