ReportWire

Tag: Vaccines

  • Legislative Roundup: Shapiro urges CDC Advisory Committee to protect access to vaccines

    Sep. 21—Ahead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) September meeting, the Shapiro Administration urged members of ACIP to take decisive, scientifically-informed action to protect vaccine access in Pennsylvania and ensure parents and individuals maintain the freedom to make health care decisions for themselves and their children.

    This is just the latest step Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken to ensure Pennsylvanians have the freedom to make their own health care choices, after he called on the State Board of Pharmacy earlier this month to protect COVID vaccine access for those most in need and provide clarity for Pennsylvanians, many of whom were left confused and frustrated after the Trump Administration upended COVID vaccine access across the country.

    At this week’s meeting, ACIP members will consider a wide range of immunization topics, including discussions on:

    —COVID-19 vaccines

    —Hepatitis B vaccine

    —Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccine

    —Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

    The agenda is also likely to include recommendation votes for these vaccines as well as Vaccines for Children (VFC) program votes.

    If ACIP were to abandon its recommendations for safe and effective vaccines, it could become much harder for individuals who actively seek vaccinations to obtain them because the lack of a recommendation often translates into lack of insurance coverage, limited provider availability, and patient and provider confusion.

    In the public comment, the Shapiro Administration urges ACIP to recommend these vaccines to all populations indicated in prior ACIP recommendations in order to facilitate timely insurance coverage, minimize consumer and health care provider confusion, and ensure that individuals who wish to receive vaccines can do so without barriers.

    Clear, consistent recommendations help to align payers, providers, and public health systems and result in widely available access to vaccinations.

    In the letter, the Administration strongly urges ACIP to uphold its recommendations for vaccines that have demonstrated irrefutable public health benefit, in some cases for generations.

    It’s important to note that ACIP’s vaccine recommendations do not impose a vaccine mandate or requirement on Pennsylvanians in any way — rather, it protects their right to choose what’s best for them. However, if ACIP withdraws its recommendation, that could directly restrict choice.

    The governor said proper immunization is one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools for preventing serious illnesses, reducing hospitalizations, and protecting those who are most vulnerable to severe illness.

    Vaccines not only safeguard individuals but also strengthen the resilience of entire communities — keeping children in school, parents in the workforce, and health care systems from being overwhelmed during seasonal surges. Consistent and science-driven recommendations from ACIP are therefore essential to preserving both individual autonomy and collective well-being.

    September is ‘National Preparedness Month’

    The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) this week announced Shapiro’s proclamation that September 2025, is National Preparedness Month in the Commonwealth, and Sept. 19, 2025, was designated as Emergency Management Coordinators Day to recognize the important work that county and municipal coordinators perform daily to keep Pennsylvania communities safe and ready.

    “National Preparedness Month is a reminder that readiness is a responsibility at every level, from individuals and families to entire communities,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “Our county and local emergency management coordinators are often the unsung heroes of community readiness. They work tirelessly, often behind the scenes and without recognition, to ensure plans are in place, resources are available, and residents are protected when disaster strikes. Their dedication is a cornerstone of keeping Pennsylvanians safe.”

    County and local officials across the Commonwealth are echoing the need for individual preparedness as we shine a spotlight on the topic for National Preparedness Month.

    The selfless service of your neighbors, the local and county EMC’s across Pennsylvania’s 2,560 municipalities and 67 counties is being recognized. These dedicated coordinators are required to be proficient in emergency management practices and take countless hours of training to do so.

    All Pennsylvanians are encouraged to visit Ready PA to learn how to be informed, be prepared, and be involved as a way to celebrate National Preparedness Month.

    Also, residents across the Commonwealth are encouraged to reach out to their local municipal and county officials to learn how they can use their skills to volunteer or support their emergency management programs to keep their communities safe and ready.

    State launches weekly fall foliage report

    Pennsylvania residents and visitors will get a new way to plan their autumn adventures this fall as the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is launching a redesigned weekly fall foliage report on Sept. 25, featuring regional updates, photos, and expert tips to help people experience the Commonwealth’s vibrant seasonal landscapes.

    The updated report, posted every Thursday during peak foliage season on DCNR’s website, will feature a fresh design, dedicated pages for each week, and detailed information by region. DCNR experts will also be available to provide regional insights and answer questions throughout the fall.

    “Whether you’re camping in one of Pennsylvania’s 124 state parks, hiking through our 2.2 million acres of state forests, or taking a scenic drive, fall is one of the best times to experience the outdoors,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “This new report will give people the tools they need to plan trips and discover new activities across the Commonwealth.”

    Visitors can also explore Pennsylvania’s fall offerings through — Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway — a statewide campaign highlighting public lands, scenic drives, festivals, pick-your-own farms, and family-friendly autumn activities.

    Fall foliage typically peaks in October, and DCNR’s weekly reports will feature updated photos and tips on the best places to see the colors. This season, visitors can also enjoy the newly reopened the Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

    Fall is a major driver of Pennsylvania’s tourism industry, which generated $83.9 billion in economic impact, supported more than 514,000 jobs, and welcomed 201.6 million visitors in 2024, according to a new Pennsylvania Tourism Office report. The industry grew by $7 billion from 2023 to 2024, creating 30,000 additional jobs across the Commonwealth.

    Walsh to host veterans recognition event

    State Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Ross Township, will host a Veterans Recognition Event and Expo for Luzerne County veterans on Saturday, Nov. 1, in conjunction with Misericordia University.

    “Our veterans and their family members have sacrificed a great deal for our country, and this is one small way in which we can honor them,” said Rep. Walsh. “The vendors present that day will also have a lot of helpful information to share targeted specifically for veterans and their family members.”

    The event will include a recognition ceremony along with dozens of vendors offering programs and services for veterans and their family members. Light refreshments will be served.

    It will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lemmond Theater and Insalaco Hall, Misericordia University, 301 Lake St., Dallas.

    Registration is required for this event, and veterans can each bring one guest.

    RSVP by Oct. 24 by calling 570-675-6000 or going to www.RepWalsh.com.

    Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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  • RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers declined to recommend COVID-19 shots, but here’s how you can still get them and not pay | Fortune

    Drugstores are ready to deliver updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall and insurers plan to pay for them, even though the shots no longer come recommended by an important government committee.

    On Friday, vaccine advisers picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to specifically recommend the shots but said people could make individual decisions on whether to get them.

    The recommendations from the advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require sign-off by the agency’s director, but they are almost always adopted.

    Those recommendations normally trigger several layers of insurance coverage and allow drugstores in many states to deliver the shots. But insurers and government officials have said coverage will continue, and several states have allowed for vaccine access through pharmacies, the most common place to get shots.

    Many people start seeking vaccinations in the late summer or early fall to get protection against any winter surges in cases.

    Here’s a closer look at the issue.

    Will insurers cover these shots?

    Many are expected to do so, but you still may want to check with yours.

    The Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that the committee vote “provides for immunization coverage through all payment mechanisms.” An HHS spokesperson said that includes Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, commercial coverage sold through health insurance marketplaces and the federal Vaccines for Children program, which pays for roughly half of childhood vaccinations in the U.S. each year.

    The VFC program normally automatically covers any vaccines recommended by the CDC committee.

    The trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans said earlier this week that its members will continue to cover the shots at no cost to patients through 2026.

    That group includes every major insurer except UnitedHealthcare. And that insurer has said it will continue covering the vaccine at no cost for its standard commercial coverage, which includes plans offered for individuals and through small businesses.

    One caveat: Large employers that offer coverage will make their own decisions on the vaccines.

    They may be motivated to continue coverage: The vaccines can help ward off expensive hospital bills from people who develop a bad case of COVID-19.

    Where people can get vaccinations

    About two-thirds of adults get COVID-19 shots at pharmacies, and around 30% receive them at doctors’ offices, according to CDC data.

    Access to the shots has grown after a clunky start to vaccine season that saw some people travel to nearby states when they couldn’t make appointments at pharmacies closer to home.

    Drugstore chains like CVS say their locations are stocked with the latest vaccines, and they now are able to deliver vaccinations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Prescriptions are required in D.C. and a handful of states, including Florida and Georgia, CVS Health spokeswoman Amy Thibault said.

    Walgreens also requires prescriptions in a few states, a company spokesperson said.

    Who can get the shot

    Until now, the U.S. has recommended yearly COVID-19 shots for everyone age 6 months and older.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the shots for all people age 65 and older, and for younger adults and children with conditions that put them at high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19.

    The CDC maintains a long list of conditions that would put someone at high risk, including asthma, cancer, heart or lung problems, obesity, depression and a history of smoking. It also includes those who are physically inactive, and the agency notes that this list is not conclusive.

    Patients can consult with their doctor or care provider to decide whether they are high risk if they don’t have a condition on that list.

    Both CVS and Walgreens representatives say their companies will ask patients under age 65 if they have any of these factors. They won’t require proof.

    “In simplest terms, if a patient says they’re eligible, they will get the vaccine,” said Thibault, the CVS Health spokeswoman.

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    Tom Murphy, The Associated Press

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  • CDC vaccine advisory panel changes guidance for COVID-19 shots

    DENVER — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices declined to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone, even those at high risk, leaving people to choose for themselves whether to get it.

    Until now, COVID-19 vaccinations had been recommended as a routine shot each fall, like a flu vaccine.

    The advisors also urged the CDC to adopt stronger language around claims of vaccine risks, despite pushback from outside medical groups that say the shots have a proven safety record from billions of doses administered worldwide.

    The Associated Press reports that among many unproven questions about risks that the panel raised Friday was one rare side effect that people already are warned about: a kind of heart inflammation called myocarditis, mostly in young men, that was discovered in the early days of vaccination in 2021. A scientist studying whether people with certain genes are uniquely susceptible to that risk told the panel the Trump administration had canceled his grant before the research could be finished.

    The divided panel narrowly avoided urging states to require a prescription for the COVID-19 shot.

