RFK Jr. Lands on Next Target of His MAHA Crusade
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will discuss the vaccine preservative thimerosal in its June 26 meeting, according to a draft agenda.
The advisory committee previously had 17 members who were all sacked by Kennedy earlier this month and replaced with eight new ones, including anti-vaccine voices like Dr. Robert Malone, who pushed COVID-19 conspiracies in a 2021 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.
Thimerosal, a preservative that is used to prevent microbial growth in vaccines, has long been targeted by anti-vaccine activists because it contains mercury. Kennedy himself authored a book in 2014 that advocated for the removal of thimerosal from vaccines, erroneously linking it to autism.
Kennedy claimed that thimerosal is 'immensely toxic to brain tissue,' but multiple peer-reviewed studies, as well as health agencies like the CDC and Food and Drug Administration, have long maintained there is no link between the ingredient and autism.
'Many well-conducted studies have concluded that thimerosal in vaccines does not contribute to the development of autism,' the CDC says on its website. 'Even after thimerosal was removed from almost all childhood vaccines, autism rates continued to increase, which is the opposite of what would be expected if thimerosal caused autism.'
The FDA similarly stated that 'scientific studies of the risk of other serious neurodevelopmental disorders have failed to support a causal link with thimerosal.'
As a precautionary measure, however, the FDA in 1999 recommended the removal of thimerosal from vaccines routinely given to infants. The use of the ingredient has also dropped sharply over the years as many vaccines were reformulated to single-dose packaging.
Jeremy Faust, editor-in-chief of MedPage Today, warned in an op-ed that the anti-vaccine movement will take the inclusion of thimerosal in the vaccine panel's agenda as 'a major win.'
'To be clear, removing the compound will do nothing to improve vaccine safety, but it certainly will undermine confidence in other existing vaccines,' he wrote. 'While there are many alternatives for influenza vaccines that do not contain thimerosal, elevating this debunked myth to national policy lends credence to misinformation, and sets the stage for other actions that may undermine vaccine confidence in the United States.'
Last month, Kennedy removed COVID-19 vaccines from the list of shots recommended for children and pregnant women.
Dr. Fiona Havers, a physician who oversaw respiratory virus data—including hospitalization rates for COVID-19—resigned as a top vaccine specialist for the CDC on Monday in the wake of Kennedy's controversial overhaul of the agency.
'If it isn't stopped, and some of this isn't reversed, like, immediately, a lot of Americans are going to die as a result of vaccine-preventable diseases,' she said in an interview with The New York Times.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Novo Nordisk (NVO) Receives FDA Approval for Wegovy
Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) is one of the Most Profitable Large Cap Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. On August 15, Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) announced that the FDA had approved the use of its new drug Wegovy to treat adults with noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. The drug also moderates advanced liver fibrosis. The approval follows positive results from the ESSENCE trial, where the drug depicted better results compared to the placebo. At week 72, 36.8% of patients taking Wegovy improved their liver fibrosis without worsening steatohepatitis. Whereas the placebo only improved results in 22.4% of the patients. With the approval, Wegovy is now the first and only GLP-1 drug approved for noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. An elderly couple receiving insulin from a pharmacist, representing healthcare company's successful pharmaceutical products. Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) is a global healthcare company specializing in diabetes and obesity care. While we acknowledge the potential of NVO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Mexico Game and Fish says viral ‘horned rabbits' possible in the state
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Demon rabbits, franken-bunnies, and zombie rabbits are just some of the names these funky little critters have been coined across social media. 'It doesn't look real at all,' said Alena Cordova of Albuquerque. Peculiar-looking cotton-tailed rabbits have been popping up in northern Colorado. And although these rabbits may look intimidating, experts say there's no reason to be spooked. 'It looked like a zombie and kind of disturbing,' said Julius Angeli of Albuquerque. His mother, Eva Angeli, told KRQE News 13 that these rabbits look unreal. 'It looks like something out of science fiction,' she said. These rabbits are infected with a papilloma virus that produces benign protrusions on a rabbit's or hare's face or head. 'Fortunately, these growths tend to be benign, so, but still, it's definitely out of the ordinary,' explained Darren Vaughan, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish to sell nearly 500 leftover deer licenses He says the growths can impede a rabbit's ability to eat, drink, or move around, but the virus is not contagious. It's transmitted to rabbits from fleas, ticks, or even mosquitoes. 'It is not transmissible to people or other animals. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't still take caution,' continued Vaughan. Vaughan says that although there have been no reports of these infected rabbits in New Mexico so far, it's not something they are ruling out just yet. 'As far as we know, it hasn't made its way into New Mexico yet. But then again, like I said, it could just be that people haven't seen it yet, that it is in fact here,' said Vaughan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
California is seeing spike in tick-borne illness anaplasmosis, experts warn
Ticks carrying a disease called anaplasmosis are spreading quickly throughout California, experts say. The disease is mainly showing up in dogs. Since dogs spend more time outdoors, experts say rising cases in pets could signal that humans may soon be at greater risk. More than half of the state's counties are now considered "high risk," according to the nonprofit group Companion Animal Parasite Council's data. "There's not a lot of awareness in California because most people think it's primarily a disease of the Upper Midwest and Northeast," said Dr. Jane Sykes, a professor of veterinary medicine at UC Davis. The culprit is the same western black-legged tick that spreads Lyme disease. In dogs, anaplasmosis can cause fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In some cases, dogs may also experience nosebleeds, neck pain, or even seizures. "They kind of look depressed, dull, they don't want to move," Sykes said. "They have a fever, and sometimes they can develop vomiting." Veterinarians say diagnosis can be difficult, especially if owners don't mention that their dogs are often in tick-prone areas, making awareness critical. The good news: the illness can be treated quickly with antibiotics. "It doesn't matter when you give the antibiotics, it just costs more to have your dog in the hospital, not feeling well, going back in and out of veterinary clinics before the right diagnosis is made," Sykes explained. According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, between 2021 and 2024 the number of dogs testing positive for the illness nearly tripled. More than half of California's counties are now at "high risk," including Yolo, Placer, and El Dorado counties. Veterinarians say the best way to keep dogs safe is year-round tick and flea prevention, as well as examining pets after walks in grassy or wooded areas.
