I'm still in my semi-hiatus in posting while trying to figure out a new look for the website and its content. I don't think I can ever stop browsing all my feeds from around the world, and this past week seems to be mostly annoying noise. Such as .....
- HHS withdrew funding from several grants to the AAP, presumably for being too woke. Note that the AAP is party to a suit against the HHS for its changes to the vaccine schedule.
- The Acting Director of the CDC signed off on the ACIP's recommendation to change hepatitis B vaccine use, no surprise. I was slightly intrigued that he did not sign off on the second vote involving use of serologic testing to determine need for subsequent doses for those newborns who received a first dose. Readers may recall from my December 7 post that this second vote was clear proof that ACIP members were not acting based on any science, even contrived science. Look to AAP and other qualified organizations for vaccine advice.
- FDA has ongoing issues with industry noncompliance with food recalls, highlighted by the infant botulism outbreak connected to ByHeart brand infant formula. Apparently this is a longstanding general problem that predates the current administration.
- CDC awarded an unsolicited research grant to study hepatitis B vaccine to a group at the University of Southern Denmark that has long been criticized for faulty research methods and promoting an anti-vaccine agenda. The grant was never opened to competitive submissions, not that it would have mattered since the awardee was predetermined. The December 2025 issue of the journal Vaccine (subscription required) has an article spelling out concerns with this research group.
- Ending this section with some good news, WHO declared Brazil has eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This is an amazing accomplishment for a large country. Will the US ever get there?
CIDRAP/NEJM Evidence Collaboration
CIDRAP, home of the Vaccine Integrity Project, is partnering with the NEJM Evidence journal to publish a new series on public health alerts. This appears to be an attempt to counter potential censorship of CDC publications. The first topics cover mpox clade Ib transmission in the US and influenza strains from last season.
WRIS
Winter respiratory infection season continues is building up. RSV hospitalizations continue to increase. Percent respiratory test positivity is showing a sharp increase for influenza.
Hotspots for influenza-like-illness (includes flu and other respiratory pathogens) are growing but scattered.
JAMA (subscription required) had a nice Perspective on influenza A H3N2 subclade K. I had mentioned previously that early data from England suggests that our current influenza vaccines will have some effectiveness against significant illness caused by this subclade, even though it has drifted somewhat from the H3N2 vaccine strain.
Measles
We have reached 1958 cases and counting for this calendar year. South Carolina has had 60 cases in the past 2 weeks alone, and other outbreaks are appearing.
NEJM published a nice review article of the disease. I appreciated the concise listing of complication rates seen in developed countries.
A Less Noisy Week Ahead?
At least I hope so. I'm looking forward to a few gatherings with friends and family. Have a quiet, happy, wonderful week.