    What is the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and why is it so influential?

    On Thursday, the panel voted to change its age recommendations for the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

    In an 8-3 vote, the panel decided to change the recommended minimum age for receiving the MMRV vaccine, which combines the MMR vaccine and the chickenpox vaccine, to 4 years old, and that children in this age group instead get separate vaccines — one against MMR and another for varicella, or chickenpox.

    Since 2009, the CDC has said it prefers separate shots for initial doses of those vaccines, and 85% of toddlers already do.

    In a move that surprised some medical groups, the panel delayed recommending whether to end the longstanding CDC recommendation that all newborns be vaccinated at birth against the liver virus, hepatitis B.

    The Associated Press reports that the panel had been considering whether to recommend delaying that initial vaccination — something doctors and parents already can choose to do. However, amid criticism from independent pediatric and infectious disease specialists who say the vaccine is safe and has helped infant infections drop sharply, the advisers decided Friday to postpone that decision.

    Scripps News Group and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Denver7 evening anchor Shannon Ogden reports on issues impacting all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in covering local government and politics. If you’d like to get in touch with Shannon, fill out the form below to send him an email.

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  • RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Votes Down Its Own Proposal to Require Prescriptions for Covid-19 Shots

    In another vote, advisers recommended adding language on the shot’s risks to the vaccine’s information sheet, which is already required by law.

    The committee’s focus on Covid-19 vaccines reflects Kennedy’s long-held suspicion of them. Since taking office in February, Kennedy has canceled a half-billion dollars in mRNA vaccine research and separately ended a major contract with Moderna, one of the Covid vaccine manufactures, for work on a pandemic bird flu vaccine.

    During Friday’s meeting, CDC scientists presented extensive data on the safety and efficacy of the Covid vaccines. They also explained in detail how the agency tracks Covid hospitalizations and said the agency has a “rigorous and standardized process” to determine whether hospitalizations are classified as being due to Covid-19.

    During the discussion portion of the meeting, committee members made several unfounded claims. Robert Malone, a former mRNA researcher who has spread vaccine misinformation, questioned whether there is actually evidence of disease protection from the Covid shots. “Are there any well-defined, characterized correlates of protection for Covid, yes or no?” he demanded.

    Cody Meissner, a pediatrician at Dartmouth College, responded that there is “a reasonable measurement of neutralizing or binding antibodies that correlate with protection against symptomatic infection in the first few months” after vaccination.

    At one point, Hillary Blackburn, a pharmacist on the committee, questioned whether the Covid vaccine could be connected to her mother’s lung cancer diagnosis, which occurred two years after receiving a Covid vaccine. She said she is aware of four other individuals in her small hometown diagnosed with the same kind of cancer. “Is it related to the vaccine?” she asked.

    In a tense exchange about potential birth defects associated with the Covid vaccines, some ACIP members pressed manufacturer Pfizer about eight birth defects that occurred in a group of pregnant women who received the company’s vaccine and two birth defects that occurred in an unvaccinated group. Alejandra Gurtman, who heads vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer, replied that those rates are comparable to rates of congenital abnormalities seen in the general population.

    Carol Hayes, a liaison with the American College of Nurse-Midwives who was present during the meeting, clarified that most birth defects arise during the first trimester of pregnancy, and in the cited study, mothers received the vaccine at 12 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

    At Friday’s meeting, the committee also reversed a decision it made just a day before. On Thursday, advisers voted to no longer recommend the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine to children under age 4. Yet puzzlingly, it voted to maintain coverage of that vaccine through the federal Vaccines for Children program, which provides free vaccines to low-income children and those without insurance. On Friday, they voted that the program should not, in fact, cover it.

    On Friday, advisers also voted 11 to one in favor of tabling a decision on whether to delay the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine until one month of age. The committee had discussed that vaccine extensively on Thursday, though it’s unclear why the committee was asked to look into the potential change at all, as the hepatitis B vaccine has been given to newborns in the US since 1991.

    Infants get the vaccine before leaving the hospital because the virus can be passed from an infected mother to the baby during birth. Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that can lead to cirrhosis and cancer. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection in newborns.

    Chari Cohen, president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, tells WIRED there is no scientific rationale for delaying the hepatitis B vaccine until one month after birth, and she worries about an increase in hepatitis B infections if the panel eventually recommends delaying the immunization.

    “We will likely see more babies and young children who become infected,” Cohen says. “From a public health infrastructure perspective, we are concerned that this risk-based approach will miss preventing infection to babies born to infected moms.”

    Up to 16 percent of HBV-positive pregnant women don’t get tested for hepatitis B, so screening doesn’t capture all infected mothers.

    “We do not understand the motivation or rationale for this debate,” Cohen says.

    Emily Mullin

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  • What You Need to Know About Changes to Childhood Vaccines

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine advisory committee voted to stop recommending the combination vaccine protecting against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox for children under the age of 4, indefinitely postponed a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine schedule, and moved away from a broad recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccine during a chaotic two-day meeting.

    On Thursday, in a vote of 8 to 3 with one abstention, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that children under the age of 4 no longer receive the MMRV shot, but get the MMR and varicella (chickenpox) vaccines separately. The committee was meant to vote on whether it would continue to recommend that all newborns should receive the hepatitis B vaccine, but decided on Friday to postpone that vote to a later date. On Friday afternoon, the committee rejected a proposal that would have recommended that state and local jurisdictions require a prescription for the COVID-19 vaccine, but diverged from previous guidance on who should get the shot.

    ACIP is a panel of experts that provides vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The committee members were recently appointed by the health secretary, after he removed all the previous members of the committee this summer. Many of the new panelists have expressed skepticism of vaccines or lack experience in the subject, sparking backlash from the medical and science communities, which have released their own immunization recommendations that conflict in important ways with the ACIP advice.

    Public health experts have widely credited the shots protecting against MMRV, hepatitis B, and COVID-19 for lowering the prevalence of diseases, but several ACIP members cast doubt over the safety and efficacy of the vaccines this week. At multiple points during the meetings, external experts, including those from well-established medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, criticized the recent changes to the ACIP meeting processes. These experts, who historically served as liaison members to ACIP, were removed from ACIP’s working groups, where they provided their expertise in analyzing and vetting data on vaccines and presenting summaries of that research to the larger ACIP committee.

    Here’s what to know about the new recommendations.

    Until now, the CDC has recommended the combination measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or MMRV, which includes the varicella vaccine against chickenpox, and leaves the choice up to families and their physicians. Either vaccine can be given in two doses: first, to children aged 12-15 months, and second to children aged 4 through 6 years. On Thursday, ACIP recommended against the combined MMRV vaccine for children under the age of 4; guidelines for the separate MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine, though, remain the same.

    In a move that appeared at odds with that decision, ACIP also decided on Thursday to have the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program continue to cover the cost of the MMRV vaccine for children under the age of 4, in a vote of 8 to 1. The VFC program provides vaccines to about half of all children in the U.S. for free or at a lower cost. The vote sparked confusion among the committee members, and three ACIP members abstained—one of whom stated that he was doing so because he didn’t understand what he was voting for.

    “I’m going to abstain because I’m not quite sure what I’m voting for here,” Dr. Cody Meissner, a pediatrician at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine who is among the more experienced vaccine experts, having served on the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine expert committee during the approval of the COVID-19 vaccines, said during the meeting. “I don’t want discrepancy between the children who get their vaccine from VFC and the children who don’t get their vaccine through VFC. That’s not right.”

    When the committee reconvened on Friday, the members took up the VFC vote again, and this time, the panel reversed their decision, with 9 voting yes and 3 abstaining, bringing the coverage in line with the ACIP’s new recommendation so the VFC program would not cover the MMRV shot for children under the age of 4. The separate MMR and varicella shots, though, will continue to be covered under the program.

    CDC officials presented data at Thursday’s meeting indicating that the MMRV vaccine carries a slightly increased risk of fever-related seizures in children aged 12-23 months, compared to the MMR vaccine. While some ACIP members expressed concerns over this potential side effect, other experts emphasized that these types of seizures can happen with many childhood illnesses, not just the MMRV vaccine, and frequently resolve on their own without long-term consequences.

    The majority of children—roughly 85%—get separate MMR and chickenpox shots; only about 15% get the combination MMRV vaccine, according to CDC data presented at the meeting. Still, many external experts in attendance at Thursday’s meeting criticized the proposed change in ACIP’s recommendation, saying that it would limit parents’ options and sow confusion among the public.

    “What we’re saying is we don’t trust parents to make a decision,” Meissner said. “If a parent wants to get a single dose, why are we taking away that option?”

    Dr. Jason Goldman, an internal medicine physician and president of the American College of Physicians who is a liaison to ACIP, voiced his objection to the change during Thursday’s meeting, saying that it doesn’t take into account the perspective of “actual practicing clinicians and how we deal with vaccine hesitancy and how we talk to our patients.” He expressed concern that changing the recommendation would “give license” to insurance companies to stop covering the cost of the MMRV vaccine in children under the age of 4.

    “I would argue that this recommendation is going to create more confusion among the public,” Goldman said. “You are taking away the choice of parents to have informed consent and discussion with their physician on what they want to do for the health and benefit of their children.” 

    “I urge this committee not to change the recommendations if they truly want to give the power to the parents to decide what is best for their child and allow them to make the choice in consultation with their physician,” he continued.

    After a heated debate between ACIP members and other experts, the committee decided to table a vote on possible changes to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule.

    The controversy centered around when the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, which protects against a highly infectious disease that can cause damage to the liver, is given. Currently, the CDC recommends that the vaccine is provided in three doses: the first, at birth; the second, between 1-2 months of age; and the third, between 6-18 months of age. ACIP discussed changing the recommendation so that the first dose of the vaccine would not be given until a child is at least one month old, unless the newborn’s mother is known to be infected with hepatitis B.

