CDC

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CDC Looks at a Big Change in Childhood Vaccinations

Panel looks likely to stop recommending early hepatitis B vaccinations, take a broader look

(Newser) - The CDC's vaccine advisory panel, now led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointees, will vote to stop recommending the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, marking a major shift in US immunization policy, the Washington Post reports. Members will vote to alter the longstanding policy on Thursday, Kirk Milhoan, the...

RFK Jr. Is Asked: What if You're Wrong?
RFK Jr.
Is Asked:
What if
You're Wrong?
longform
Nov 29, 2025 11:30 AM CST

RFK Jr. Is Asked: What if You're Wrong?

'We would listen,' he tells the Atlantic in profile, but health secretary remains confident he's right

(Newser) - Michael Scherer's lengthy profile of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the Atlantic gets to the heart of the matter early: Is the health secretary a "truth-telling crusader, or brain-wormed loon?" Those on both sides will find ammo to bolster their cases in the piece, which is different from...

Kentucky Logs 3rd Infant Death From Pertussis This Year

State urges vaccinations as whooping cough cases rise to record levels

(Newser) - Kentucky has reported its third infant death from whooping cough in the past year, state health officials announced on Monday. The Kentucky Department for Public Health says the latest case, like the previous two, involved an unvaccinated infant whose mother was also not vaccinated, per the Hill . These are the...

Kennedy: Autism Change on CDC Site Was My Idea

Evidence doesn't support former guidance about vaccines as a cause, health secretary says

(Newser) - That change in the way the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention addresses whether vaccines cause autism on its website was not the result of a new study or emerging agency consensus. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the turnaround was on his order, the New York Times reports....

CDC Makes Big Change to Page on Autism, Vaccines

The statement 'Vaccines do not cause autism' now has asterisk, disclaimer

(Newser) - During Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation hearings, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a key vote, said Kennedy had assured him that the CDC would "not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism." Kennedy has kept his word, but not...

Flu Season May Pack an Extra Punch
Flu Season May
Pack an Extra Punch
Nov 20, 2025 9:59 AM CST

Flu Season May Pack an Extra Punch

H3N2 linked to more severe illness, and now, there's a new variant spreading

(Newser) - Health experts are warning the upcoming flu season in the US could be particularly severe. Richard Webby, a flu researcher at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, points to significant flu activity in the Southern Hemisphere, which often serves as a preview for the Northern Hemisphere's season. "The...

US Is on the Brink of Losing Measles Elimination Status

Outbreaks in 3 states have been linked

(Newser) - The CDC has officially linked measles outbreaks in Texas, Utah, and Arizona, raising concerns that the US could lose its measles elimination status for the first time in 25 years. The chain of transmission originated in January within a Mennonite community in Texas and spread to Oklahoma and New Mexico...

In Texas, Whooping Cough Cases Have Quadrupled

Health officials link outbreak to declining vaccination rates

(Newser) - Whooping cough cases in Texas have soared to more than four times last year's count, according to a new alert from the state's health department. So far in 2024, Texas has reported more than 3,500 cases of the highly contagious respiratory sickness, marking the second consecutive year...

2 More Dead as Listeria Outbreak Grows

Food poisoning in 18 states is tied to recalled pasta meals sold at Walmart, Trader Joe's, more

(Newser) - Two new deaths and seven more illnesses have been reported in an expanding outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to recalled pasta meals sold at grocery stores including Walmart and Trader Joe's. In total, at least six people have died and 27 have been sickened in 18 states in...

New Vaccine Fight Is Over Aluminum
New Vaccine Fight
Is About Aluminum
Oct 16, 2025 7:34 AM CDT

New Vaccine Fight Is About Aluminum

FDA review could put many childhood vaccinations at risk

(Newser) - A new fight over childhood vaccines is brewing, this time over aluminum. Specifically, FDA officials are considering the removal of aluminum salts from shots, a move that could put about half of childhood vaccinations at risk, reports the New York Times . President Trump signaled the fight during his July news...

