Category: Vaccines
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STAT+: Moderna to pay Roivant up to $2.25 billion to settle patent lawsuit behind mRNA vaccines
STAT+: Moderna to pay Roivant up to $2.25 billion to settle patent lawsuit behind mRNA vaccines Moderna has agreed to pay Roivant up to $2.25 billion to settle claims that the mRNA vaccine developer infringed on Roivant’s patents in its Covid-19 shot. Roivant will receive $950 million and then another $1.3 billion if Moderna’s attempts…
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STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics
STAT+: Trump can’t break free from vaccine politics You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And you may find yourself climbing a StairMaster next to RFK Jr. Send news tips and vague Talking…
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Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled
Kennedy announces new vaccine advisory committee members after meeting rescheduled WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced two new members of his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers on Friday, ahead of a meeting rescheduled for March. Kennedy said in a statement that Sean G. Downing, a primary care doctor licensed in Florida, and…
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Hims’ Super Bowl fallout, and the FDA reverses course
Hims’ Super Bowl fallout, and the FDA reverses course Was Hims’ Super Bowl ad the final straw for regulators? Is the bar being lowered for psychedelic medicines? And what’s happening behind-the-scenes with Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration? We discuss all that on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD.” STAT’s Katie Palmer joins…
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Upcoming meeting of federal vaccine panel may be postponed after HHS missed deadlines
Upcoming meeting of federal vaccine panel may be postponed after HHS missed deadlines WASHINGTON — Federal officials have missed the legal deadline to notify the public of an upcoming meeting of a vaccine advisory panel that was planned for next week, raising questions about whether the meeting, expected to be closely monitored for signs of…
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STAT+: In court, AAP argues Kennedy’s HHS made unlawful changes to vaccine policies
STAT+: In court, AAP argues Kennedy’s HHS made unlawful changes to vaccine policies BOSTON — After a full day of oral arguments in a packed courtroom, Boston federal judge Brian E. Murphy did not rule from the bench on a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional body representing the country’s pediatricians, against…
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STAT+: FDA’s rejection of Moderna threatens to stifle broader vaccine industry
STAT+: FDA’s rejection of Moderna threatens to stifle broader vaccine industry The Food and Drug Administration’s refusal to review Moderna’s flu vaccine this month has renewed fears that Trump administration policies could paralyze the vaccine industry, dissuading companies from developing new shots in the U.S. and leaving the country flat-footed in the event of future…
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STAT+: The messaging war over Medicaid cuts
STAT+: The messaging war over Medicaid cuts You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dr. Oz seems to have invited Jeffrey Epstein to a Valentine’s Day party in 2016, about eight…
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WHO director-general calls plans for U.S.-funded vaccine trial ‘unethical’
WHO director-general calls plans for U.S.-funded vaccine trial ‘unethical’ The director-general of the World Health Organization said Wednesday that a U.S.-funded study of the hepatitis B vaccine in Guinea-Bissau would be “unethical” if it proceeds as planned. “Of course, a sovereign country can decide whatever they want, but as far as WHO’s position is concerned,…
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Opinion: STAT readers on shared decision-making, prostate cancer screening, and more
Opinion: STAT readers on shared decision-making, prostate cancer screening, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
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STAT+: States are the next vaccine battleground
STAT+: States are the next vaccine battleground You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’d call it a xeet-down, but I can’t tell who won this heated exchange on X between…
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South Carolina measles outbreak surpasses Texas’ 2025 total, with little sign of slowing
South Carolina measles outbreak surpasses Texas’ 2025 total, with little sign of slowing The South Carolina measles outbreak has surpassed the recorded case count in Texas’ 2025 outbreak, as health officials have logged almost 600 new cases in just over a month. The outbreak centered in northwestern Spartanburg County is showing little sign of slowing down, with…
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Senior CDC official: Loss of measles elimination status in U.S. would be ‘cost of doing business’
Senior CDC official: Loss of measles elimination status in U.S. would be ‘cost of doing business’ With measles transmission in the United States at levels that haven’t been seen in decades, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that he would not view the loss of the country’s…
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Opinion: My son had rotavirus before he could get the vaccine. Ending universal rotavirus vaccination is a tragedy
Opinion: My son had rotavirus before he could get the vaccine. Ending universal rotavirus vaccination is a tragedy The Department of Health and Human Services has removed the rotavirus vaccine, along with five others, from the list of universally recommended childhood immunizations. This makes the U.S. an outlier. According to the International Vaccine Access Center,…
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STAT+: Negotiations over ACA subsidy bill drag on
STAT+: Negotiations over ACA subsidy bill drag on You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Inspirational scribbles from baristas have never inspired me, but HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill was moved…
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Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women