    CDC scientists presented data at Thursday’s meeting that demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the hepatitis B vaccine beginning with the first dose, emphasizing that the sooner the vaccine is administered after birth, the greater its effectiveness in preventing mother-to-child transmission of the disease. Scientists also pointed out that infants can be at risk of exposure to hepatitis B even if their mother tests negative for the disease—for instance, if the infant lives with someone who has chronic hepatitis B.

    “A universal birth dose provides a critical safety net for infants who may have unrecognized exposure to [hepatitis B] infection during pregnancy or early childhood, which can result in catastrophic outcomes,” Adam Langer, a CDC official, said during the meeting. “The sooner that an infant starts the hepatitis B vaccine series, the sooner that the baby will be protected against these early childhood exposures.”

    Public health experts have called the hepatitis B vaccine a significant public health intervention, crediting it for drastically reducing the number of cases of mother-to-child transmission in the country.

    Some external experts questioned why the timing of the doses was being discussed again, after it has been part of the routine childhood immunization schedule, if no strong data indicates that the birth dose is linked to safety concerns. Still, some ACIP members cast doubt on the safety of the vaccine, suggesting that only babies whose mothers have tested positive for hepatitis B should be vaccinated at birth.

    But Meissner said it’s “very hard” to identify people who are at a higher risk of exposure and infection to the disease; for instance, people who are homeless or participate in sex work may have inconsistent access to health care. Other experts also pointed out that many people aren’t aware that they have hepatitis B.

    “I think we’ve learned with many vaccines that the more we try and define a target group to vaccinate, the less successful we are,” Meissner said. “The optimal approach seems to be to have a standard recommendation.”

    Dr. Evelyn Griffin, an ACIP member and ob-gyn who has previously questioned the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 shots, said that pregnant people can be tested for hepatitis B in the facility where they give birth, and that those results can be received very quickly, within a matter of hours. But several experts argued that may not always be possible—for instance, not all pregnant people give birth in a hospital, or labs may be backed up and so test results may not be received quickly.

    “In a perfect world, we would know everybody that has hep B; they would all be under care, labs at a birthing hospital would all be done quickly, easily, and transparently,” Dr. Grant Paulsen, who is a liaison to ACIP from the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, said during the meeting. “Unfortunately, we live in an imperfect world and have to decide public policy based on what’s best for everyone, not just the anecdotes of my hospital or yours.”

    After a lengthy and heated discussion over the COVID-19 vaccine, ACIP decided on Friday not to recommend that state and local jurisdictions require a prescription to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The committee was divided, with 6 members voting yes and 6 voting no, and the decision ultimately went to the committee chair, Martin Kulldorff, who voted no.

    Both external experts and ACIP members expressed concerns that requiring a prescription would create additional barriers for people seeking the COVID-19 shot, particularly for people who live in rural areas, are uninsured or underinsured, or may not otherwise have consistent access to a health care provider.

    “It has always been clear that vaccines are a primary prevention public health strategy,” Dr. Amy Middleman, a liaison to ACIP from the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, said during the meeting. She argued that requiring a prescription for the shots would “overwhelm” doctors’ offices. “It’s alarming to me that for a primary prevention strategy, we [would] actually [be] adding access concerns and barriers, rather than diminishing them.”

    The committee voted unanimously to update the current immunization schedules for COVID-19 shots: for adults 65 and older, ACIP recommends that vaccination should be based on individual-based decision making; and for people between the ages of 6 months and 64 years, ACIP recommends that vaccination be based on individual-based decision-making, but “with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of the vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and lowest for individuals who are not at an increased risk.”

    This change is at odds with most professional medical organizations, which continue to recommend yearly COVID-19 shots for people aged 6 months and older.

    Currently, the CDC recommends the vaccine for most adults ages 18 and older, and that parents of children between the ages of 6 months and 17 years make the decision in consultation with their doctors. At the moment, it is unclear how ACIP’s new recommendation would affect people’s access to the shots, but it could complicate access depending on individual state policies.

    The CDC director can either accept or reject ACIP’s recommendations. The acting director of the agency, Jim O’Neill, was recently tapped to replace Susan Monarez, who was the CDC director for less than a month before she was fired. She testified before a Senate committee on Wednesday that Kennedy pressured her to pre-approve every ACIP recommendation—orders that she said were “inconsistent with my oath of office.” She said that she refused to comply, which led to her firing.

    ACIP’s new recommendations are the latest in a series of changes to the country’s immunization policy, led by Kennedy.

    Kennedy, a prominent vaccine skeptic, said in May that the CDC would no longer recommend COVID-19 shots for pregnant women and healthy children. Multiple respected medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, released their own guidance that diverged from federal recommendations. 

    Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that this year’s COVID-19 vaccines would only be approved for people ages 65 and older, or people who are at an increased risk of developing severe cases of the virus. Previously, the shots were recommended for everyone older than 6 months.

    Chantelle Lee

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  • CDC Panel Votes to Nix Current Covid Vaccine Recommendations

    On Friday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to drop its recommendation that U.S. adults should generally receive the covid-19 vaccine, instead endorsing an individualized approach.

    In a unanimous decision, the ACIP members agreed that adults 65 and older should decide on their own or with their doctor whether to get vaccinated for covid-19. The ACIP also recommended that people between the ages of 6 months and 64 years make an individual decision about covid-19 vaccination (yes, you read that correctly), while being informed that the benefits of vaccination are most apparent in those at higher risk of severe illness.

    A screencap of ACIP blurbage articulating the new recommendations. © ACIP

    The ACIP narrowly avoided recommending that Americans should require a prescription to get the covid-19 shot, however, though only barely.

    A chaotic ACIP meeting

    The votes capped off a chaotic and disorganized discussion held Friday over the safety and effectiveness of the covid-19 mRNA vaccines.

    Retsef Levi, a longtime skeptic of the covid-19 vaccines and a professor of operations management at MIT Sloan School of Management, led the ACIP discussion, as well as the working group on covid-19 vaccines. Levi is one of several ACIP members handpicked by Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. who has a long history of misrepresenting vaccine research.

    CDC staff presented reams of evidence that covid-19 vaccines, even today, still reliably prevent serious outcomes like hospitalization and death, including in very young children. Many outside experts also testified in support of maintaining widespread access to these vaccines for every American who wants them. But ACIP members often questioned the findings or made their own poorly evidenced attempts to attack the safety of the vaccines.

    At one point, for instance, ACIP members argued in support of a paper claiming to show extensive DNA contamination of the vaccines—a study that outside experts have criticized for glaring flaws and that is now being reviewed over potential concerns by its publisher. At another point, members argued that the covid-19 vaccines could possibly raise the risk of cancer, a claim widely refuted by most experts (mRNA vaccine technology is actively being studied as a way to prevent and treat certain cancers).

    What this vote means for covid vaccine access

    The language of the ACIP votes today was not disclosed until the very last minute, and it’s not entirely clear how they will impact vaccine access.

    Late last month, the Food and Drug Administration limited its explicit approval of the updated covid-19 boosters to people over 65 or those with a higher risk of severe illness. The ACIP’s recommendation to move to an individualized approach, assuming it’s adopted by the CDC, may further delay or prevent people from obtaining a covid-19 booster if they so choose.

    That said, several states like New York have already taken steps to ensure continued vaccine access and public coverage of the vaccine to all their residents. This week, the country’s largest health insurance association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, also announced that its members will rely on the previous ACIP recommendations to determine their coverage of the covid-19 vaccine for the time being. It additionally stated that patients covered by these plans would not experience cost-sharing through the end of 2026.

    In a 6 to 6 vote, the ACIP declined to endorse a recommendation calling for people to require a prescription for the covid-19 vaccines—ACIP chairman Martin Kulldorff issued the tiebreaker, voting “no.”

    Ed Cara

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  • Maryland joins multistate coalition to buck Trump administration vaccine policies – WTOP News

    Maryland has joined a growing coalition of states that are setting their own public health guidelines to counter the Trump administration’s more restrictive vaccine policies, a health department spokesperson said Thursday.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

    The Maryland Department of Health believes joining the Northeast Public Health Collaborative will help “protect the health, safety and well-being” of Marylanders.(Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters)

    Maryland has joined a growing coalition of states that are setting their own public health guidelines to counter the Trump administration’s more restrictive vaccine policies, a health department spokesperson said Thursday.

    As part of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, Maryland joins a cohort of states that are developing vaccine recommendations and other public health guidelines amid growing skepticism of federal health rules being set under the Trump administration.

    “The Maryland Department of Health continues to explore all options to ensure broad vaccine access,” the spokesperson said in a prepared statement. “Part of this effort includes joining the bipartisan Northeast Public Health Collaborative where Maryland will partner with other states and jurisdictions to help protect the health, safety and well-being of our communities.

    “This collaborative will make decisions based on scientific evidence and strive to ensure equitable access to quality health care,” the statement said.

    Other states involved in the collaborative include Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. New York City is also a major player.

    A handful of Northeastern states have been discussing such a collaboration since the start of the Trump administration and have held informal meetings – but it officially launched Thursday.

    The collaborative was created largely in response to more restrictive COVID-19 vaccine recommendations issued by federal health and safety agencies under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned the effectiveness of certain vaccines, including COVID-19.

    The launch of the collaborative comes as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is meeting to create new recommendations that could further limit access to COVID-19 vaccines, among other vaccinations. ACIP is scheduled to vote on the recommendations Friday.

    Kennedy recently added board members who have questioned the safety of current vaccine policies. Their decisions this week could affect whether certain vaccinations will be required to be covered by insurance, which would greatly impact access to the shot.

    In late August, the FDA approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine for seniors and those with health issues that suppress their immune system – a change from previous vaccine guidance that recommended the shot for everyone older than 6 months. The recommendation sparked concern that access to the COVID-19 vaccine would be cut off for some people who do not fall in those categories.

    Top medical societies, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, pushed back on the federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. On Aug. 19, the academy recommended that “all young children ages 6-23 months get vaccinated against COVID-19, along with older children in certain risk groups.”