Administration Lays Off 1K at CDC, Including Measles Teams

Hundreds of scientists receive notices

(Newser) - The Trump administration's layoffs of federal workers that began Friday include more than 1,000 staff members at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many of whom are experts tracking outbreaks of measles and Ebola. A Health and Human Services spokesman said the job cuts are a...

Poll Shows Deep Partisan Divide on RFK Jr., Health Opinions

Nearly 60% of Americans disapprove of health secretary, though that's mainly Dems, independents

(Newser) - A new poll from KFF spotlights just how sharply health opinions are split along party lines in the United States. Asked about President Trump's recent public attack on acetaminophen—the main ingredient in Tylenol, which he linked to autism—Democrats and Republicans responded in near mirror-image opposition. While...

CDC Makes Big Change to COVID Shot Guidance

Department says patients must consult with health professionals

(Newser) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has adopted recommendations by a new group of vaccine advisers, and stopped recommending COVID-19 shots for anyone—leaving the choice up to patients. The government health agency on Monday announced it has adopted recommendations made last month by advisers picked by US Health...

More Moms Are Choosing Home Births
Home Births Are on the Rise
Oct 6, 2025 6:32 AM CDT

Home Births Are on the Rise

The shift is attributed to skepticism about hospital maternity care, a desire for greater control

(Newser) - Amid rising concerns about hospital care, more American families are choosing home births, signaling a shift in trust and expectations for maternity care. Home births in the US have continued to rise after an initial pandemic wave, with more than 1.5% of live births occurring at home in...

Another Cruise Is Hit With an Uncomfortable Outbreak

CDC says more than 70 on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas came down with norovirus

(Newser) - A Royal Caribbean cruise turned into a rough ride for dozens of passengers this week, as a norovirus outbreak sickened 71 guests and a crew member aboard the Serenade of the Seas, according to the CDC . The ship left San Diego on Sept. 19 for a 13-night voyage and...

Routine Vaccines May Help Cut Dementia Risk: Studies

Researchers highlight flu, shingles, and RSV for potential brain benefits

(Newser) - A growing body of research suggests that several common vaccines may do more than just prevent infectious diseases—they're also linked to a lower risk of developing dementia. Physicians and researchers point to this as an added incentive for adults, especially older ones, to keep up with routine...

CBP Looked for Plants and Cigars, Found a Skull Instead

Human remains found during routine luggage check at Tampa airport, passenger claims ritual use

(Newser) - Customs officials at Tampa International Airport made a gruesome find in a traveler's bag this week. During what started as a standard baggage inspection, agents uncovered a foil-wrapped bundle containing human bones, including part of a skull. The passenger, whose identity and nationality weren't disclosed, reportedly told...

Kennedy's Panel Adds Dose of Confusion on COVID Shots

Advisers drop recommendation for annual vaccination but recommend checking with doctor first

(Newser) - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new vaccine advisers on Friday muddied the picture on this fall's COVID-19 vaccinations. The CDC panel declined to recommend the vaccines for anyone, leaving the decision on whether to have the shot up to Americans, the AP reports. At the same...

CDC Panel Plans to Limit MMRV Vaccine for Young Kids

Panel cites seizure risk for kids under 4 in guidance

(Newser) - A CDC advisory panel voted Thursday to alter its stance on the MMRV vaccine, which combines the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine with a varicella, or chickenpox, vaccine. The group suggested that children under 4 should not routinely receive the combo shot due to a slightly increased risk of...

Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii Form Vaccine Alliance

The states just issued their own vaccine recommendations

(Newser) - Four Democratic-led Western states announced joint recommendations Wednesday about who should be vaccinated for seasonal respiratory viruses, including the flu and COVID-19, saying the Trump administration has jeopardized public health by politicizing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the AP reports. California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii earlier this...

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