Kennedy adds two OB-GYNs to vaccine advisory panel amid review of shots for pregnant women WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two new members to the main federal vaccine advisory board, his latest change to a group that has made a series of controversial recommendations and upended the usual processes for vaccine…
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STAT+: HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel
STAT+: HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel WASHINGTON — At least one member of a committee that advises the federal government on its vaccine injury compensation program has had her term prematurely ended, potentially foreshadowing further changes to the federal apparatus that reviews vaccine injuries and compensates patients. Veronica McNally, an attorney who…
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JPM to bring more deals and happy CEOs
JPM to bring more deals and happy CEOs What news happened over the holidays? Why will pharma CEOs be greeted warmly in San Francisco next week? And who will buy Revolution Medicines? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s weekly biotech podcast. We bring on former co-host…
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STAT’s Helen Branswell on the ‘startling’ new U.S. vaccine schedule
STAT’s Helen Branswell on the ‘startling’ new U.S. vaccine schedule It was, in a word, unprecedented. As Helen Branswell, STAT’s infectious diseases correspondent, explains in this video, Monday’s move by the Department of Health and Human Services — political appointees of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — to unilaterally rewrite the list of vaccines…
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Opinion: What I got wrong 33 years ago as a new pediatrician talking to parents about vaccines
Opinion: What I got wrong 33 years ago as a new pediatrician talking to parents about vaccines In 1993, a young couple expecting their first child walked into my office. As the new pediatric residency director at the University of California San Diego, I was eager to help them find the right doctor for their…
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New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn
New vaccine schedule adds near- and long-term risks for children, experts warn WASHINGTON — When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of health secretary almost one year ago, he said he had one overriding goal: to improve children’s health. But Kennedy’s sudden, unilateral, and sweeping change to the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule, announced Monday,…
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STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations
STAT+: HHS slashes vaccine recommendations You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We’re almost healthy again, according to RFK Jr., though I’m certainly not in top form after my holiday break.…
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Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive
Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are unilaterally reducing the number of recommended pediatric immunizations in response to an order from President Trump, the most significant reshaping of the vaccine schedule since Trump took office and empowered health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic…
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Missed first vaccines make babies far more likely to miss measles shot, study finds
Missed first vaccines make babies far more likely to miss measles shot, study finds Babies who don’t get their first round of vaccines on time at 2 months of age are much less likely to get vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella by age 2, according to a new study that suggests pediatricians may have…
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The top medical advances of 2025
The top medical advances of 2025 It has been a tough year for medicine. The U.S. research enterprise has been scrambled by a series of political decisions with long-reaching consequences. But make no mistake: Science didn’t stop, and medicine has had its share of major advances. As I have written for years, this is biology’s…
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3 issues to watch in public health in 2026
3 issues to watch in public health in 2026 We warned you late last year that 2025 was likely to be pretty rock ’n roll. Confession time: We had no idea it would be as cuckoo bananas as it turned out to be. That the administration would summarily terminate most global health aid by shuttering…
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Opinion: What giving flu shots backstage taught me about public health
Opinion: What giving flu shots backstage taught me about public health For the past two and a half months, I’ve spent many afternoons in the hidden spaces of New York’s performing arts world — its dressing rooms, rehearsal studios, green rooms, and backstage corridors. I’m a physician, and this fall I volunteered as one of…
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STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026
STAT+: The 3 biggest issues to watch in vaccine policy in 2026 WASHINGTON — Vaccine policy has become a key issue for the Trump administration, especially under the leadership of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who himself once led an anti-vaccine group. In less than a year, Kennedy has bulldozed vaccine policy precedent and…
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Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling
Trump administration’s plan to shrink vaccine schedule sends health sector scrambling WASHINGTON — A possible Trump administration effort to change the childhood vaccine schedule has left hospital leaders, health policymakers, and pediatricians scrambling to navigate what could be the most significant changes to the American vaccine program in decades. The administration had planned to announce…
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Opinion: Why Denmark’s vaccine schedule works for Denmark — but not for the United States
Opinion: Why Denmark’s vaccine schedule works for Denmark — but not for the United States Reports that the Department of Health and Human Services may overhaul the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule to resemble Denmark’s have prompted a reasonable question: Why do American children receive vaccines against diseases that Danish children do not? The answer is…