    The Northeast Public Health Collaborative has already released its own recommendations on COVID-19 vaccinations that largely align with the AAP’s recommendation as well as with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

    Ensuring access to vaccinations and other public health needs has been a concern for the Moore administration since President Donald Trump took office for his second term.

    Before the state joined the collaborative, Gov. Wes Moore (D) assured Marylanders that access to vaccinations would be protected in the state for the time being. In May, he signed legislation that required insurers to cover vaccinations that had been recommended by ACIP as of December 2024, avoiding any change to coverage based on upcoming ACIP recommendation. That law took effect June 1.

    “This protects against the withdrawal of vaccine coverage for a range of illnesses, not just COVID-19,” according to a recent statement from the governor’s office.

    Diane Morris

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  • Vaccine Panel Stacked by RFK Jr. Recommends Delaying MMRV Immunization

    A federal vaccine advisory committee made up of members hand-picked by Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recommended in an 8-3 vote on Thursday that the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine should not be given before age 4, citing long-known evidence that shows a slightly increased risk for febrile seizures in that age group.

    Experts say that while frightening, febrile seizures—which are uncommon after vaccination—are usually short-lived and harmless, and removing the option for parents could cause a decline in immunization rates against measles, mumps, and rubella, some of the most dangerous childhood diseases.

    Known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, the group provides recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine usage. These recommendations are typically adopted by CDC and have an impact on state vaccine requirements for school, insurance coverage of vaccines, and pharmacy access—something at least one member of the panel seemed to be unaware of.

    Thursday’s vote is part of a new shift in vaccine policy being spearheaded by Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist. In his short time as HHS secretary, Kennedy has implemented restrictions on who can receive Covid-19 vaccines and dismissed all 17 sitting members of ACIP, replacing them with 12 new members—some of whom were installed just this week. Several of the new advisers have a history of criticizing vaccines or denouncing public health measures taken during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kennedy said a “clean sweep” of ACIP was necessary to build back public confidence in vaccine science.

    On Thursday, committee members were asked to evaluate whether to recommend against the combined MMRV vaccine before age 4, as well as whether to delay the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine until the child is at least one month old.

    Currently, parents have two options for vaccinating their children against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella, also known as chickenpox. They can choose the combined shot, known as MMRV, or two separate shots—one for MMR and another for chickenpox. About 85 percent of children get separate shots.

    In the US, the hepatitis B vaccine is given in the hospital shortly after birth, because the virus can be transmitted to children during delivery. A serious liver infection, hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis and cancer. Each year in the US, an estimated 25,000 infants are born to women diagnosed with the hepatitis B virus. Without vaccination, up to 90 percent of them would develop chronic infections. The World Health Organization advises a universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.

    The topics of discussion at Tuesday’s meeting were not based on new data or evidence, and in fact, two ACIP members, Joseph Hibbeln and Cody Meissner, as well as several representatives from professional medical organizations who were in attendance, questioned why these changes were up for consideration.

    Robert Malone, one of the more controversial new ACIP members, offered an explanation: “It’s clear that a significant population of the United States has significant concerns about vaccine policy and about vaccine mandates.” Malone is a former mRNA researcher who rose to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic by spreading falsehoods about the disease and the vaccines; he abstained from Thursday’s vote because he previously served as an expert witness in a lawsuit over the mumps vaccine.

    Emily Mullin

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  • RFK Jr.’s Handpicked Vaccine Panel Nixes Measles-Chickenpox Combo for Kids Under 4

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handpicked vaccine recommendation panel has just issued guidance that, if acted on, could overhaul when and how children receive vaccines designed to protect them from dangerous diseases like measles, rubella, and chickenpox.

    The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Thursday. In an 8 to 3 vote, they recommended against the use of the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in children under four. They are instead now recommending that children should only receive two separate vaccines covering these four diseases.

    Kennedy’s new guard

    The ACIP has traditionally been a panel of independent experts organized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help steer the country’s vaccine policy. Their recommendations, while non-binding, carry significant weight; many states mandate that children receive all the vaccines recommended by ACIP before entering public school, for instance. But under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., critics say that ACIP has become a platform for vaccine skepticism.

    In early June, Kennedy unilaterally fired all 17 former members of ACIP and then, without any outside review, appointed eight new members, some of whom have previously misrepresented science on vaccine safety or who have financially benefited from attacking vaccines. Kennedy added five new members to the panel earlier this week, including some individuals who have questioned the safety and effectiveness of the covid-19 vaccines.

    At the panel’s last meeting in June, in a majority vote, Kennedy’s new members recommended the removal of a mercury-based additive called thimerosal from the very few remaining vaccines that contain it. The recommendation was formally adopted by the government in July. Anti-vaccination proponents have long blamed thimerosal in vaccines for causing autism and other neurological conditions, even after it was phased out from all childhood shots two decades ago out of an abundance of caution. And dozens of studies have since failed to support any link between thimerosal (or, for that matter, any vaccine or specific ingredient) and autism.

    Under Kennedy’s leadership, the CDC has been rocked by a series of high-profile departures. The Centers’ director Susan Monarez was reportedly fired for reportedly refusing to support Kennedy’s vaccine agenda—a decision that spurred the resignation of several other senior CDC staff and an unprecedented public display of support from remaining employees.

    Monarez testified at a Senate hearing earlier this week, alleging that Kennedy had pressured her to rubber-stamp recommendations from ACIP. She also stated that Kennedy told her that the childhood vaccine schedule was going to change in September and that she needed to be “on board with it.”

    What the latest vote means for these vaccines

    In what was its second meeting since Kennedy dismissed the former members in June, the panel first debated the safety of the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

    The MMRV vaccine was approved in 2005 as a convenient alternative to children being given the MMR vaccine and a separate varicella vaccine, providing protection against all four diseases at once. Soon after its release to the public, however, evidence emerged that the first dose of the MMRV vaccine is associated with a slightly increased risk of febrile seizure (seizures caused by a fever) in children under the age of four as compared to the MMR plus varicella vaccine. Importantly, an additional risk of seizure wasn’t seen with the second dose of the MMRV vaccine given to older children.

    The CDC was the first to discover and acknowledge this risk and has long recommended that, unless parents specifically request the MMRV vaccines, younger children should receive the MMR plus varicella vaccine as their first dose and the combined MMRV vaccine for the second dose. At Thursday’s ACIP meeting, CDC staff presented data showing that about 85% of parents choose the MMR and a separate varicella vaccine as recommended for the first dose. But since some families may prefer their children taking fewer vaccines overall, parents were advised they could opt for either vaccine strategy.

    Febrile seizures are certainly scary for both the parent and for the child to experience. However, they’re generally short-lasting and aren’t often linked to longer-term health problems. In turn, the vast majority of these kinds of seizures aren’t tied to vaccination but to infections.

    The long and short of it is that this change is wholly unnecessary, given that most parents take the CDC’s advice and don’t use the MMRV vaccine for the first dose. But the ACIP’s vote will effectively remove a family’s right to decide which shot their young children receive—an ironic fate given how anti-vaccination proponents often frame their decision to not vaccinate themselves or their children as an expression of freedom.

    CDC staff noted that the ACIP’s recommendation could affect Medicaid coverage of these vaccines, as well as coverage offered through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, a federal program that provides vaccines to families unable to afford them. And it’s possible that some children who would have received the MMRV vaccine will end up not receiving the two separate vaccines for any number of reasons.

    That said, the ACIP voted ‘No’ on whether the VFC should change its coverage in alignment with the new recommendation. This means that the program should stick to its existing coverage of the MMRV vaccine.

    The ACIP also discussed whether it should continue to recommend universal hepatitis B vaccination starting at birth—a policy first endorsed by the group over 30 years ago. But due to a longer meeting than scheduled, the ACIP has delayed its vote on the matter until tomorrow. The ACIP is expected to weigh in on the covid-19 vaccines tomorrow as well.

    Ed Cara

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  • Fired CDC Director Says RFK Jr. Pressured Her to Blindly Approve Vaccine Changes

    Debra Houry, former chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science at CDC, who was one of several agency officials to resign in the wake of Monarez’s firing, also testified during Wednesday’s hearing.

    “I resigned because CDC leaders were reduced to rubber stamps, supporting policies not based in science, and putting American lives at risk. Secretary Kennedy censored CDC’s science, politicized its processes, and stripped leaders of independence. I could not and in good conscience, remain under those conditions,” Houry said.

    She also accused Kennedy of halting flu campaigns despite the severity of the 2024-2025 flu season, as well as spreading misinformation and promoting unproven treatments for measles.

    Houry said she learned that Kennedy had changed the CDC’s Covid-19 vaccine guidance from a social media post on X. “CDC scientists have still not seen the scientific data or justification for this change. That is not gold-standard science,” Houry said, referring to a statement in May that HHS will no longer recommend the vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women

    Monarez said Secretary Kennedy had not communicated his plans to change the childhood vaccination schedule to her until their meeting on August 25. Monarez said she told Kennedy that she would be open to changing the childhood vaccine schedule if the evidence or science supported those changes. Kennedy responded that there was no existing science or evidence and elaborated that CDC had never collected that data, according to Monarez.

    Monarez said she could not agree to approving ACIP recommendations before knowing what they were. “I have built a career on scientific integrity, and my worst fear was that I would then be in a position of approving something that would reduce access to life-saving vaccines to children and others who need them,” she said.

    This Thursday, ACIP is set to discuss the hepatitis B vaccine, which has been recommended for newborns within 24 hours of birth since 1991. But the committee is expected to vote on removing that recommendation and delaying the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine until age 4.

    Each year in the US, an estimated 25,000 infants are born to women diagnosed with the hepatitis B virus, or HBV, a serious liver infection that can lead to cirrhosis and cancer. Before the vaccine was introduced, nearly 20,000 babies and children were infected with HBV each year in the US. Now, fewer than 20 get the disease from their mothers.

