U.S. Researcher Wins $1.9 Million USDA Grant to Develop Novel Bird Flu Vaccine
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has awarded a three-year, $1.9 million grant to a researcher at the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the College of Veterinary Medicine to develop a novel vaccine against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (“bird flu”) and Newcastle disease—another fatal, viral […]
FDA Refuses to Review Moderna’s mRNA Influenza Shot License Application
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declined to accept for review Moderna’s Biologics License Application (BLA) for its mRNA-based seasonal influenza shot, citing concerns about the completeness of the submission. The decision highlights the agency’s commitment to maintaining clear evidentiary standards for approving the licensing of new vaccines.1 On Feb. 3, 2026, the […]
American Medical Association Launches Its Own Vaccine Review Process
The American Medical Association (AMA), a medical trade advocacy association, is partnering with a vaccine research group to launch what it describes as an independent, “evidence-based review process” for respiratory vaccines for the next flu season—a role traditionally carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 2 According to a prepared […]
Changes in Eye Health Linked to mRNA COVID-19 Shots
A recent prospective study published in 2025 in Ophthalmic Epidemiology has identified measurable changes in the cornea of the eye following receipt of mRNA COVID-19 biological, raising new questions about potential effects on eye health. Researchers observed differences in corneal thickness and endothelial cell characteristics in healthy adults after two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech’s Comirnaty COVID […]
Nipah Virus Cases in Asia Increase Pressure to Develop a Vaccine
On Jan. 26, 2026, the government of India confirmed two cases of Nipah virus (NiV) infection in its state of West Bengal. Both cases involved health care workers in a hospital in the district of North 24 Parganas. One of the individuals died after being hospitalized on Jan. 28. Contact tracing linked a total of […]
AAP Issues Its Own Recommended Childhood Vaccine Schedule
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released its own recommended childhood vaccine guidance, breaking with updated recommendations issued earlier this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 On Jan. 6, 2026, the CDC formally updated the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, introducing changes as to how vaccines are categorized and recommended. […]