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CDC’s controversial new hep B vaccine guidance: everything you need to know
CDC’s controversial new hep B vaccine guidance: everything you need to know The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just rolled back decades-old guidance that newborns should be offered the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The agency adopted the recommendation of its vaccine advisory panel known as ACIP, which voted on the policy change at…
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Opinion: STAT readers respond to essays on miracles, vaccines, and more
Opinion: STAT readers respond to essays on miracles, vaccines, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to…
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Myocarditis is a rare but real Covid vaccine side effect. A new study sheds light on what might cause it
Myocarditis is a rare but real Covid vaccine side effect. A new study sheds light on what might cause it While extensive studies have found Covid-19 vaccines to be safe, effective, and to have saved millions of lives during the pandemic, these shots come with a rare but real risk of inflamed heart muscle, or…
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Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring
Opinion: Why comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to European countries’ is a red herring If any ambiguity remained about the ultimate goal of the current administration’s public health policy, last week shattered it. On Friday, following a disastrous two-day meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), President…
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Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos
Opinion: RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory panel is beset by incompetence, bias, and procedural chaos The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) meetings used to be a geek’s dream: hours of long, maybe dreary presentation of extensive data followed by lengthy discussions that drilled into details of vaccine safety, effectiveness, and the best way to balance…
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RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots
RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel is laying the groundwork for more scrutiny of childhood shots WASHINGTON — Federal vaccine advisers, through a freewheeling, and at times combative two-day meeting, recommended a major change to childhood vaccinations that runs counter to the medical consensus — and began setting the stage for a larger rethink in the future. …
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CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine
CDC panel recommends delaying birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine A panel that advises on U.S. vaccine policy voted on Friday to recommend a delay in when most babies begin to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, overturning a 30-year-old policy that has contributed to a massive decline in cases of the virus. The Advisory Committee…
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STAT+: Vinay Prasad, FDA’s vaccine regulator, waves off criticism in closed-door remarks
STAT+: Vinay Prasad, FDA’s vaccine regulator, waves off criticism in closed-door remarks NEW YORK — Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccines regulator, blamed “misleading media narratives” for the escalating criticism of his leadership amid turmoil and plummeting morale at the agency. Prasad’s remarks, delivered Thursday at a New York investor conference closed…
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A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds
A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer, study finds WASHINGTON — A single HPV vaccination appears just as effective as two doses at preventing the viral infection that causes cervical cancer, researchers reported Wednesday. HPV, or human papillomavirus, is very common and spread through sex. Most HPV infections clear…
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A dozen former FDA commissioners decry Prasad memo on vaccine regulation
A dozen former FDA commissioners decry Prasad memo on vaccine regulation Changes to the ways in which the Food and Drug Administration plans to regulate vaccines represent a threat to effective and available vaccines and public health, 12 former commissioners wrote Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The changes, as described in a…
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As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded
As vaccine panel prepares hepatitis B review, CDC and industry experts are excluded WASHINGTON — The federal government’s vaccine advisory panel is scheduled to review the hepatitis B vaccine this week. But experts on the shot — both in and outside of the government — told STAT they’ve been shut out of the process. Makers…
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STAT+: ACA tax credits cool, while BIOSECURE heats up
STAT+: ACA tax credits cool, while BIOSECURE heats up You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. MAHA Action has a holiday shop for all your MAHA gift giving needs. Or you can click over…
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Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job
Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job NEW YORK — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial vaccine advisory committee will be meeting later this week under a new chairperson, federal officials announced Monday. Martin Kulldorff is leaving the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to take a leadership role within the Department…
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Experts say top FDA official’s claim that Covid vaccines caused kids’ deaths requires more evidence
Experts say top FDA official’s claim that Covid vaccines caused kids’ deaths requires more evidence The Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator asserted in an email to staff sent Friday that the Covid-19 vaccine caused at least 10 deaths in children and called for changes to the way the agency regulates vaccines. But experts…
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Opinion: Road-tripping through North Dakota to foster healthy conversation about vaccines
Opinion: Road-tripping through North Dakota to foster healthy conversation about vaccines Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Sandy Tibke and Josh Gryniewicz. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode…
