"This is a seductive argument to a layperson, but it is ethically bankrupt." Worth a read.

RFK Jr has warned doctors that failing to follow federal vaccine panel’s recommendations puts them at legal risk. Not true, experts say. And many pediatricians say they won’t change their advice to patients. www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-va...

AAP is not changing its recommendations in response to the CDC vaccine panel; they diverged on covid shots as well

Babies get far more aluminum from food, including breast milk, than from vaccines. In the first 6 mos of life, a breast-fed baby takes in 10 mg of aluminum; a baby given a milk-based formula takes in 30 milligrams; a soy formula-fed baby gets 120 milligrams. #acip www.usatoday.com/story/news/2...

If you’re curious about what‘s at stake in today’s #ACIP discussions, check out our story on the real risks of “horizontal transmission” of hep B among babies: www.npr.org/sections/sho...

If you are used to attending or watching ACIP metings, it is difficult to describe just how disturbing this one has been. People talking over one another, confusion, outright ignorance. Compare this to the very orderly, sedate, consideration of facts of previous meetings for years and years.

#ACIP member Cody Meissner: “I take strong issue with each of the three presentations we just heard“ on the hep B birth dose. “There were so many statements that I disagree with that it’s hard to be succinct”

New from me: After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. www.npr.org/sections/sho...

@rosemarywestwood.bsky.social spent months carefully reporting this important, nuanced, and chilling piece. What happens when public health institutions don't follow their playbook during an infectious disease outbreak? Take a look/listen:

In the spring, we reported on how pharmacies were trying to prepare for all these unknowns. Bottom line: lots of independent pharmacies are probably in trouble. And they don’t know how to answer @lizzieohreally.bsky.social’s very reasonable question. Radio and print story for NPR:

I am a well educated, pretty media literate person whose job it is to be professionally annoying. I cannot figure out if my cancer medication, which costs $17k a month (I do not pay anything thanks to a combo of insurance/access programs), is going to be tariffed 100%.

SO! Over the last two days, here's what the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices voted to do: 1. Recommend against the combo MMRV vaccine for kids under age 4. Instead, MMR + V as two shots is recommended. Most kids get it that way already. Second dose at age 4 can be the combo vaccine.

Vote 2, recommending states require a prescription for COVID-19 vaccines TIES. 6-6. The chair breaks the tie, and Kulldorff voted no. The motion fails.

Vote 1 passes 11-1. This is the one recommending the CDC add language about the risks Retsef Levi presented earlier to vaccine information statements for COVID-19 vaccines. Chairman Kuldorff voted no, but didn't explain why.

Vote 4 passes 12-0, changing the recommendation for COVID-19 for all age groups to "individual decision-making," also know by this group as "shared clinical decision making," with some added nuance for those under age 64.

Kulldorff says they're beginning with Vote 4: changing the COVID-19 vaccine schedule to "individual decision-making"

More than three hours into today's ACIP meeting. Lots of discussion around COVID-19 vaccines. But we still have absolutely no idea what (if anything) they'll be voting on related to COVID.

So the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine lives for now. Kulldorff implies it will come up again at a future meeting.

WOW. ACIP has decided it will NOT vote on whether to postpone the birth dose of hepatitis B at this meeting. They are not at all aligned on why, though. Some believe postponing to 1-month of age isn't long enough. Meissner now pointing out the "overwhelming evidence" supporting the birth dose

Here comes the hep B vote. Read our story for what's at stake: www.npr.org/sections/sho...

The federal vaccine advisory committee is going to redo the vote they took on restricting the MMRV combination vaccine for kids under age 4!! Chairman Kulldorff says "we are rookies" with "the technical issues"

Waiting for the video feed to start for today's ACIP proceedings. After yesterday's voting confusion, the livestream captured several voting committee members trying to explain to each other what they just voted for. You can watch here to see what today brings.

The meeting starts in less than 15 minutes....

Amazing moment at ACIP....the language of the votes was released so late that voting members of the committee say they're confused about what they're voting for/against.

RFK Jr.’s handpicked federal vaccine advisory committee is talking now about whether to push back the first dose of the Hep B vaccine from birth to 1 month of age. CDC experts prepared a really thorough presentation, including this stunning risk/benefit slide:

Ex-CDC director is telling the Senate right now that RFK Jr. pressured her to rubber stamp a new childhood vaccine schedule without evidence. We learned that delaying the first dose of hepatitis B was part of RFK Jr.‘s plan. Read @jackie-fortier.bsky.social’s brilliant story.

Hep B has no cure and can cause cancer. We’ve virtually eliminated it in children thanks to universal newborn vaccination. A former ACIP voting member who recommended hep B for newborns told us: “We'll see cases of hepatitis B once again occur. We'll see transmission into the next generation”

Ex-CDC director is telling the Senate right now that RFK Jr. pressured her to rubber stamp a new childhood vaccine schedule without evidence. We learned that delaying the first dose of hepatitis B was part of RFK Jr.‘s plan. Read @jackie-fortier.bsky.social’s brilliant story.

I'm on The Daily today talking about my reporting on AI chatbots and how heavy users of ChatGPT can go into delusional, and sometimes tragic, spirals: www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/p... Also today, an OpenAI blog post from Sam Altman on "safety, freedom & privacy": openai.com/index/teen-s...

NEWS: By vaccinating babies at birth, the U.S. nearly eradicated hepatitis-B in children. Kennedy's vaccine advisory panel is expected this week to recommend delaying the shot, opening a window for kids to be infected. Exclusive by @jackie-fortier.bsky.social kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

This emergency department data demonstrated the disproportionate toll of the summer wave on very young children, at a time the Trump administration says they don’t need updated vaccines.

This will help you find a public radio or television station that stands to lose 50 percent or more of its revenue:

In the middle of this wild week of other news, the amazing Jackie Fortiér and I were running down this story that published today on @npr.org and @kffhealthnews.org Here's what happened, and why I think it's worth paying attention even with all of....this....going on 👇

In the middle of this wild week of other news, the amazing Jackie Fortiér and I were running down this story that published today on @npr.org and @kffhealthnews.org Here's what happened, and why I think it's worth paying attention even with all of....this....going on 👇

Hello world. I edited this exceptionally good story by the exceptionally excellent Kate Wells. Have a look, and don’t forget your backyard chicken is a “bird” as in “bird flu”.