Public Confidence in Measles Vaccine Falls in U.S.
Public confidence in the safety of measles vaccines has declined in the United States, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The survey found that 76 percent of people in the U.S. consider the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine safe for children. That figure was 84 percent in a similar Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May […]
Graphene Oxide Being Tested on Animals as an Adjuvant in Vaccines
Graphene oxide (GO) is a material made from graphene, a very thin form of carbon, with oxygen added to its structure. Scientists have studied GO for possible medical uses, including its use as an ingredient in vaccines. Other researchers have examined what happens when GO comes into contact with human cells. A review published in […]
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 […]