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STAT+: Cassidy and other Republicans have little to say about change to CDC’s position on vaccines and autism
STAT+: Cassidy and other Republicans have little to say about change to CDC’s position on vaccines and autism WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke another promise to Senate health committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) this week. So far, there don’t seem to have been any consequences. To secure Cassidy’s decisive confirmation vote,…
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STAT+: Trump administration lists 16 new CDC initiatives, from hepatitis B testing to bolstering workforce
STAT+: Trump administration lists 16 new CDC initiatives, from hepatitis B testing to bolstering workforce WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention laid out 16 strategic initiatives this week, many of them bolstering health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s priorities, according to an internal agency memo obtained by STAT.…
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STAT+: A revelatory profile of RFK Jr.
STAT+: A revelatory profile of RFK Jr. You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I haven’t read Olivia Nuzzi’s new book, but I dare say my favorite line about her relationship…
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STAT+: GOP ACA proposal complicates negotiations
STAT+: GOP ACA proposal complicates negotiations You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Packing “longevity” items for a flight to a MAHA event in Washington was such a pain that it…
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Opinion: I’m a physician who went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. More of my colleagues should too
Opinion: I’m a physician who went to the anti-vaccine movement’s biggest gathering. More of my colleagues should too As I stepped into line to pick up my badge for the Children’s Health Defense (CHD) conference last weekend in Austin, Texas, a gregarious man approached holding two tall plastic tubes he said contained “clots” from Covid…
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STAT+: How Children’s Health Defense plans to cement its agenda beyond RFK Jr.
STAT+: How Children’s Health Defense plans to cement its agenda beyond RFK Jr. WASHINGTON — Children’s Health Defense, the vaccine-skeptical organization once led by now-health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is playing the long game. The group has more power in Washington than the group’s CEO, Mary Holland, imagined possible in her lifetime. In an…
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Opinion: A global health expert on Covid’s lessons — and warnings — for the future
Opinion: A global health expert on Covid’s lessons — and warnings — for the future Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with vaccine and global health expert Seth Berkley. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.…
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Startups push the FDA and biotech booms in North Carolina
Startups push the FDA and biotech booms in North Carolina Can Trump take credit for North Carolina’s booming biopharma industry? Which drugs could get a shortcut to the market? And who wore a tuxedo to the STAT Summit? We discuss all that and more in the latest episode of “The Readout LOUD.” Read the rest……
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Anti-science bills hit statehouses, stripping away public health protections built over a century
Anti-science bills hit statehouses, stripping away public health protections built over a century More than 420 anti-science bills attacking longstanding public health protections — vaccines, milk safety and fluoride — have been introduced in statehouses across the U.S. this year, part of an organized, politically savvy campaign to enshrine a conspiracy theory-driven agenda into law. An Associated Press investigation found that the wave…
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STAT+: mRNA Covid shots may boost the effects of certain cancer treatments, study suggests
STAT+: mRNA Covid shots may boost the effects of certain cancer treatments, study suggests mRNA-based Covid vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna may have an unexpected benefit for cancer patients who undergo immunotherapy. A new study suggests that these vaccines might boost the effects of immunotherapy drugs, perhaps by alerting the immune system and helping direct…
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Opinion: Former acting CDC director calls public health cuts ‘absolutely heartbreaking’
Opinion: Former acting CDC director calls public health cuts ‘absolutely heartbreaking’ Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Richard Besser. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode by signing up…
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Doctor groups need to ‘step up to the plate’ as CDC guidance becomes harder to trust, former leaders say
Doctor groups need to ‘step up to the plate’ as CDC guidance becomes harder to trust, former leaders say BOSTON — It’s getting harder to trust guidance coming out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, creating an opening for physician groups to step up and fill the void, two former top agency officials…
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CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations
CDC approves updated Covid-19, chickenpox vaccine recommendations WASHINGTON — A top federal health official has approved recommendations allowing anyone over the age of 6 months to receive an updated Covid-19 shot after discussing the risks and benefits with their provider. While the updated recommendation maintains insurance coverage for those who want the vaccine, it doesn’t…
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Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots
Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots Jim O’Neill, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called for drastic changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine that aren’t supported by medical research, intensifying the Trump administration’s criticism of a shot that’s a cornerstone of…
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STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what?
