Louisiana Surgeon General Named to No. 2 Post at CDC
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) last week confirmed the appointment of Louisiana surgeon general Ralph Abraham, MD to be principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Abraham, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2021 representing Louisiana’s 5th congressional district, will […]
Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Pegged at About 50 Percent
Each year, the influenza vaccine is promoted across the country—recommended by public health authorities, advertised widely, and often required by medical workplaces, schools, and childcare centers. Yet, the vaccine’s effectiveness remains uncertain, as it is formulated months in advance based on predictions of which influenza virus strains will predominately circulate. This season, the flu shot’s […]
FDA Questions Safety of Giving Multiple Vaccines at Once
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is re-evaluating the long-standing federal vaccine use policy that allows multiple vaccines to be given during the same visit—particularly COVID-19, influenza and RSV shots. In a memo last month, Vinay Prasad, MD, MPH, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), wrote that the agency […]
CDC Committee No Longer Recommends MMRV Vaccine for Children Under Four
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Sept. 18-19, 2025 to review recommendations on childhood vaccines, including the combined live virus measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) shot, marketed under the brand name ProQuad®. In a notable shift, the panel voted not to recommend the […]
FDA Revokes EUA Status for COVID-19 Shots
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has revoked emergency use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 shots. The federal government had relied on the EUA status to justify release of the COVID-19 biologicals in December 2020 for public distribution without full licensure by the FDA.1 On Aug. 27, 2025, DHHS Secretary Robert F. […]
Expired COVID-19 Shots Repurposed for Biosensor Research
During the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmaceutical companies manufactured mRNA COVID-19 shots in massive quantities. While many of the shots were distributed and administered, a large number went unused, eventually expiring and being discarded. To avoid this type wastage in the future, researchers at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) in Lithuania are proposing a […]