Tag

Vaccine Safety

All articles tagged with #vaccine safety

health8 days ago•9 min saved

Journals retract or probe key vaccine-safety studies used by RFK Jr.

Three vaccine-safety studies frequently cited by RFK Jr. and anti-vaccine groups were removed or placed under investigation, highlighting how flawed data were used to spur policy changes, including a CDC shift on autism links; the papers—Miller 2021 (VAERS-based SIDS), Miller & Hooker 2020 (vaccinated vs unvaccinated health problems), and Gallagher & Goodman 2010 (hepatitis B and autism)—have drawn sharp criticism for weak methods, with Sage Open Medicine issuing an expression of concern and Gallagher & Goodman’s paper later retracted. While some allies defend the research, many scientists see the actions as a positive step for public health amid rising vaccine-preventable diseases.

via The Guardian|

#autism-link #health #journal-investigations

health8 days ago•10 min saved

RFK Jr. pushes for federal access to medical records to study vaccines and autism

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. is seeking access to identifiable Americans’ medical records via state health-information exchanges to study a possible link between vaccines and autism. The move has drawn privacy, legal, and practical questions, with some exchanges reluctant to share data and officials noting unclear protections. Kennedy and allies point to a pipeline of studies and Nebraska-linked funding, but there is no disclosed plan for data handling or public rollout, and critics warn the data may not yield definitive answers.

via CNN|

#autism #health #health-information-exchanges

health15 days ago•10 min saved

FDA review finds no confirmed pediatric vaccine deaths; labeling updates on the horizon

An op-ed analyzing a December 2025 FDA OBPV post-market safety review argues that, while myocarditis after mRNA COVID vaccines is a real and rare risk, the 96 pediatric deaths reviewed were not proven to be vaccine-caused and did not reveal a hidden FDA effort to conceal deaths; using the WHO-UMC causality framework, most cases were deemed unlikely or unassessable, with only a few probable or possible links largely tied to alternate explanations. The report recommends a safety-labeling update (Boxed Warning, updated Warnings/Precautions, Adverse Reactions, and Patient Insert) but stops short of a benefit-risk conclusion, contrary to political framing that labeled it a scandal.

via CIDRAP|

#causality-framework #fda #health

health1 month ago•13 min saved

Allegations of Buried Vaccine Safety Data Spark Call for FDA Transparency

An op-ed contends that FDA scientists withdrew and suppressed safety analyses of COVID-19 vaccines and Shingrix to protect a predetermined narrative, despite findings aligning with global post‑market surveillance that vaccines are generally safe with rare, well-characterized risks. It contrasts these actions with the BEST Initiative’s open, real‑time surveillance, noting that 2025–26 vaccines reduced emergency department visits by about half and hospitalizations by roughly 55% in immunocompetent adults, and argues that hiding results undermines public trust while the underlying evidence remains favorable to vaccine safety and effectiveness.

via CIDRAP|

#best-initiative #fda #health

politics1 month ago•6 min saved

Trump Talks Iran War, Midterms, and More in Exclusive White House Interview

In an exclusive White House interview on Full Measure, President Trump discusses the Iran conflict and potential further targets, analyzes Republicans’ midterm prospects, weighs vaccine policy, and touches on topics from NFL broadcasting changes to Barron Trump’s possible political future and a Fort Knox gold audit, while criticizing Democrats and praising his administration's border stance.

via KOMO|

#barron-trump #iran #midterms

health1 month ago•1 min saved

FDA pulls back vaccine-safety studies amid political pressure controversy

The FDA reportedly withdrew several studies supporting the safety of COVID-19 and Shingrix vaccines after officials said the authors drew broad conclusions not supported by the data, a move CNBC linked to ongoing Trump-era efforts to scrutinize vaccines; agency scientists analyzed large datasets to assess side effects and said the withdrawal was to protect scientific integrity.

via CNBC|

#covid-19 #fda #health

politics1 month ago•13 min saved

Vaccine Skepticism Surges as Public Divides on Mandates, POLITICO Poll Finds

A POLITICO poll by Public First finds a plurality of U.S. adults doubt vaccine safety and prefer fewer vaccines, with a sharp partisan split: Republicans more likely to doubt the science and oppose mandates, Democrats more trusting, while many still support vaccines and school-immunization requirements, indicating a movable middle that health communicators must reach.

