health

The latest in vaccine news

We’ve got something for everyone today when it comes to vaccines. Let’s start with the newsiest bit:

• Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be reshaping another little known piece of federal vaccine infrastructure. He’s removed at least four of the nine members of a panel that advises on a program to compensate people who are injured by vaccines. The abrupt firings mirror actions Kennedy took last year to remake the main federal vaccine advisory panel; stacking this commission with allies could help if he wants to add autism to the list of covered injuries. Read more from STAT’s Chelsea Cirruzzo on what the panel does and what could come next. 

And for the essay-inclined:

• As federal health officials upend long-standing federal vaccine recommendations, you may notice that they’re talking a lot about “shared decision-making.” But what does it really mean? Experts are concerned that the Trump administration is hijacking the term to sow doubt about vaccines. STAT’s Eric Boodman traces the evolution of the term and its uses. Some say it goes back to a 1972 essay about medicine and ethical values. Read more on how we got here. 
• Ben Lopman is an infectious disease epidemiologist who has spent decades studying diarrheal diseases and the viruses that cause them, including rotavirus. And it’s not just professional for him, it’s personal. Lopman’s son was born in 2007, after the rotavirus vaccine was recommended in the U.S. but before it was brought to England, where he lived at the time. Read his First Opinion essay about his family’s experience, and why he believes ending universal rotavirus vaccination is a tragedy.

policy

How the dietary guidelines were made

On the day the new dietary guidelines were released, STAT’s Isabella Cueto noticed that some of the researchers who worked on them had financial ties to the beef and dairy industries, food companies, and more. Now, she’s learned about further entanglements, along with behind-the-scenes details on the process, including crushing deadline pressure that one panelist called “a little outrageous.” Read more to learn why.

public health

The lingering impact of an mpox infection

In 2022, mpox (which the Trump administration recently reverted to calling “monkeypox”) surged in multiple countries, including the U.S. Transmission of the virus, which causes painful, pus-filled lesions, historically occurred through contact with infected animals. But in 2022 and more recently, it has traveled person-to-person through sexual contact, particularly among gay men.

A study published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that out of more than 150 people who were diagnosed with mpox in New York and Houston in 2022, more than half reported lasting physical symptoms about 11 to 18 months later. Skin scarring was most common, especially on the penis, groin, arms, and chest. Among the people with lingering scars or discoloration, half had it in one or two places, while 8% were affected in 10 or more places. 

People were largely not experiencing debilitating symptoms — nearly 9 out of 10 rated their overall health as at least good. But it’s important information, as mpox cases began rising again last year in cities like Los Angeles and New York. Case counts remain far below the levels seen in 2022, but some experts are calling for research on the viability of an mpox vaccine booster. For a refresh on mpox FAQ, we’ve got a video for you.