NEWSROOM

Health and medical organizations denounce the RFK Jr.-inspired decision to cut the number of recommended vaccines, quoting Coordinating Committee member and virologist James Alwine from DPH's statement.

In coverage of the CDC's decision to pare back childhood vaccine recommendations, DPH Coordinating Committee member James Alwine comments, “Viruses and bacteria that were under control are being set free on our most vulnerable. It may take one or two years for the tragic consequences to become clear, but this is like asking farmers in North Dakota to grow pineapples. It won’t work and can’t end well.”

In this year end review, Norbert Goldfield reflects on the good, bad and many ugly changes in US health policy under the Trump Administration in 2025 and how healthcare might play an important role in national politics in 2026 particularly as rising healthcare costs become a larger part of the conversation about the affordability crisis.

The Nation's Health reports on how Trump administration changes in federal aid will negatively impact current and future students in health related fields. Experts including Defend Public Health Coordinating Committee Member Gregg Gonsalves weigh in on how these changes will reduce the number of doctors, nurses and other health professionals coming into the health system.

DPH Coordinating Committee members Elizabeth Jacobs and James Alwine urge Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs to to join the 14 states and one territory that have formed the Governors’ Public Health Alliance, working to mitigate the crippling of federal public health efforts by strengthening emergency preparedness, improving communication, sharing data and expertise, and helping ensure states and territories can respond quickly and consistently to emerging health threats.

Scientific American talks to epidemiologists about the dangers of HHS Secretary Kennedy's reported intent to make U.S. childhood vaccination recommendations similar to Denmark's. DPH member Jessica Malaty Rivera calls the idea "a terrible mistake," a sentiment echoed by other experts.

Defend Public Health Coordinating Committee Member Gregg Gonsalves reflects on the people and groups who have challenged the Trump Administration's various attacks on public health in the past year.

The Guardian reports on the Trump administration's plan to fund a $1.6 million study in Guinea-Bissau on the efficacy of infant Hepatitis B vaccination. Defend Public Health Coordinating Committee Member Beth Jacobs and others discuss the issues with the project including the unnecessary challenge to previous research on the efficacy of Hepatitis B vaccination, the ethical issues of limiting these vaccines in a country with high rates of Hepatitis B, and the checkered history of the researchers leading the project.

DPH Coordinating Committee member Bruce Mirken surveys a variety of experts (including several DPH members) to assess the damage done to public health in 2025 and where we need to go from here if we are to save lives.

The Dept. of Health and Human Services suddenly cut off grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a group that has criticized HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In addition to statements from the Academy, this article quotes from DPH's amicus brief in support of the Academy's lawsuit against RFK Jr. over his moves to restrict access to vaccines.