CDC contradicts RFK Jr. on COVID vaccine for kids
The Centers for Disease Control is recommending that children over six months old can get COVID shots after a consultation with a medical provider, contradicting HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's push to drop the shots for healthy kids.
Why it matters: An update the CDC posted online late Thursday adds a new wrinkle to shifting federal recommendations on the shots, and Kennedy's efforts to do away with a COVID booster strategy for healthy children.
State of play: The CDC now says healthy from six months to 17 years old may get COVID vaccines but that decision should be "informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances."
Kennedy said in a video posted to X on Tuesday that CDC would no longer recommend the shots for healthy kids and healthy pregnant women.
The new CDC vaccine schedule contains no recommendation on COVID vaccine for healthy pregnant women.
The CDC previously recommended that kids should get one or more doses of the 2024-2025 version of the COVID shot without a mention of a consultation with a doctor. It also recommended that healthy pregnant women get the shots.
Not all CDC webpages have been updated as of Friday afternoon. One page on vaccine recommendations in pregnancy that appears to have been last updated last year states still has the old guidance that pregnant women should be vaccinated against COVID.
HHS did not immediately respond to comment. The agency told the Washington Post that it is "restoring the doctor-patient relationship" under Kennedy.
Zoom in: The recommendation for shared clinical decision making on COVID shots for kids allows for open conversation between patients and providers about what's best for an individual, according to Richard Hughes, a partner at law firm Epstein Becker Green and a vaccine law expert.
But that recommendation is hard to implement in practice, he added. Health insurers don't always cover vaccines in this category.
"Based on my collective observations of payer coverage of vaccines, the bottom line is expect variability in coverage, prior authorization and out-of-pocket, all of which will discourage uptake," Hughes wrote in an email Friday.
What they're saying: The American Academy of Pediatrics expressed relief on Friday that the vaccine schedule preserves families' ability to obtain COVID vaccines, if they wish.
"However, the deeply flawed process to reach the recommendation raises serious concerns about the stability of the nation's immunization infrastructure and commitment by federal leaders to make sure families can access critical immunizations," Susan Kressly, president of the organization, said in a statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Marjorie Taylor Greene Fumes Over Vaccine Approval: 'Not MAHA at All'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Marjorie Taylor Greene has spoken out against a new COVID-19 vaccine being approved in the United States, saying the move is "not MAHA at all." Why It Matters Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing repeated backlash for some of his positions on health and medicine, including from people who would ordinarily support him. In May, prominent members of the Make America Great Again movement, including Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy's former presidential running mate, and media personality Laura Loomer, spoke out against Kennedy Jr.'s pick for U.S. Surgeon General Casey Means. In March, Kennedy Jr. sparked anger from anti-vax activists when he called on parents to "consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine," with one saying he is "no different than Fauci." Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., arrives for a meeting of House Republicans in the Capitol Visitor Center on May 15, 2025. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., arrives for a meeting of House Republicans in the Capitol Visitor Center on May 15, 2025. AP What To Know The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light for mNEXSPIKE (mRNA-1283), Moderna's new lower-dose COVID-19 vaccine, on May 31. Greene, the U.S. representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district, shared Moderna's post about the recent approval with the caption: "Not MAHA at all!!! Unreal." Not MAHA at all!!! Unreal. — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 1, 2025 She was referring to Kennedy Jr.'s movement Make America Healthy Again, whose mission is to "aggressively combat the critical health challenges facing our citizens, including the rising rates of mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases." Newsweek has contacted the United States Department of Health and Human Services outside of office hours, via email, for comment. The new vaccine is set to be used for adults 65 or older or people between the ages of 12 and 64 with at least one or more underlying risk factor as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Approval for the jab is "based on results from a randomized, observer-blind, active-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial which enrolled approximately 11,400 participants aged 12 years and older," Moderna says. It comes after Kennedy Jr. announced that the CDC is no longer encouraging COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children, marking a shift in federal public health guidance. What People Are Saying Chief Executive Officer of Moderna Stéphane Bancel said in a statement: "The FDA approval of our third product, mNEXSPIKE, adds an important new tool to help protect people at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19. "COVID-19 remains a serious public health threat, with more than 47,000 Americans dying from the virus last year alone. We appreciate the FDA's timely review and thank the entire Moderna team for their hard work and continued commitment to public health." Kennedy Jr. said about the new CDC guidance: "I couldn't be more pleased to announce that as of today the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule." What Happens Next The new vaccine is expected to be ready for those eligible to take it in time for the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season. You should not get mNEXSPIKE if you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of either mNEXSPIKE, SPIKEVAX (an mRNA vaccine for preventing COVID-19) or any Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or to any ingredient in these vaccines, the company warns.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Monoclonal Antibody Segment Set for Significant Expansion, Reaching $2 Billion by 2030