    “Now that we’ve controlled it, do we let the genie out of the bottle? If the recommendation goes away, and a parent does want the vaccine, insurance will no longer cover it free of charge. She’ll be forced to pay out of pocket,” Senator Cassidy said at the conclusion of the hearing. Vaccine coverage is typically tied to ACIP recommendations.

    Cassidy was initially hesitant about Kennedy’s nomination as HHS secretary, given his prior statements about vaccines, but he supported him after, he has said, Kennedy promised to maintain vaccine availability and not undermine public trust in them.

    ACIP is slated to discuss Covid-19 vaccines on Friday.

    Emily Mullin

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  • New Yorkers question U.S. readiness for health crises | Long Island Business News

    THE BLUEPRINT:

    • 44% of New Yorkers say the U.S. is unprepared for future health crises.

    • 77% are concerned about infectious diseases such as measles, while 75% worry about bird flu.

    • 67% worry about affording healthcare for themselves and their families.

    • 61% trust government vaccine decisions; fewer trust chronic disease guidance.

    New Yorkers worry about the next public health crisis, with 44 percent saying they don’t believe the U.S. is prepared. That’s according to the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau “Truth in Medicine” public health poll, which was released Tuesday.

    Among those surveyed, 40 percent said the nation is prepared.

    Still, a large majority worry about infectious diseases, with 77 percent citing measles, 75 percent bird flu and 65 percent the new COVID-19 variants.

    “It’s not surprising that confidence in whether we are prepared for the next public health crisis has eroded,” Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau, said in a news release about the poll’s findings.

    “Science has become politicized and the divisions we see across the country have an impact,” Glatt added. “However, healthcare providers and researchers remain committed to evidence-based study and reporting.”

    The poll surveyed 600 adults on Long Island and New York City. Sponsored by FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, the poll was conducted from July 13-20 over landlines and cell phones.

    Vaccine safety, accessible mental health services and care, addressing childhood obesity, treatment for substance abuse, and reducing reliance on processed foods all play key roles in improving the population’s overall health and wellness, respondents said. The poll also looked at access to and affording health insurance coverage.

    Vaccine safety

    “Immunization is key to primary health care and paramount to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks,” Glatt said.

    “Vaccines have proven that they are worth the investment to make them and the health insurance costs to cover them, as they are the safest, most effective way to protect the public from many preventable life-threatening diseases,” Glatt added. “I strongly encourage everyone to follow up with their physicians to get the recommended vaccines at the recommended times.”

    Meanwhile, 61 percent said they trust government agencies to make important decisions about vaccines, and 45 percent said they trust government to make important decisions about medical research. Just 38 percent said they trust government recommendations to prevent chronic diseases.

    According to the World Health Organization, vaccines can prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, and 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year, from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles.

    Health insurance

    The poll also looked at access to health insurance.

    The findings come at a time when New York is preparing major changes to its Essential Plan due to $7.5 billion in federal cuts. To preserve coverage for 1.3 million residents, the state said it will overhaul the plan and tighten income eligibility, removing about 450,000 people. The changes are expected to take effect in mid-2026.

    In the poll, 67 percent expressed concern about affording health care for themselves and their family. And 65 percent said they believe government should play a role in ensuring that everyone has access to affordable healthcare.

    Affordable, accessible health insurance is vital to primary care and crisis preparedness, experts say. The American Hospital Association links insurance to lower death rates, better outcomes and higher productivity.

    Just 8 percent of poll respondents were uninsured. Meanwhile, 36 percent had private coverage, 17 percent were insured through the Affordable Care Act and 25 percent had Medicare, Medicaid or both.

    Overall satisfaction is high among insured respondents, with 80 percent satisfied with their coverage and 76 percent satisfied with prescription drug costs.

    Among those without health insurance, 49 percent said it is too expensive, 26 percent said their employer does not offer it, 15 percent said they don’t need it, and 6 percent didn’t know how to get it.

    Affordability of health insurance concerns 67 percent of respondents, many of whom worry about covering healthcare costs for themselves and their families. As a result, 65 percent support government involvement to ensure access to affordable health insurance.

    “No one is immune to injuries or illnesses,” Dr. Adhi Sharma, president of Mount Sinai South Nassau, said in the news release. “Health insurance provides security and peace of mind in the event of a serious illness. It also plays an important role in preventive care.”

    Those needing help with health coverage are encouraged to contact the New York State Department of Health.

     

     


    Adina Genn

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  • What States Are Doing to Ensure COVID-19 Vaccine Access

    States across the U.S. have taken steps to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are widely accessible after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated shots with new restrictions.

    The agency last month authorized the new COVID-19 shots only for those over the age of 65 and people with underlying health conditions, a move that marked a major change from past policies and reportedly went against the recommendations of FDA scientists.

    The announcement came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), following guidance from Health and Human Services Secretary and prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., stopped recommending the COVID-19 shot to healthy children and pregnant women earlier this year.

    At least two major medical associations have since issued vaccine guidance contradicting the Administration’s new advice: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all children ages 6 to 23 months get the COVID-19 vaccine, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggests all pregnant or breastfeeding women receive the shot.

    And many states are taking measures into their own hands. Here’s what you should know about what they’re doing.

    Arizona

    Governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order last week to ensure statewide access to the COVID-19 shot. 

    The order directs the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Board of Pharmacy (BOP) to make the recently approved COVID-19 vaccine—along with other vaccines—broadly accessible to Arizonans.

    “Vaccines are critical tools that safeguard public health and prevent serious illness,” Hobbs said in a press release. “Arizonans and their doctors deserve the freedom to access the COVID vaccine if it is right for them. With this Executive Order, we are following the science and ensuring that Arizonans have access to vaccines to keep themselves and their families safe.”

    Colorado

    A public health order from the Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPHE) allows pharmacists to provide COVID-19 shots to anyone 6 months or older beginning Sept. 5. 

    Governor Jared Polis said in a statement announcing the new health order he was “taking action to ensure that Coloradans who want to can easily and conveniently get the safe and effective updated COVID vaccine, along with the flu vaccine, this Fall without having to go to a doctor first.”

    The order is effective until Sept. 4, 2026, unless rescinded or altered, the state said.

    Connecticut

    Connecticut took a series of measures in an effort involving multiple state departments to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines. 

    The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) released guidance for COVID-19 shots based on AAP recommendations and encouraged pharmacists to continue administering shots, despite the CDC’s new guidance.  

    The Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) affirmed in a statement that COVID-19 shots have to be covered by state insurance policies “regardless” of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel that offers advice and guidance on vaccines to the CDC. Kennedy dismissed all the experts on the committee this summer and has since appointed new members.

    Illinois

    Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order on Sept. 12 directing state agencies to develop their own vaccine guidance. 

    The “Statewide Vaccine Access Initiative,” led by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), seeks to “ensure Illinoisans can get the vaccines they need and can rely on science-based guidance,” according to the order.

    The order calls for the IDPH to partner with several other state agencies to “publish plain-language guidance, continue to support school-based vaccination efforts, and work with local health departments, community health centers, disability organizations, and rural providers to reach families statewide.”

    It also directs IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra to issue a standing order allowing providers to administer vaccines recommended by the state’s Immunization Advisory Committee. The committee is set to meet Sept. 22 to establish fall vaccine recommendations, and by Sept. 26, per the order, the IDPH will use that advice to issue “clear public guidance.”

    Minnesota

    Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order on Sep. 8 directing the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to “expand its efforts to safeguard vaccine access in Minnesota in response to federal actions restricting vaccine availability at the federal level,” according to a press release. 

    The order primarily aims to “identify and remove barriers to access, while providing clear guidance to providers, insurers, and the public on vaccine safety, effectiveness, and availability.”

    Nevada

    The Nevada State Board of Pharmacy issued updated guidance on Sept. 5 that allows pharmacists to administer the new COVID-19 shot, as well as other vaccines approved by the FDA. CVS and other pharmacies had previously paused giving out the COVID-19 vaccine in the state, but said they would resume doing so after the new guidance was issued. 

    New Jersey

    The New Jersey Department of Health has implemented measures allowing anyone 6 months or older to receive the COVID-19 shot and pharmacists to administer the vaccine to people 3 years or older without a prescription. The executive directive and standing order were informed by recommendations from several scientific agencies, including the AAP and the Vaccine Integrity Project at the University of Minnesota, according to a press release.   

    New Mexico

    The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) issued a standing order on Sept. 11 permitting pharmacists and other health care providers to vaccinate people aged 6 months or older with the COVID-19 shot without needing a prescription from a doctor.  

    “We are clearing the way for New Mexicans who want the vaccine to get the vaccine,” said NMDOH Secretary Gina DeBlassie in a press release. “This standing order ensures that barriers don’t prevent people from protecting their health.”

    New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order on Sept. 5 allowing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 shots to anyone 3 years of older through Oct. 5. Executive Order 52, which declared a “disaster in the state of New York due to federal actions related to vaccine access,” also allows physicians and nurse practitioners to prescribe COVID-19 vaccines by pharmacists. 

    Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania’s State Board of Pharmacy allowed pharmacists to give out the COVID-19 shot based on recommendations from authorities other than the ACIP. Before that decision, ACIP guidance informed who could receive vaccines from pharmacists in the state. 

    The “newly approved sources of authority” include the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), according to a statement issued by the commonwealth. 

    The statement confirmed that CVS would “resume administering vaccines as soon as possible at locations throughout Pennsylvania” following the board’s decision.

    Virginia

    State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton signed a standing order on Sept. 10 that allows pharmacists to give the COVID-19 vaccine to anyone between the ages of 18 and 64 with an underlying health condition without a prescription, as well as anyone above the age of 65.

    The standing order lets pharmacists offer vaccines “in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Immunization Schedule,” which may or may not follow recommendations from the ACIP, a press release noted.. 

    California, Oregon, and Washington

    The three states created the West Coast Health Alliance on Sept. 3 to “uphold scientific integrity in public health as Trump destroys CDC’s credibility,” according to an announcement from their governors.

