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Multistate measles outbreak crosses 450 cases, with possible international spread
A measles outbreak spanning Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma reached at least 453 cases Friday and might be linked to cases in other states and across borders. Texas has reported 400 outbreak-associated cases, New Mexico reported 44, and Oklahoma reported nine – seven confirmed and two probable – as of …
Utah becomes the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water
Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, over opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warn the move will lead to medical problems and disproportionately affect low-income communities. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation late Thursday that bars cities and communities from deciding …
Some measles patients in West Texas show signs of vitamin A toxicity, doctors say, raising concerns about misinformation
Doctors treating people hospitalized as part of a measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico have also found themselves facing another problem: vitamin A toxicity. At Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, near the outbreak’s epicenter, several patients have been found to have abnormal liver function on routine lab tests, a …
Her research revealed a safety concern with a vaccine. Then the NIH pulled her funding
On March 10, Dr. Nisha Acharya got a letter from the National Institutes of Health terminating her grant to study the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine recommended for all adults 50 and older in the US. The grant was canceled after a change in NIH policy to not “prioritize …
Top vaccine official forced out of FDA
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the agency’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, was given the choice to resign or be fired. Marks’ resignation takes effect April 5. The news of Marks’ forced resignation was first reported Friday by The Wall Street Journal. “It has become clear that truth and …
HHS cuts 10,000 employees in major overhaul of health agencies
This comes on top of 10,000 employees who’ve left voluntarily, amounting to shrinking by about a quarter of the workforce. The cuts were first reported by The Wall Street Journal. In its announcement, HHS said it will consolidate from 28 to 15 divisions, including a new Administration for a Healthy …