CDC’s ACIP: The Next Generation
On Sept. 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the appointment of five additional members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The new members—Catherine Stein, PhD; Evelyn Griffin, MD; Hillary Blackburn, PharmD, MBA; Kirk Milhoan; MD, PhD; and Raymond Pollak, MD—bring […]
CDC’s Been Hurting a Long Time
The firing of the 17 sitting members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on June 9, 2025 initiated a firestorm of criticism about the new direction the CDC is taking. There […]
“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 […]
NIH Cuts Funding for “Vaccine Hesitancy” Research
Certain areas of research funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is being reduced or discontinued with the justification that these areas no longer align with the agency’s current priorities. One of the areas in which funding will be cut is millions of dollars in NIH grants for studying vaccine hesitancy and strategies […]
RSV Vaccine Approved by FDA for Adults 60 and Older
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a license for the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to be given to people 60 years of age and older. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) has already begun manufacturing doses of the vaccine, which will be sold as early as this fall […]
Big Pharma’s Influence on U.S. Medical Schools is Significant
An informal survey of medical schools conducted in 2005 by National Public Radio (NPR) showed that a number of universities and academic institutions are funded by pharmaceutical giants and other health industry sources. The survey, carried out through telephone calls and internet searches, found that two to six percent of the yearly budget of medical […]