Massachusetts State Troopers Reinstated After Being Fired for Refusing COVID Shots
Seven Massachusetts state troopers who lost their job after refusing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which was ordered by a former governor in 2021, will be reinstated. An independent arbitrator ruled that the fired state troopers be offered their jobs back with full back pay, seniority rights and benefits.1 In August 2021, former […]
Study Shows Declining Childhood Vaccination Rates in U.S.
A study published recently in the journal Pediatrics showed that in 2019 more than one in six children in the United States aged 19 to 35 months old did not receive all of the doses of vaccines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 The study examined the vaccination uptake rates […]
First Postpartum Depression Drug Fast Tracked and Licensed by FDA
On Aug. 4, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast tracked licensure of the oral prescription medication Zurzuvae (zuranolone), manufactured by Sage Therapeutics, Inc. as a treatment for postpartum depression. Postpartum affects roughly one in seven women and typically begins after childbirth but, for some women, it can begin during later stages of […]
Scientific Review Reports Onset Or Worsening of Psoriasis Following COVID Shots
A 2023 scientific review published in the journal Biomedicines reported cases of new onset or worsening of psoriasis following COVID-19 shots.1 Patients in the scientific review either received mRNA-based biologics, including Pfizer/BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna/NIAID’s Spikevax, or viral vectored vaccines that included AstraZeneca/Oxford University’s Vaxzevria or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen’s Ad26.COV2.S vaccine.2 Psoriasis is a chronic, […]
First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill Approved by FDA
On July 13, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first ever non-prescription birth control pill. The progestin-only oral contraceptive known as Opill (norgestrel) is expected to be available in pharmacies, supermarkets, and convenience stores by early 2024. Opill claims a 93 percent efficacy rate in pregnancy prevention.1 Norgestrel Originally Approved in […]
Childhood Vaccination Programs Face Major Cuts in Federal Funding
State vaccination programs for children will face a reduction in funding from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants. The federal immunization grant program, which funds the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, totaled approximately $680 million last year.1 The reduction in funding is alleged to be due to the debt ceiling deal reached […]