    Under the alliance, which the state leaders said aims to “ensure residents remain protected by science, not politics,” the states will provide coordinated health guidelines based on vaccine recommendations from “respected national medical organizations,” though each state can also pursue its own independent strategies. 

    In a joint statement, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson referenced the White House’s “blatant politicization” of the CDC and the president’s “mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists” as a “direct assault on the health and safety of the American people.”

    “California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk,” the governors said.

    Connor Greene

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  • RFK Jr. has the federal vaccine court in his sights, could threaten vaccine production

    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, has promised not to “take away anybody’s vaccines.”

    Beyond restricting who is eligible for certain shots — as he’s already done for this year’s Covid vaccines — experts say Kennedy can take steps that could drive drug companies to stop making vaccines entirely.

    In the 1980s, lawsuits fueled by the nascent anti-vaccine movement led more than a dozen manufacturers to stop producing vaccines, creating shortages, according to Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

    Domestic vaccine production survived only because Congress stepped in to create a no-fault alternative to the traditional legal system, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, or VICP, which protected vaccine makers from liability and created a special vaccine court to award financial damages to people harmed by vaccines, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, an infectious disease expert and emeritus professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine.

    The program’s legal protections for plaintiffs and drugmakers have helped ensure the United States has a reliable supply of vaccines ever since, Orenstein said.

    As health secretary, Kennedy has that program in his sights.

    Kennedy — who has long cast vaccine manufacturers as the enemy and has been involved in litigation against them — has amped up his attacks on the VICP, criticizing the program on social media and TV.

    In a July post on X, Kennedy disparaged the VICP as corrupt and “broken” and vowed to “fix it.”

    “The VICP routinely dismisses meritorious cases outright or drags them out for years,” Kennedy wrote. “Instead of ‘quickly and fairly’ awarding compensation, Special Masters dismiss over half of the cases.”

    When asked for comment on Kennedy and VICP, Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, referred NBC News to the secretary’s X post.

    Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and have saved 154 million lives over the past five decades, according to the World Health Organization. But about 1 in 1 million vaccinations causes a serious injury, such as a life-threatening allergic reaction or Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause monthslong paralysis, Offit said.

    The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of America, an industry group, said that the VICP doesn’t shield drug companies from all liability. People whose claims are denied by the VICP can still sue in a traditional court, said Andrew Powaleny, a PhRMA spokesperson.

    The program, which is funded through a 75-cent surcharge on vaccines, has helped thousands of people, Powaleny said, awarding $5.4 billion to plaintiffs since its founding.

    Offit said that eliminating or undermining the VICP could lead history to repeat itself.

    “If you want to destroy vaccines in this country, if your goal is to eliminate vaccine manufacturing in this country, the best way to do that is through attacking the VICP,” Offit said.

    ‘Opening the floodgates’

    The VICP is not without its limitations, said Dorit Reiss, a professor and vaccine policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco School of Law.

    The program desperately needs more resources to address the backlog of cases, Reiss said. The program also allows families only three years to make a claim, even though some potentially serious injuries might not become apparent for four or five years.

    Although members of Congress have tried to pass legislation several times to give the VICP more resources — including the ability to hire more special masters, who act as judges — the efforts have never succeeded.

    Because Congress created the VICP, only Congress has the authority to update or eliminate it, Reiss said.

    Yet the health secretary wields significant power over the program. And he has big plans.

    In an interview with Tucker Carlson in June, Kennedy said, “We just brought a guy in this week who’s going to be revolutionizing the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.”

    Although Kennedy didn’t name the employee, he has brought Andrew Downing, an attorney with experience suing vaccine manufacturers, onto his staff, a development that was first reported in June by NOTUS, a digital news site. Downing is listed in HHS’ employee directory as a counselor in the Office of the Secretary. Both Downing and Kennedy, who is also a lawyer, have been involved with lawsuits against Merck over its HPV vaccine, Gardasil.

    Kennedy could threaten vaccine production by making two types of changes to the VICP, experts say: by adding new conditions to the VICP’s list of injuries, or by withdrawing recommendations for certain vaccines.

    The VICP compensates people who have been injured by any of the 16 routinely recommended pediatric vaccines, as long as the balance of medical evidence shows that their health problem is related to vaccines, Reiss said. So while VICP compensates people for severe allergic reactions, the program does not compensate people whose children develop autism, because research has found no link between autism and vaccines.

    Offit fears that Kennedy wants to add autism and other conditions to the VICP program.

    Kennedy has commissioned a report on the causes of autism and has said it would be released in September. Dr. Marty Makary, head of the Food and Drug Administration, told Bloomberg TV on Sept. 8 that the report would come out “within a month.”

    An anti-vaccine activist, David Geier, was picked by Kennedy to write the report, so it’s likely that the paper will echo Kennedy’s claims linking vaccines to autism, Offit said.

    Adding autism to VICP would “open the floodgates to claims previously dismissed, overwhelming the system and inflating program costs,” said Y. Tony Yang, a professor at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health. Vaccine “manufacturers would read that as legal and reputational risk, which historically leads to exits or constrained supply.”

    Changing vaccine recommendations

    In order for vaccines to be included in the VICP, they must be recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Reiss said. If a vaccine is removed from the agency’s recommendations, people who believe they have been injured by that vaccine could no longer bring claims to the vaccine court and instead would have to go through the legal system, she said.

    An onslaught of lawsuits in traditional courts could prompt drug companies to conclude that making vaccines costs them too much money, leading them to leave the market, experts say.

    Orenstein said that pushing the lawsuits into the traditional legal system could also hurt plaintiffs.

    The VICP protects children with legitimate vaccine injuries, he said, noting serious injuries are extremely rare. Orenstein said the nation owes a debt to families who vaccinate their children, whose immunity helps to protect medically fragile people who can’t be vaccinated or who don’t respond to vaccines.

    David J. Carney, an attorney at Green & Schafle in Philadelphia and president of the Vaccine Injured Petitioners Bar Association, said that without the VICP, families of children with rare vaccine-related injuries would need to find to a lawyer to take their case and would have a much harder time winning compensation through the regular court system than through the VICP.

    It “would force families into traditional civil litigation — a far more expensive and uncertain process,” Carney said.

    Several long-used vaccines are slated to come up for review at an upcoming meeting of the CDC’s independent vaccine panel, which advises the agency on which vaccines to recommend. In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the panel and replaced them with seven new, handpicked members. Several of the members Kennedy appointed have a history of anti-vaccine statements or publications.

    On the docket for discussion and possible votes are the hepatitis B vaccine, given to newborns, and the use of the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in kids under 5.

    During a congressional budget hearing Wednesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. deflected questions about his position on vaccines. The Health and Human Services secretary has been a longtime proponent of false vaccine conspiracies.

    Liz Szabo | NBC News

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  • Coloradans can get updated COVID vaccines, but insurance might not cover the shots

    Anyone 6 months and older who wants a COVID-19 shot in Colorado can now get one, but the vaccine will only be free for those with the right insurance — at least for now.

    Initially, pharmacies couldn’t administer the updated shots in Colorado unless a patient had a prescription. The state allows pharmacists to administer vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee, but not other shots.

    Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer for the state health department, responded by issuing a standing order — essentially, a prescription for every resident – allowing them to get vaccinated at retail pharmacies.

    But that order doesn’t guarantee insurance will cover the shots or that pharmacies will choose to stock them. Last year, fewer than half of people over 65 nationwide received an updated COVID-19 shot, with uptake dropping further in younger age groups, raising questions about whether health care providers will believe demand is high enough to justify buying the vaccine.

    “The standing order provides accessibility. It doesn’t necessarily provide availability,” Calonge said Tuesday.

    The Colorado Division of Insurance issued a draft rule last week that would require state-regulated plans to cover COVID-19 vaccines without out-of-pocket costs for people of any age, assuming the division passes it as written. Insurance cards from state-regulated plans typically have CO-DOI printed in the lower left corner.

    The state’s rule doesn’t apply to federally regulated plans, which account for about 30% of employer-sponsored insurance plans in Colorado, Calonge said. Typically, however, those plans try to offer competitive benefits, since they mostly serve large employers, he said.

    “My hope would be they would want to keep up with other insurers,” he said.

    This isn’t the first time that people on state-regulated plans have had benefits not guaranteed for people with federally regulated insurance.

    Colorado capped the cost of insulin and epinephrine shots to treat severe allergic reactions in state plans, but couldn’t require the same for plans the state doesn’t oversee. In those cases, it offered an “affordability program” requiring manufacturers to supply the medication at a lower cost for people who aren’t covered by the state caps, Medicare or Medicaid.

    At least two Colorado insurers surveyed by The Denver Post said all of their plans will cover COVID-19 vaccines, while others hedged.

    Select Health, which sells Medicare and individual marketplace plans in Colorado, said its plans currently cover COVID-19 vaccines without out-of-pocket costs for everyone. Kaiser Permanente Colorado said in a message to members that it will pay for the shot for anyone 6 months or older.

    Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health, said the health system’s insurance arm is waiting on clarification about when it should cover the vaccines. Denver Health Medical Plan offers multiple plan types, some state-regulated and some under federal rules, she said.

    “It’s less of a decision on our part than understanding what the health department and the insurance department are saying,” she said. “You can’t have one insurance company saying they are doing it and one saying they aren’t doing it.”

    Anthem said it considers immunizations “medically necessary” if the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians or the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee has recommended them, but didn’t specify whether it would charge out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary vaccines.

    If those bodies stated that certain people could get a particular vaccine — but not that they should — Anthem would decide about coverage “on an individual basis,” its website said. The other groups have recommended the shots for people over 18 or under 2, with the option for healthy children in between to get a booster if their parents wish.

    The state’s Medicaid program is still waiting for guidance from federal authorities about whose vaccines it can cover, according to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and Medicare isn’t yet paying for the shots.

