Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
RFK Jr. Decides What Public Health Proof Is Within HHS Purview, DOJ Says
Stat: In Vaccine Suit, DOJ Says RFK Jr. Can Choose Evidence, Experts
How far can health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. go in remaking public health policy in his image? Could he, say, call on Americans to maximize their exposure to measles in a bid to reach herd immunity? The Department of Justice seems to think so. In defending the health secretary’s changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and to the federal vaccine advisory committee in federal court on Wednesday, government lawyers said that Kennedy and other health officials have broad discretion to issue such guidance — and to choose the kinds of evidence to consider and the experts to consult. (Oza, 3/4)
In other vaccine news —
ScienceAlert: Universal Vaccine Blocks Viruses, Bacteria, And Allergies With A Nasal Spray
Scientists from institutions across the US have now developed a strikingly "universal" vaccine, which has protected mice against a range of viruses, bacteria, and even allergies. The new GLA-3M-052-LS+OVA vaccine can be delivered as a nasal spray. Three doses protected mice from infection from SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses for three months, and reduced the viral load in their lungs 700-fold, compared to unvaccinated mice. (Irving, 3/4)
CIDRAP: RNA Vaccine Funding Cuts Threaten Decades Of Scientific Progress
Federal investment in RNA vaccine research has supported nearly three decades of scientific work spanning infectious diseases, cancer, and vaccine development, but recent and proposed funding cuts threaten to stall that progress, according to a cross-sectional study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. (Bergeson, 3/4)
CIDRAP: Vaccine Integrity Project Kicks Off Evidence Review Of Tdap Vaccine In Pregnancy
The Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) today said it will independently review the safety and efficacy of the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in pregnancy. “For Tdap, the review will assess possible safety outcomes such as miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, pregnancy-related high blood pressure disorders, congenital anomalies, such as spina bifida, and newborn developmental outcomes, as well as reported data on effectiveness in preventing tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) in pregnant adults and newborns,” the VIP press release said. (Van Beusekom, 3/4)
On the spread of flu and measles —
The Washington Post: Flu Has Been Worse Than Covid This Winter. Here’s Why
Now that SARS-CoV-2 is no longer a novel virus sweeping through a population with little immunity, covid and influenza illnesses are becoming more similar, with a key difference: Coronavirus circulates year-round and ticks up in the summer, when flu is gone. Does that mean flu is now the woe of the winter, and covid is the scourge of the summer? It’s complicated and too soon to say. “We don’t know where covid is going. I really don’t think we know what is the next season going to look like,” said Manisha Juthani, Connecticut’s top public health official and president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. (Nirappil, 3/4)
CBS News: Colorado Officials Declare Measles Outbreak In Adams County After Third Person Connected To School Contracts Illness
Colorado health officials declared a measles outbreak in Adams County on Wednesday after a third person connected to Broomfield High School contracted the illness. The new case marks the third case among three unvaccinated people, two of whom are confirmed to be students at the school, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as a cluster of three or more related cases. (Erblat, 3/4)
CBS News: 2 Unvaccinated Sacramento County Children Diagnosed With Measles, Health Officials Say
Public health officials say they've confirmed two cases of measles in Sacramento County. On Wednesday, Sacramento County Public Health announced it had confirmed cases of measles in two unvaccinated children – with one of the cases being linked to South Carolina. (Padilla, 3/4)
