Sarah Despres

4 questions to understand the costs of ‘medical freedom’ The choice that one person makes not to vaccinate has real costs — financial and otherwise — for their neighbors.

Excellent piece by @sarahd1.bsky.social on costs of “medical freedom”

“No state has ever completely eliminated vaccine requirements…

Policymakers… can look to research that has shown that areas with greater numbers of exemptions to vaccine requirements do see more disease.”

CIDRAP -- COMMENTARY: When confusion replaces clarity about vaccines, children pay the price

by Michael T. Osterholm and Sarah Despres

@cidrap.bsky.social @mtosterholm.bsky.social @sarahd1.bsky.social

▶️ bit.ly/3NuVcUR

4 questions to understand the costs of ‘medical freedom’ The choice that one person makes not to vaccinate has real costs — financial and otherwise — for their neighbors.

Medical freedom isn’t free. How should policy makers evaluate vaccine policy proposals. My piece for stat.

www.statnews.com/2025/12/23/v...

HEADS UP: CDC website now officially asserts that vaccines may cause autism.“Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.” Also says the “vaccines do not cause autism” header remains b/c of an agreement with Cassidy.

Just received an advance copy of our new book *Information Sick*—
Coming in October.

As timely as ever.

Check out the latest from me, Steve Cha, @sarahd1.bsky.social & @cspinet.org's @drpeterlurie.bsky.social.

Whatever one thinks of the merits of FDA's decision, the process by which decisions (and policies) are made matters. And the process here spells trouble for public health and innovation.

Image shows PDF of article.

Viewpoint: Recent federal actions against @harvard.edu highlight vulnerabilities in US immigration policy that threaten the medical training pipeline and patient care.

https://ja.ma/445JXYF

The Straight Shot: Federal vaccine updates - May 14, 2025 A regular update on emerging federal vaccine issues. On May 14, 2025, this list—drawn from news reports and other information—ranks the most significant changes to vaccination policy, with brief comme...

Looking to stay up to date on changes in vaccine policy? We have you covered!

www.cspinet.org/cspi-news/st...

Where is @northeasternu.bsky.social ?

Amid West Texas measles outbreak, vaccine resistance hardens A child has died in an outbreak that has grown to 146 cases.

Important reporting on the measles outbreak in Texas.

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

www.inquirer.com/health/measl...

More measles.

www.chfs.ky.gov/News/Documen...

First measles death is reported in the West Texas outbreak that's infected more than 120 people A person who was hospitalized has died from measles in West Texas. It's the first since the outbreak began late last month.

First measles death in the TX outbreak. And this death was preventable.

apnews.com/article/meas...

Vaccine safety panel long criticized by RFK Jr. told to postpone meeting Health and Human Services officials said the postponement was to accommodate public comment ahead of the meeting but experts decried the delay.

By postpomong this meeting, HHS is indefinitely delaying the public discussion of important data on the safety and effectiveness of several vaccines, which is the opposite of transparency.

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

What slashing federal agency budgets could mean for food safety Podcast Episode · Marketplace Morning Report · 02/20/2025 · 8m

What do the recent round of staffing cuts at FDA mean for food safety? This podcast explains. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

FDA’s head of device safety among employees terminated in 'challenging' weekend The cuts hit the FDA's medical device center particularly hard, including reviewers and experts on AI-enabled medical technology.

The head of medical device safety at FDA was terminated this weekend.

www.statnews.com/2025/02/18/f...

Trump administration fires thousands for ‘performance’ without evidence, in messy rush Many probationary employees targeted in latest Trump cuts across agencies had excellent ratings; legal challenges are expected.

"This account of how the Trump administration’s firings played out over the weekend, sowing pain and chaos, is based on interviews and messages with more than 275 federal workers, as well as dozens of government records and communications." www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Wanna know something scary? Measles can erase your immune system. Time to read up on immune amnesia. asm.org/articles/201...

Recognizing and Strengthening the 4 Pillars of US Childhood Vaccine Policy This JAMA Forum discusses Trump administration nominations for the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, their po...

@drjoshs.bsky.social and I have put together an explainer of the pillars of vaccine policy, which is out today. Nice timing! jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

CNN: “.. in Gaines County, .. nearly 1 in 5 incoming kindergartners in the 2023-24 school year did not get the vaccine. The 18% vaccine exemption rate for the county is one of the highest in the state ..”

www.cnn.com/2025/02/07/h...

www.cnn.com/2025/02/07/h...