via Politico|

#kennedy-jr #politics #polling

health-and-medicine2 months ago•6 min saved

Molecular trigger found for rare vaccine-induced blood clots

Researchers traced vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) to antibodies against PF4 caused by molecular mimicry with an adenovirus vector protein, enabling vaccine designers to modify the vector to remove the offending protein while maintaining protection.

via ScienceDaily|

#adenovirus-vector #blood-clots #health-and-medicine

health3 months ago•9 min saved

Kennedy’s vaccine-review pick under fire for Covid-19 research

MIT operations professor Retsef Levi, appointed by RFK Jr to review Covid-19 vaccine safety for the ACIP, is facing widespread criticism from more than a dozen experts who say his Covid research is misleading and lacks vaccine/public health expertise, raising concerns about biased reviews influencing upcoming vaccine guidance. Levi defends his work as rigorous, but critics warn the appointment could undermine public trust in vaccine policy.

via The Guardian|

#acip #covid-19-vaccine #health

health4 months ago•18 min saved

AMA partners on independent vaccine-safety review amid CDC criticism

The American Medical Association and a public health research group are launching a system to review vaccine safety and efficacy, starting with influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines, in response to criticisms of the CDC’s vaccine-review process.

via The Washington Post|

#ama #cdc #health

science4 months ago•7 min saved

HHS Bets on AI to Hypothesize Vaccine Risks, Prompting Safety and Agenda Debate

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is developing a generative AI tool to scan VAERS data and generate hypotheses about potential vaccine injuries; the tool has not yet been deployed and has been in development since 2023. Critics worry it could be used by Health Secretary RFK Jr. to advance an anti-vaccine agenda. VAERS is a voluntary, unverified database managed by the CDC and FDA, intended to generate hypotheses rather than prove causality, and experts caution that large language models can hallucinate, underscoring the need for careful human review and corroboration with other data sources, especially given staffing constraints at the CDC.)

via WIRED|

#ai #hhs #rfk-jr

politics4 months ago•9 min saved

RFK Jr.'s vaccine panel redefines its mandate to focus on safety

RFK Jr.’s vaccine-advisory panel is being steered to act more like a safety watchdog, with chair Kirk Milhoan saying efficacy will be secondary as the group prioritizes potential harms and safety signals. The pivot, tied to Kennedy’s leadership and past clashes over vaccine policy, alarms public-health experts who warn it could undermine trust in vaccines and slow immunization efforts, even as agencies continue to monitor safety data and reassess recommendations.

via Politico|

#acip #immunization-schedule #politics

health4 months ago•8 min saved

ACIP chair reframes vaccine policy around individual autonomy

ACIP chair Kirk Milhoan argues, in a STAT podcast, that protecting individual autonomy should guide vaccine policy, signaling a shift under Kennedy-era appointees and prompting revisions like delaying hepatitis B vaccination and removing thimerosal from flu vaccines. He also questions the necessity of polio and measles vaccines and notes threats to panel members, drawing backlash from public health advocates who say policy changes risk eroding trust and vaccine uptake.

via statnews.com|

#acip #health #individual-autonomy

health5 months ago•7 min saved

US Vaccine Policy Faces Scrutiny Amid Approval Overhaul and Safety Concerns

The article discusses internal conflicts within the FDA over COVID vaccine safety claims, particularly a memo by Dr. Vinay Prasad proposing major reforms to vaccine approval processes, which has alarmed former agency leaders and experts. Critics argue that Prasad's claims are misleading and could undermine public trust, slow vaccine development, and weaken the entire vaccine system, with potential long-term consequences for public health and vaccine innovation.

via CBS News|

#covid-vaccines #fda #health

health5 months ago•8 min saved

CDC allocates $1.6M for hepatitis B vaccine research by Danish team

The CDC awarded a controversial $1.6 million grant to Danish researchers, linked to anti-vaccine figures, to study hepatitis B vaccination timing in Guinea-Bissau, raising concerns about cronyism, ethical issues, and the relevance of the study to US vaccine policy.

via CIDRAP|

#cdc #controversy #health