Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Measles Spiked In 2025, So Did Vitamin A Poisonings
People.com: Vitamin A Poisonings Increased Around Time RFK Jr. Promoted It As Measles Treatment, Study Shows
A study published by the JAMA Network on June 1 suggests that internet searches for 'vitamin A' measles peaked in March 2025, around the same time RFK Jr. promoted the nutrient as a treatment. This correlates with America’s Poison Centers' report of increased vitamin A poisonings issued shortly afterward. (Goldberg and Walcott, 6/9)
KFF Health News: Anguished Parents. Doctors In Tears. Utah’s Long Measles Outbreak Takes A Toll.
SALT LAKE CITY — Ben Dowse hadn’t expected to treat measles when he became a doctor, but there he was, examining a newborn exposed to the virus in the womb. The infected mother had given birth just hours earlier. The hospital had alerted Dowse to the case before delivery, and he’d braced himself for the worst. Dowse wore a full-body protective suit with a plastic face mask. As a pediatrician in southern Utah, he couldn’t risk getting even a mild infection, because many of his patients are babies too young for measles vaccines or children whose parents choose not to protect them with immunizations. “I went in looking like a scientist in E.T.,” he said. (Maxmen, 6/10)
The Sacramento Bee: Measles Found In Wastewater In This California County. Who Is Most At Risk?
The measles virus has been detected in the wastewater of a California county, adding a new warning sign as the state continues to see a rise in cases this year, according to public health officials. The Merced County Department of Public Health said Friday that measles virus material was found in routine wastewater surveillance samples collected in the county. (Rodriguez, 6/9)
More about vaccines —
CIDRAP: Poll Reveals Plunging Trust In CDC Guidance But Broad Backing For Childhood Vaccines
More than a year into President Donald Trump’s second term, poll findings released today show that trust in federal public health agencies has nosedived, with half of US adults skeptical of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but most Americans are supportive of childhood vaccines. The poll also found that, while over half of respondents are in favor of recent changes to the US food pyramid and dietary guidelines, support for some of the alterations varies sharply by political bent. (Van Beusekom, 6/9)
The Conversation: World’s First AI-Designed Vaccine Explained
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed what they describe as a fundamentally new type of vaccine using artificial intelligence (AI). The vaccine’s key component was designed entirely by AI and has now been tested in people for the first time. The goal is ambitious: a single vaccine that works not just against all known human coronavirus variants, but against related bat viruses that could jump from animals to humans and cause future pandemics. (Mabbott, 6/9)
The latest on the Ebola outbreak —
CIDRAP: Police Shoot, Kill Third Protester At US-Backed Ebola Facility In Kenya
Police shot and killed a man protesting the building of a US-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya on Tuesday. The legality of the Nanyuki facility, which if completed, will have 50 beds, is still up in the air, but locals have protested the construction, saying it’s an unnecessary burden for Kenya to take on for the United States. This is the third death among Kenyan protesters who are angry over the unit, which would be built near the Laikipia Air Base. Two protesters were also killed last week in skirmishes with local police. (Soucheray, 6/9)
Reuters: No Boots, Masks Running Out: Why Congo’s Ebola Medics Are Exposed
Nearly a month into one of the world’s largest ever Ebola outbreaks, medics in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are struggling to secure basic equipment to stay safe and prevent further spread of the disease, according to more than a dozen doctors, humanitarian workers and public health officials. While major donors are surging funding, the size of the outbreak, reductions in pre-positioned stocks due to aid cuts, and logistical problems have caused shortages and driven up costs for personal protective equipment. (Farge, Rigby, Le Poidevin and Ross, 6/9)
Reuters: Congo Says Number Of Confirmed Ebola Cases Rises To Nearly 600
The Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday said confirmed Ebola cases had climbed to nearly 600, raising awareness within the local population about the importance of safety measures. (6/9)
