Red Cross Does Not Sort Blood Donors by COVID Vaccination Status
Contrary to some claims, the American Red Cross reportedly does not sort blood donations according to whether an individual has been vaccinated for COVID-19. A representative of the organization explained, “blood is tested to ensure its safety based on FDA requirements and then provided to medical facilities for their use. Every unit of blood is […]
RSV Vaccines for Senior Adults Linked to Guillain-Barré Syndrome
On Feb. 29, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) presented a preliminary analysis that showed that 23 adults over the age of 65 who received a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).1 When a person develops GBS, including after an infection or […]
FDA Proposes Banning Food Additive BVO
Following California’s lead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed to ban the food additive brominated vegetable oil (BVO). Toxicology studies conducted in collaboration with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) led to the FDA concluding that BVO is “no longer safe” due largely in part to its ability to harm thyroid […]
Influenza Vaccines Only 42 Percent Effective in Adults This Year
The influenza vaccines currently being administered in the United States are estimated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be 42 percent effective in adults. This is an interim estimate for the 2023-2024 “flu season” published in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) on Feb. 29, 2024.1 2 3 […]
Caught in Their Own Trap?
On Jan. 5, 2024 the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article by Dr. Peter Marks and Dr. Robert Califf. Both authors are affiliated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The article, “Is Vaccination Approaching a Dangerous Tipping Point?,” is a discussion about growing vaccine hesitancy in the U.S., and […]
FDA No Longer Requires Animal Testing Before Human Clinical Trials
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is no longer requiring pharmaceutical companies to test new drugs and biologics (vaccines) on animals prior to human clinical trials and licensure. This is a change that animal welfare advocates have been pushing for a long time. In December 2022, President Biden signed legislation ending a requirement that […]