    For most of the COVID-19 vaccines’ relatively brief existence, they were free and recommended for everyone 6 months and older. In 2024, the federal government stopped paying for them, which meant uninsured people no longer could be sure they could get the shot without paying.

    Almost all insurance plans still were required to pay for the shots, though, because the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended them.

    In previous years, the committee recommended updated shots within days of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approving them. In late August, the FDA approved the updated vaccines for people over 65 and those with one of about 30 conditions increasing their risk of severe disease, including asthma, obesity and diabetes.

    Doctors still could prescribe the vaccine “off-label” to healthy people, in the same way that they prescribe adult medications for children when an alternative specifically approved for kids isn’t available.

    This year, however, the committee won’t meet until Thursday, and may not recommend the shots when it does. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all of the committee’s members earlier this year and replaced them with new appointees, most of whom oppose COVID-19 vaccines.

    Meg Wingerter

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  • Florida is right to end vaccine mandates. We should ban them nationally, too. | Your Turn

    I was vaccinated when I was a child but no longer get vaccines as an adult. I do not believe vaccines are safe in the dosages and frequencies that are currently mandated.

    I feel that if a woman has control and choice for an abortion, then I should have the same freedoms in regard to vaccines. If the government supports “choice” for one thing, it should support “choice” for all.

    I fully support Florida’s surgeon general in his efforts to end vaccine mandates. Also, we should be following the science as we should be in all cases of various health issues. I think the science for vaccines has shown that we are overvaccinating ourselves, and until science generated from a nonpolitical research facility determines just what vaccines we should consider, I believe that everyone should be allowed to choose if they want a vaccine or not.

    I would like my home state of New Jersey to follow Florida in ending mandates, though I would prefer that it become federal. It is so confusing when one state does something one way and another state does it differently. Or, God forbid, when a city in a state does it one way but a small county seat in the same state does it differently.

    Send us your thoughts: Florida looks to ban vaccine mandates. Do you agree? Are shots safe? | Opinion Forum

    We need federal law on vaccine mandates

    There are many things that need to be standardized at the local level, cost for trash pickup, for example. There are many things that need to be standardized at the state level, such as speed limits. Then there are things that need to be standardized at the federal level. I believe that this issue should be standardized at the federal level to prevent confusion and chaos.

    I agree with RFK Jr.: We were lied to about COVID. But his overreaction may hurt us. | Opinion

    Here are a few examples why: A high school student moves from one state to another. In his birth state, vaccines were voluntary; however, in his new state all students are required to have a certain vaccine before entering fifth grade. The student is in high school and tests have shown that this hypothetical vaccine causes a type of reaction or illness in older students. What does this student do?

    I can also see some states saying that in order to play against our schools in sports, all players have to have a certain vaccine. But what if a team from right across the state boundary has voluntary vaccination? Without federal law being implemented to cover vaccine mandates, things like this will disrupt society needlessly.

    We have so many things that disrupt society in today’s world. We don’t need another.

    — Dwayne Bonker, Hammonton, New Jersey

    This piece was submitted as part of USA TODAY’s Forum, a new space for conversation. See what we’re talking about at usatoday.com/forum and share your perspective at forum@usatoday.com.

    Do you want to take part in our next Forum? Join the conversation by emailing forum@usatoday.com.You can also follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and sign up for our Opinion newsletter to stay updated on future Forum posts.

    This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida is right about vaccines. End mandates nationwide | Opinion

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  • Moderna CEO Responds to RFK Jr.’s Crusade Against the Covid-19 Vaccine

    At the WIRED Health summit on Tuesday, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the recent changes to Covid-19 vaccine policy made by Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. are a “step backward.”

    Moderna is one of the manufacturers of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, and last month the company received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for an updated version of the shot. But as part of that approval, the FDA imposed new restrictions on who can receive the vaccine. Previously, Covid vaccines were recommended for anyone 6 months or older. Now, the FDA says they should only be given to individuals at high risk of serious disease, either because they are 65 and older or have other health problems.

    “I think it complicates things for people,” Bancel said. “You might have somebody in your household—a parent, a spouse, a kid—who is at high risk” that you want to protect, he said. Before, healthy individuals could just go to a pharmacy to receive a Covid shot. Now, several states require a prescription to get a Covid shot because of the FDA’s changes.

    Kennedy has been on a crusade against vaccines since he stepped into the role of HHS secretary in February; earlier this week, the Senate Finance Committee grilled him about his actions in office so far.

    In May, Kennedy terminated a $590 million contract with Moderna for the development of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine candidate. The contract was awarded during the final days of the Biden administration in January, just before President Donald Trump’s second term began. Bird flu is widespread in wild birds and has been causing outbreaks in poultry and US dairy cows since March 2024. It has caused sporadic cases in people, most of them farm workers, but poses a pandemic potential if it develops the ability to spread from person to person.

    That same month, Kennedy announced that HHS would no longer recommend mRNA Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. In June, the FDA said it would require new labels on mRNA vaccines to include safety information about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, rare side effects observed mostly in young men following administration of the shots.

    In August, as a part of a “coordinated wind-down” of mRNA vaccine research, HHS canceled 22 related contracts and investments worth nearly $500 million. Kennedy incorrectly said in a statement these vaccines “fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like Covid and flu.” HHS is instead shifting funding to an older vaccine platform known as “whole-virus” vaccines.

    Despite the administration’s backlash against mRNA vaccines, Bancel said he is “encouraged by the dialog” that the company has had with the FDA. In addition to getting updated Covid shots, albeit with limitations, Moderna also received expanded approval this year for its respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, vaccine to include adults ages 18 to 59 who are at increased risk of disease. The vaccine was initially approved in May 2024 for adults aged 60 years and older.

    “I think a lot of people back in January, including my own team, were quite worried that we might not get those approvals,” Bancel said.

    The administration’s crackdown on mRNA research so far has not extended to the cancer space, and Moderna is developing several mRNA therapies against cancer, including personalized cancer vaccines. The company has 45 cancer-related programs in the pipeline and has said it expects 10 FDA approvals in the next three years. “We are using exactly the same technology to go from infectious disease to cancer,” Bancel said.

    He also addressed accusations that the Covid vaccines have not been well tested. “I don’t think there’s been a vaccine more studied for efficacy and safety in the history of vaccines,” he said. “In terms of vaccine efficacy and safety, there’s been studies done in literally millions of people in the real world.”

    Emily Mullin

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  • RFK Jr. promised to ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again.’ Here’s how he plans to do it

    (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s strategy to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ includes investigating vaccine injuries and pharmaceutical practices but stops short of new regulatory action, for now.

    US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the MAHA strategy on Tuesday, joined by Agriculture Department Secretary Brooke Rollins, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, and other top Trump officials.

    The report hews closely to a draft document circulated in August that cites earlier Trump administration announcements — developing a definition for ultraprocessed foods, educating the public about synthetic kratom — but largely bypassed industry crackdowns.

    Language around pesticides strategy also remained unchanged. Environmental and food activists had rallied for the administration to include steps to reduce pesticide usage and probe potential health risks of commonly used chemicals such as RoundUp.

    The report says that USDA, EPA and the National Institutes of Health will develop a framework to study cumulative exposures to chemicals including pesticides and microplastics. USDA and EPA will also invest in new farming approaches to reduce chemical use, and EPA will launch a public awareness campaign about the limited risk of approved products.

    The commission’s first report this May suggested a broad range of factors driving chronic disease in the US, including ultraprocessed foods, environmental exposures, and overprescription of pharmaceuticals like antidepressants.

    The report noted previous announcements that HHS, the NIH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are studying the causes of autism. Kennedy had previously promised some answers on the root causes in September; NIH is expected to announce autism research grants this month.

    Recent reports suggest that HHS will issue a report that links the development of autism to taking Tylenol during pregnancy.

    Medicines and vaccines

    Kennedy has drawn criticism for suggesting antidepressants, particularly those that are part of a family known as SSRIs are as addictive as heroin and can be dangerous. Following the August 27 shooting in Minneapolis, he told Fox News that HHS is launching studies “on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence.”

    SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are the most prescribed class of antidepressants for depression, anxiety disorders and many other mental health conditions. Several SSRIs have been on the market in the United States since the 1990s, including Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa. Experts agree that there is no scientific evidence or correlation between these drugs and violence towards others.

    Tuesday’s report states that HHS will assemble a working group of federal officials to evaluate SSRI prescribing patterns, specifically among children. HHS will also “evaluate the therapeutic harms and benefits of current diagnostic thresholds,” or the current common practices doctors use to diagnose patients with mental health disorders.

    Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera, president of the American Psychiatric Association said access to care, not over-medication is the bigger problem when it comes to helping kids’ mental health in the country, and there is no mention of the issue in the report. The report said addressing a child’s nutrition, screen time, and exercise can improve their mental health, but can’t address everything. “Psychiatric conditions are complex in nature,” she said. Extreme poverty, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma-related factors should also be addressed, but there is no mention in the report of any of those issues either.

    “In terms of over medication, that’s not what we do. We have a comprehensive evaluation and we are evidence based. We diagnose than create a comprehensive treatment plan, “ Miskimen Rivera told CNN. “Medication can save lives, not only in children, but in adults and elderly.”

    When asked about whether or not the commission chose to consider gun violence – the leading cause of death for children – as one of the issues to be investigated, Kennedy doubled down on the issue of prescription drugs, saying “We are doing studies now, or initiating studies to look at the correlation and the connection, potential connection between over medicating our kids and this violence.”

    HHS will also work with the White House Domestic Policy Council on a new vaccine framework that, the report said, will ensure “America has the best childhood vaccine schedule” and ensure “scientific and medical freedom.”

    The report comes as Kennedy continues to defend his shakeup of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over vaccine policy, including the ouster of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez.

    The administration will also increase oversight of “deceptive” direct-to-consumer advertising of pharmaceutical products, including from social media influencers and telehealth companies, it said.