STAT+: The government is shut down. Now what? You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and policy of health and medicine. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Are you in a betting pool for how long the government shutdown will last? Send your…
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Low-income children lack access to Covid vaccines because of approval delay
Low-income children lack access to Covid vaccines because of approval delay Two weeks after a federal committee of vaccine advisers approved new recommendations for who should get Covid-19 shots, neither Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nor his deputy have signed off, leaving states unable to order updated shots for low-income children.…
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3 burning questions about the MMR vaccine, answered
3 burning questions about the MMR vaccine, answered On Friday, President Trump doubled down on calling for changes to the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. “BREAK UP THE MMR SHOT INTO THREE TOTALLY SEPARATE SHOTS (NOT MIXED!),” he wrote on his Truth Social account. Currently, parents are offered either the MMR vaccine or a one-shot…
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Why this week underscores the value of STAT’s journalism
Why this week underscores the value of STAT’s journalism Dear Readers, This week, like so many others, has demonstrated why I think STAT is so essential. Read the rest… Rick Berke Go to statnews
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STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows
STAT+: With Trump’s anti-vaccine comments, Kennedy’s influence grows WASHINGTON — President Trump’s anti-vaccine comments on Monday signal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s growing influence — and raise new questions about how far the pair may go to upend vaccine policy. Standing with Kennedy beside him at the White House, Trump called the childhood vaccine…
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Opinion: The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark
Opinion: The U.S. government has jumped the public health shark On Monday, President Trump, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Studies Administrator Mehmet Oz, and other top officials at the National Institutes for Health and the Food and Drug Administration presented their promised conclusions regarding the cause and treatment of…
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In dispensing advice on Tylenol and autism, Trump takes on a new role: doctor in chief
In dispensing advice on Tylenol and autism, Trump takes on a new role: doctor in chief He’s already the commander in chief, chief of state, chief diplomat, and chief legislator. But at his news conference Monday, President Trump ventured far beyond the usual responsibilities of the presidency and began to dispense medical guidance to the…
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In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule
In a chaotic meeting, RFK Jr.’s handpicked advisers begin altering the childhood vaccine schedule ATLANTA — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he wants his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers to restore declining public trust in vaccines. What that looked like was on full display on Thursday and Friday: The…
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Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible”
Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible” On Thursday and Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a key panel that gives the CDC’s director guidance about what vaccines to recommend to the public. The…
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Federal vaccine panel remade by RFK Jr. votes to maintain insurance coverage for Covid shots
Federal vaccine panel remade by RFK Jr. votes to maintain insurance coverage for Covid shots WASHINGTON — A government advisory committee voted unanimously Friday to recommend that individuals 6 months and older should discuss the risks and benefits of Covid-19 vaccines with their health care providers before deciding whether to get vaccinated. The decision falls…
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Pharma sours on the U.K., plus biotech M&A’s quiet roll
Pharma sours on the U.K., plus biotech M&A’s quiet roll Are pharmaceutical companies pulling their money out of the United Kingdom because of Trump? How is biotech M&A pacing this year? And what will vaccine advisors discuss at their closely watched meeting this week? We discuss all that and more on this week’s episode of…
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Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence
Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence A key government advisory committee discussed on Thursday whether to recommend delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine shot, currently given at birth, by at least one month for babies who are born to mothers that test negative for the virus. Experts fear…
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STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts
STAT+: HHS abruptly cancels CDC meeting with RFK Jr., anti-vaccine activist as scrutiny mounts A meeting of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., anti-vaccine campaigner David Geier, and leaders of the country’s most robust vaccine safety database was abruptly canceled Wednesday, just hours before they were likely to discuss using the data to investigate whether…
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Fear and politics pervade Kennedy’s CDC, former leaders testify
Fear and politics pervade Kennedy’s CDC, former leaders testify The nation’s top health agency is not well, according to a portrait that emerged in testimony Wednesday by two of its former leaders. Susan Monarez, abruptly fired 29 days into her tenure as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Debra Houry, who…
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3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda
