Penguins in Australia Given Bird Flu Vaccine Even Though It Can’t Stop Infection and Transmission
Conservation authorities in Australia have launched a mass H5N1 bird flu vaccination campaign among little penguin populations in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.1 In August 2026, Australian authorities confirmed the country’s first case of the H5N1 bird flu in a little penguin, a species that cannot fly, after finding a deceased bird […]
Spinal Drug Mix-Up Causes Paralysis in Hospital Surgical Patients
On Aug. 14, 2026, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Nashville, Tennessee experienced a pharmacy medication error that severely injured four patients undergoing routine joint replacement surgeries. Medical personnel intended to administer mepivacaine, a standard local spinal anesthetic, to block pain signals during surgical procedures. Instead, pharmacy staff accidentally filled syringes with concentrated potassium phosphate […]
Kindergarten Vaccine Exemptions in U.S. Increase, But Vaccine Uptake Rates Decline Only Slightly
The percentage of children entering kindergarten with exemptions from required vaccines increased during the 2025-2026 school year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) but vaccine uptake rates for children only declined slightly. The national vaccine exemption rate rose to 4.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent last year. The […]
Despite Safety Concerns, FDA Approves Moderna’s mRNA Flu Shot
On Aug. 5, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Moderna’s seasonal flu shot, mFLUSIVA (mRNA-1010), making it the first messenger RNA platform for seasonal influenza in the United States. The decision permits health care providers to use mRNA technology for annual influenza vaccination in eligible age groups.1 FDA regulators approved mFLUSIVA to […]
Pennsylvania Makes School Vaccine and Exemption Rates Public
As vaccine exemptions continue to increase across Pennsylvania and public health officials warn about the risk of diseases spreading, the administration of the Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro launched a new online tool that allows parents to view vaccination and exemption rates for individual schools. State officials say the tool is designed to increase transparency […]
U.S. Dentists Pushed to Vaccinate Patients
Historically, health care providers administer routine vaccines in primary care doctors’ offices or retail pharmacies. Over the past decade, several U.S. states authorized licensed dentists to administer vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now public health officials are evaluating proposals to permanently allow dental practices to routinely administer vaccines and provide vaccine education to patients. The […]