    Food policy stays the course

    FDA will continue work on developing a definition for ultraprocessed foods, but the report bypasses recommendations, like those of former FDA Director Dr. David Kessler, to essentially order certain additives off the market until they are reviewed.

    Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, director of Tufts Food is Medicine Institute said a definition of ultraprocessed foods would be “really important.” With more than half of calories in the food supply coming from ultraprocessed foods, addressing this and other issues involving the nation’s diet would mean a “massive fight with the industry and is going to be incredibly controversial, but is much needed.”

    “Overall, this is really quite thorough, quite specific, and even if parts of this are accomplished, this could have tremendous positive impact for Americans,” Mozaffarian told CNN.

    Other experts, like Marion Nestle, agreed the report was ambitious in scope, but noted it fell short on regulatory action. “What’s still missing is regulation. So much of this is voluntary, work with, promote, partner,” said Nestle, who is the Paulette Goddard professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University.

    The report also nods to new, user-friendly dietary guidelines expected later this year. Kennedy has promised a vastly shortened set of recommendations that will emphasize whole foods.

    The commission also cited ongoing work to reduce ultraprocessed foods in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Head Start.

    While the report also touches on agriculture deregulation with the aim of making it easier for small farms to get greater access to markets and schools, Ken Cook, co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, a health advocacy organization said the report abandons earlier MAHA promises to ban toxic pesticides and instead “echoes the pesticide industry’s talking points.”

    “Secretary Kennedy and President Trump cynically convinced millions they’d protect children from harmful farm chemicals – promises now exposed as hollow,” Cook said in a statement.

    There were minor changes from the draft document leaked in August. For instance, the August 6 draft stated that the FDA and other agencies will crack down on “Illegal Chinese Vapes,” while the final version promises enforcement on vapes more broadly.

    “We support the goal of making children healthier and addressing and preventing chronic disease, but unfortunately, the recommendations fall short in some really critical ways,” Laura Kate Bender, vice president nationwide advocacy and public policy for the American Lung Association told CNN.

    “They continue to cast doubt on vaccines, one of the most, important, proven public health interventions that we can have for kids health. They don’t address some major contributors to diseases in kids like pollution, tobacco use, beyond the mention of vaping, and this report is coming out at the same time that we’re continuing to see dramatic cuts in staff and funding of a lot of the programs that could make the good parts of the report a reality.”

    The report’s emphasis on kids’ health can help overall, Dr. Michelle Macy, director of the Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center in Chicago told CNN. “I’m really trying to look for bright spots in this report, and I think that the focus on data and infrastructure for us to be able to answer big questions about what environmental and food exposures and medication exposures do to shape the trajectory of someone’s health and chronic disease across the lifespan is something that has promise and potential.”

    Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said that having a focus on preventing chronic disease in children is a good thing, but he said, with Kennedy’s track record that includes firing thousands of federal health employees, slashing millions in health research funding, dismantling entire offices that managed important issues like smoking and chronic disease specifically, in addition to his “assault on vaccinations” will undermine any potential good of this kind of report.

    “Neither RFK Jr.’s record, nor his policies outlined in the report give me confidence that he is going to make any difference whatsoever on chronic diseases in children,” Besser told CNN.

    Sarah Owermohle, Jen Christensen and CNN

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  • Inside the Chaos at the C.D.C.

    A former senior official and two current employees describe the turmoil at the agency under R.F.K., Jr.,’s stewardship.

    Charles Bethea

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  • Why Trump broke with RFK to defend the importance of vaccines

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    If there’s one thing that Donald Trump absolutely, positively despises, it’s bad publicity.

    And after RFK Jr. got absolutely hammered at that hearing the other day–including by a member of the leadership, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso–he realized that he had to cut his losses.

    What was he going to do, say ignore those Republican senators, like Bill Cassidy, who’s a doctor, like Barrasso, when he says that vaccines work and he’s deeply concerned that Kennedy misled the Hill during his confirmation hearings?

    So after months of letting him “go wild,” in his words, Donald has broken with Bobby.

    REPUBLICAN DOCTORS CLASH WITH RFK JR OVER VACCINES IN TENSE SENATE SHOWDOWN

    “You have some vaccines that are so incredible. I think you have to be very careful when you say some people don’t have to be vaccinated…,” the president said.

    “Look, you have vaccines that work. They just pure and simple work. They’re not controversial at all, and I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people,”

    The president has had enough.

    What’s more, Kennedy’s family–including his sister Kerry and former congressman Joe Kennedy III–demanded he resign, along with every Democrat on the Senate committee.

    Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. appears before the Senate Finance Committee September 04, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

    There’s some chatter that Kennedy may be let go after a decent interval.  Trump really likes him, and the magic of the Kennedy name, but let’s face it, he’s damaged goods right now.

    He also was poorly briefed, or didn’t do his homework. Remember that he cut a deal in exchange for dropping out of the presidential race, and offered the same arrangement to Kamala Harris.

    When asked how many Americans had died of COVID, I instantly knew it was 1.2 million. RFK said he didn’t know. Asked whether the COVID vaccine had been helpful, he mumbled that he’d have to look at the data. There’s plenty of data available. 

    And that’s the problem. The greatest achievement of Trump’s first term, as even his detractors admit, was Operation War Speed, bringing the COVID vaccine to market at the height of the pandemic.

    JOE KENNEDY III BLASTS RFK JR. AFTER FIERY SENATE HEARING, FUELING KENNEDY FAMILY INFIGHTING: ‘HE MUST RESIGN’

    But Kennedy is the same anti-vaccine crusader he’s always been. He has called COVID “the most dangerous vaccine” ever. He’s insisted that vaccines cause autism, completely debunked by mainstream science. 

    CDC performed miserably during the pandemic, but Kennedy fired CDC chief Susan Monarez just one month after praising her appointment, and then called her a liar for supposedly admitting she was not trustworthy.

    A CDC sign with a person walking in the background

    The campus of Centers for Disease Control is located near the reported shooting location in Atlanta. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)

    So RFK was in effect denigrating Trump’s huge accomplishment by firing the mainstream members of a vaccine panel and replacing them with vaccine skeptics or outright anti-vaxxers.

    Kennedy’s view is that everyone else is conflicted because of ties to Big Pharma and that only he is pure. But his actions speak louder than his words.

    INTO THE ARENA: HOSTILE DEMOCRATS, SKEPTICAL REPUBLICANS TEAR INTO KENNEDY ON THE HILL

    Meanwhile, the president won a double victory at the Supreme Court. The justices, in what Politico says were 6-3 rulings, gave ICE the ability to carry out “roving” arrests and raids in California against those believed to be illegal immigrants.

    SCOTUS also said the president can fire FTC member Rebecca Slaughter, one of two Democratic commissioners he dismissed in March at the supposedly independent agency.

    Slaughter of the FTC at hearing

    Rebecca Slaughter, commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, July 13, 2023. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Then Trump checks the conservative media.

    The Wall Street Journal editorial page, in a piece titled “Operation Warped Speed,” asks whether RFK is suffering from long COVID. The usually supportive New York Post called RFK a “paranoid kook” with a “tinfoil hat” that is “blocking out all sense.”

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    So Trump got mostly booed at the U.S. Open, along with some cheers. Big deal. He’s endured far worse.

    But having the nation’s highest court on your side is worth its weight in gold, Trump’s favorite decorating glitter.

    Footnote: The Wall Street Journal has obtained Trump’s birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein, which he repeatedly insisted he never sent, prompting him to sue the paper.

    Against the backdrop of a sketch of a naked woman–with Trump’s signature in the pubic area–there is this exchange:
    Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.
    Jeffrey: Yes we do, come to think of it.
    Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?
    Jeffrey: As a matter of face, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.
    Donald: A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday–and may every day be another wonderful secret.

    By itself, I don’t think it’s that big a deal. Lots of friends and acquaintances were solicited to send messages for Epstein’s 50th birthday. He could have owned it. But Trump *still* insists it’s fake.

    By vehemently insisting it wasn’t conceivable that he sent such a message, Trump now has a mess on his hands.

    Howard Kurtz is the host of FOX News Channel’s MediaBuzz (Sundays 11 AM-12PM/ET). Based in Washington, D.C., he joined the network in 2013 and regularly appears on Special Report with Bret Baier and The Story with Martha MacCallum among other programs.

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  • Virginia families face hurdles getting updated COVID-19 vaccine amid prescription confusion – WTOP News

    Virginia families are hitting roadblocks getting the new COVID-19 vaccine, as shifting federal rules spark confusion over pharmacy prescription requirements.

    Virginia families are hitting roadblocks while getting the new COVID-19 vaccine, as shifting federal rules spark confusion over pharmacy prescription requirements.

    According to the Virginia Department of Health, pharmacists can give vaccines in two ways: with a prescription from a medical provider, or under statewide protocols that allow vaccinations without a prescription — as long as they follow the immunization schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    The CDC’s current immunization schedule lists the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine, but not the 2025-26 version, which is why a prescription is now required for the newer shots.

    Jim Hardin, a 75-year-old resident of Haymarket, told WTOP he was asked to present a prescription recently when he tried to get a vaccination at a Giant Foods Pharmacy near his home. He said he’s never been asked for a prescription.

    “To me, this is kind of a federal bureaucracy … that’s really useless,” Hardin said. “If you think about it, what doctor is going to say, ‘No, I’m not going to give you a prescription for a COVID shot?’ I mean, they’ll all give it to you.”

    Hardin said he is retired veteran and can get a shot at a local military base. But he said that’s at least 20 miles away and not at all convenient.

    Several states have already acted on similar concerns. In Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, pharmacists can give COVID-19 vaccines without a prescription.

    The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee meets Sept. 18 and 19 to vote on updated COVID-19 shots. If approved, pharmacists could give the vaccines without a prescription.

    “I just think the government is trying to dissuade citizens from getting a shot,” Hardin said. “I think that’s wrong.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Alan Etter

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