3 key takeaways from the Senate hearing on CDC director’s firing and RFK Jr.’s vaccine agenda WASHINGTON — A Wednesday Senate hearing aimed to answer questions about the exodus of top leaders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month. Instead, it raised a host of new ones. Former CDC Director Susan Monarez…
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RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting
RFK Jr. adds five members to ACIP, key vaccine panel, days ahead of meeting WASHINGTON — Federal health officials announced the appointment of five new members to a panel of vaccine advisers handpicked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday, just days ahead of the group’s next meeting. They include…
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STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link
STAT+: HHS to have Rensselaer investigate question of autism-vaccine link WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Thursday its intent to fund among the first Trump administration-solicited research on a debunked link between vaccines and autism. The contract — which supports research to “investigate the association between vaccination and autism prevalence”…
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Opinion: RFK Jr. ally’s ‘smoking gun’ study on vaccines and chronic illness is fundamentally flawed
Opinion: RFK Jr. ally’s ‘smoking gun’ study on vaccines and chronic illness is fundamentally flawed On Tuesday, Aaron Siri, personal lawyer and close adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., presented his “smoking gun” at a Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing on vaccine science. Siri, who has represented Kennedy in multiple lawsuits against federal health…
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STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump
STAT+: Vaccine policy threatens to put Kennedy at odds with Trump WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive moves to change U.S. vaccine policy — adopted by leaders at other federal health agencies — may be putting him at odds with President Trump himself. Now Kennedy’s allies are rallying to support him, believing…
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RFK Jr. ally sets off furor in U.K. with anti-Covid vaccine remarks
RFK Jr. ally sets off furor in U.K. with anti-Covid vaccine remarks LONDON — A British cardiologist who has touted his connections to top Trump administration health officials has set off a furor in U.K. health circles after giving a speech at a political conference in which he made a number of false claims about…
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Opinion: STAT readers weigh in on fake CPR, a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump and Operation Warp Speed, and more
Opinion: STAT readers weigh in on fake CPR, a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump and Operation Warp Speed, and more First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others. To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised…
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Opinion: I inserted myself into a conversation at a bar about Covid and vaccines. Here’s what happened
Opinion: I inserted myself into a conversation at a bar about Covid and vaccines. Here’s what happened This essay was adapted from Jess Steier’s newsletter, “Unbiased Science.” For the last few weeks of summer, my mom visited from Florida. It was amazing, as it always is, to have her here spending time with the family…
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CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says
CDC’s vaccine information no longer entirely trustworthy, former director says It pains Rochelle Walensky, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to hear people say that the agency can’t be trusted. But these days, she said, people should be cautious about the vaccination information on its website. “What I can say is…
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Opinion: The Trump administration’s endless quest for vaccine data is public-health gaslighting
Opinion: The Trump administration’s endless quest for vaccine data is public-health gaslighting The public discourse on vaccines has been distorted by a relentless and misleading demand for data that is already available, impractical, or unnecessary. This strategy is regularly deployed by the Trump administration: insisting that science is incomplete, that manufacturers and past regulators are…
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New stakes in the vaccine dispute and a boost for biotech
New stakes in the vaccine dispute and a boost for biotech Does President Trump deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for Operation Warp Speed? What will health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tell Congress about the changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? And is biotech back? We discuss all that and more on…
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The big takeaways from health secretary RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing
The big takeaways from health secretary RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing An archived version of a live blog about the Senate hearing, with more details, can be found here. WASHINGTON — Through shouting matches and gulfs of understanding about basic facts, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vigorously defended his aggressive reform agenda in a remarkable…
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STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views
STAT+: Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views WASHINGTON — For the first time since health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation in February, visible fractures emerged in Senate Republicans’ united front of support for him. At the heart of the conflict: His stance on vaccines, which some Republicans had determinedly…
