Over $80M BARDA Prize to Create New H5N1 Vaccines to Prepare for “Future” Bird Flu Pandemic
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has launched an $80+ million multi-stage competition for “vaccine developers and researchers, biotech companies, and other innovators” to develop vaccines for pandemic influenza A, or A(H5) bird flu, which includes highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1). The name of the competition is Single Shield Prize, and it “calls […]
Amish Threaten to Leave New York as Vaccine Mandate Case Heads to Supreme Court
New York’s Amish community of approximately 25,000 people has stated that continued enforcement of the state’s school vaccine mandate that does not allow a religious belief exemption could drive Amish families out of New York permanently. Attorneys for the Amish families say the accumulating fines have already put the community at risk of losing their […]
Amish Families in New York Lose Religious Vaccine Exemption Case
On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a group of Amish families for the second time upholding New York state’s elimination of the religious exemption to school vaccine requirements. The families now face more than $118,000 in fines for noncompliance with the state’s mandate.1 New York legislatures voted to […]
CDC Changes Recommendations for Six Childhood Vaccines
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced updates to the national childhood vaccine schedule involving six vaccines (rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B) following a presidential memorandum directing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to review and revise its recommendations. The changes clarify which vaccines […]
Supreme Court Revives Religious Exemption in NY Amish Student Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed and remanded a lower court decision to uphold a law that denied Amish children religious exemptions to public school vaccine mandates in New York state. The nation’s highest court vacated the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals opinion and remanded the case back to the lower court with instructions […]
“Universal Flu Vaccine” Unveiled by DHHS
On May 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced plans to develop a universal influenza vaccine that would eliminate the need for annual flu shots and offer protection against other pandemic influenza threats, including bird flu and respiratory disease caused by coronaviruses. The initiative, called “Generation Gold Standard,” will cost […]