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Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration
Washington, Oregon and California governors form a health alliance in rebuke of Trump administration SEATTLE — The Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday that they created an alliance to safeguard health policies, believing the Trump administration is putting Americans’ health and safety at risk by politicizing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.…
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7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more
7 burning questions for RFK Jr. as he faces senators on CDC turmoil and more WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to testify before Congress on Thursday as he continues to face a political firestorm that might determine his future in the Trump administration. Senators will have an opportunity to grill…
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Opinion: How the U.S. health system can clear up confusion surrounding seasonal vaccines
Opinion: How the U.S. health system can clear up confusion surrounding seasonal vaccines Each fall, nurses and doctors brace for an all-too-familiar seasonal surge. Patients struggle to breathe. Older adults lean forward, lips pursed as if trying to drink air through a straw. Infants take more than one shallow breath per second, their wide-eyed panic reflected in their parents’…
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Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say
Crisis within CDC is spilling into real world, experts say The implosion of leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threatens the agency, its mission, and the trust people place in public health, medical experts told STAT Thursday, a day after Director Susan Monarez refused to dismiss top scientists only to be ousted…
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Cassidy calls for meeting of CDC vaccine advisers to be postponed following agency shakeup
Cassidy calls for meeting of CDC vaccine advisers to be postponed following agency shakeup WASHINGTON — A top Senate leader is calling for next month’s meeting of a federal advisory panel on vaccines to be postponed in the wake of a mass exodus of leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Serious allegations…
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FDA issues narrower approvals for Covid boosters, revokes emergency authorizations
FDA issues narrower approvals for Covid boosters, revokes emergency authorizations WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved updated Covid boosters, but removed emergency use authorizations for the vaccines, in a set of moves that could make the shots more difficult to obtain for children under 5, in particular. The moves were announced…
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STAT+: Conflicts among CDC and FDA vaccine panel members are not as numerous as you think, study finds
STAT+: Conflicts among CDC and FDA vaccine panel members are not as numerous as you think, study finds Conflicts of interest on federal government vaccine panels have declined to “historically low levels” in recent years according to a new study, findings that are likely to increase debate over a contentious issue pushed by Health and…
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Deconstructing RFK Jr.’s explanation for the cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts
Deconstructing RFK Jr.’s explanation for the cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts Last week, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of $500 million in contracts to help develop RNA vaccines. Kennedy explained his reasoning for the cuts in a video posted to X. The video is only 2½ minutes long, but in that…
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NIH director: mRNA vaccine contracts were canceled because public lacks trust in technology
NIH director: mRNA vaccine contracts were canceled because public lacks trust in technology The head of the National Institutes of Health has offered a new explanation for why the federal government canceled $500 million in contracts to help develop messenger RNA vaccines, saying the platform is not viable because the public doesn’t trust it. The…
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In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response
In internal call, CDC employees recount shooting, ask about RFK Jr.’s response WASHINGTON — Leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Saturday told staff that the agency’s campus had reopened in the wake of the Friday attack by a gunman — and suggested more security measures would be put in place. On…
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CDC shaken after gunman attacks its headquarters
CDC shaken after gunman attacks its headquarters This article was updated on Aug. 9. A gunman attacked the main campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta on Friday, further shaking an agency in the midst of a tumultuous year. Read the rest… Daniel Payne Go to statnews
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HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts
HHS cites list of studies as scientific justification for cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts WASHINGTON — Federal health officials are citing an extensive list of studies purported to document harms caused by messenger RNA vaccines as scientific justification for canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in the technology. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy…
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STAT+: Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say
STAT+: Kennedy’s rejection of mRNA vaccines thwarts scientific progress — and threatens national security, experts say Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision this week to discontinue funding of the development of messenger RNA vaccines has alarmed scientists, who have warned that it will leave the country far less prepared for future pandemics. But it is…