Antibody discovery, crucial for developing targeted therapies in fields like oncology and autoimmune diseases, is evolving with innovations like phage display and AI-driven design. The market is booming across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, driven by personalized medicine and rapid advancements in antibody discovery technologies. Antibody Discovery Market Dublin, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Antibody Discovery - Global Strategic Business Report" has been added to global market for Antibody Discovery was valued at US$1.9 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$3.3 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2024 to 2030. This comprehensive report provides an in-depth analysis of market trends, drivers, and forecasts, helping you make informed business decisions. The report includes the most recent global tariff developments and how they impact the Antibody Discovery market. Why Is Antibody Discovery at the Forefront of Next-Generation Therapeutic Development?Antibody discovery is emerging as a cornerstone of modern drug development, driven by the escalating demand for targeted therapies across oncology, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, and rare conditions. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are transforming clinical outcomes through their high specificity, tunable pharmacokinetics, and ability to engage or inhibit precise molecular targets. The discovery phase - encompassing target identification, antibody generation, screening, and lead optimization - is critical to ensuring downstream therapeutic efficacy, safety, and commercial viability. As biopharmaceutical pipelines increasingly prioritize biologics over small molecules, antibody discovery is becoming an indispensable gateway to innovation.A significant driver of this trend is the surge in demand for personalized medicine and immunotherapy, where antibody-based therapeutics are used to modulate immune response, block disease-associated pathways, or deliver cytotoxic payloads directly to tumor cells. The urgency created by the COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the importance of rapid antibody discovery, as neutralizing antibodies became pivotal in the therapeutic and diagnostic response to SARS-CoV-2. Global interest in therapeutic antibodies is prompting pharmaceutical and biotech firms to accelerate discovery programs using faster, more predictive, and less immunogenic methods. As the market shifts from traditional hybridoma techniques to humanized platforms and next-gen in silico approaches, antibody discovery is positioned at the heart of biopharma R&D strategies Are Technological Innovations Accelerating Discovery Timelines and Improving Lead Quality?Cutting-edge technologies are reshaping every stage of the antibody discovery process, enabling faster identification of high-affinity, developable antibodies with favorable safety and manufacturability profiles. Phage display and yeast display platforms have largely replaced traditional hybridoma-based generation, offering vast diversity libraries and rapid selection capabilities. More recently, microfluidics, single B-cell screening, and high-throughput sequencing have revolutionized early-stage discovery by capturing naturally occurring antibody repertoires from immunized animals or convalescent human donors. These tools enable the isolation of rare, highly potent antibodies that would otherwise go undetected through conventional biology and AI-driven design are also transforming the discovery pipeline by predicting binding affinity, stability, immunogenicity, and epitope specificity in silico. Machine learning algorithms are being trained on large antibody datasets to accelerate lead optimization, reduce experimental trial-and-error, and improve success rates in later development phases. Humanization techniques - ranging from chimerization to full deimmunization - are being refined to enhance safety and reduce rejection risk. Additionally, CRISPR/Cas9 and transgenic animal models are being leveraged to generate fully human antibodies with precise specificity. These technology integrations are enabling rapid, scalable, and cost-efficient antibody discovery workflows that meet the high standards of regulatory and therapeutic Is Market Demand Rising and Which Therapeutic Areas Are Driving Discovery Investment?Market demand for antibody discovery services and platforms is rising sharply across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, where biopharma companies, academic labs, and contract research organizations (CROs) are intensifying efforts to expand antibody-based pipelines. The U.S. leads in therapeutic antibody development, backed by significant biotech investment, advanced research infrastructure, and regulatory support for expedited biologic approvals. Europe, particularly Germany, Switzerland, and the U.K., is seeing strong growth in CRO-based discovery partnerships and academic spinouts. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific - especially China, South Korea, and Japan - is becoming a major hub for antibody innovation, fueled by state-backed biotech programs, growing clinical trial activity, and rapid commercialization remains the largest and fastest-growing therapeutic segment for antibody discovery, accounting for the majority of pipeline activity in monoclonal and bispecific antibodies. Immuno-oncology applications, such as checkpoint inhibitors and T-cell engagers, are expanding rapidly with significant investment in PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4, CD3, and CD20 targets. Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases - including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease - also represent major discovery areas, with antibody candidates aimed at cytokines and immune receptors such as IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-17. Infectious disease research continues to drive antibody discovery in the wake of COVID-19, with new programs targeting HIV, RSV, and influenza. Rare and neurological diseases, including ALS, Alzheimer's, and neuromyelitis optica, are emerging as high-value niches for precision antibody therapies. These diverse and expanding indications are propelling sustained investment and innovation in antibody discovery workflows across Is Fueling the Growth of the Global Antibody Discovery Market?The growth in the antibody discovery market is driven by several factors, including the rising prevalence of chronic and rare diseases, expansion of biologics pipelines, and breakthroughs in molecular screening and AI-assisted drug design. A central driver is the therapeutic success of antibodies already in the market - such as trastuzumab, adalimumab, and pembrolizumab - which continue to demonstrate the clinical and commercial potential of antibody-based drugs. The robust deal activity between pharmaceutical giants and antibody discovery specialists is further catalyzing growth, as companies seek early access to differentiated platforms and promising outsourcing by biotech startups and mid-sized firms is also fueling market demand for discovery-as-a-service models, where CROs and specialized technology vendors provide end-to-end discovery capabilities from antigen design to humanized lead delivery. Advances in automation, sequencing, and data analytics are lowering the cost per discovery while improving success predictability, making antibody R&D more accessible to smaller players. Moreover, government and institutional funding for pandemic preparedness, cancer immunotherapy, and biosimilar development are boosting both public and private sector involvement. As antibody therapeutics become increasingly central to precision medicine and immune modulation, a crucial question emerges - can antibody discovery platforms keep pace with the clinical complexity and specificity required for next-generation, globally accessible biologic treatments?Report ScopeThe report analyzes the Antibody Discovery market, presented in terms of market value (US$ Thousand). The analysis covers the key segments outlined Antibody Type (Monoclonal, Polyclonal, Other Antibody Types) Service (Phage Display, Hybridoma, Other Services) End-Use (Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, Research Laboratories, Other End-Uses) Key Insights: Market Growth: Understand the significant growth trajectory of the Monoclonal Antibody segment, which is expected to reach US$2 Billion by 2030 with a CAGR of a 9.3%. The Polyclonal Antibody segment is also set to grow at 10.9% CAGR over the analysis period. Regional Analysis: Gain insights into the U.S. market, valued at $500.0 Million in 2024, and China, forecasted to grow at an impressive 9.5% CAGR to reach $530.7 Million by 2030. Discover growth trends in other key regions, including Japan, Canada, Germany, and the Asia-Pacific. Report Features: Comprehensive Market Data: Independent analysis of annual sales and market forecasts in US$ Million from 2024 to 2030. In-Depth Regional Analysis: Detailed insights into key markets, including the U.S., China, Japan, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Company Profiles: Coverage of players such as Abcam, AbCellera Biologics, Ablexis, Adimab, Akeso Biopharma and more. Tariff Impact Analysis: Key Insights for 2025Global tariff negotiations across 180+ countries are reshaping supply chains, costs, and competitiveness. This report reflects the latest developments and incorporates forward-looking insights into the market analysts continuously track trade developments worldwide, drawing insights from leading global economists and over 200 industry and policy institutions, including think tanks, trade organizations, and national economic advisory bodies. This intelligence is integrated into forecasting models to provide timely, data-driven analysis of emerging risks and opportunities. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 224 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $3.3 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.8% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: MARKET OVERVIEW World Market Trajectories Antibody Discovery - Global Key Competitors Percentage Market Share in 2025 (E) Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for Players Worldwide in 2025 (E) MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Demand for Precision Biologics Spurs Innovation Across the Antibody Discovery Landscape AI-Driven Screening Platforms Shorten Discovery Timelines for Therapeutic Antibodies Next-Generation Sequencing and Single-Cell Tools Redefine Antibody Target Identification CRO Partnerships Accelerate Outsourced Antibody Discovery Among Biopharma Firms Oncology and Autoimmune Therapies Dominate the Clinical Focus of Antibody Discovery Pipelines Transgenic Animal Models Expand the Scope of Novel Antibody Generation Bispecific and Monoclonal Advances Unlock Complex Disease Targeting in Antibody Discovery Data Integration Across Platforms Enhances Efficiency in Antibody Optimization Collaborations with Academia Infuse Innovation into Antibody Discovery Frameworks Expiry of Biologic Patents Opens New Pathways for Biosimilar Antibody Development Regulatory Support for First-in-Class Biologics Encourages Bold Innovation in Discovery End-to-End Platform Integration Strengthens the Commercial Value Chain in Antibody Discovery FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERSSome of the 41 companies featured in this Antibody Discovery market report include: Abcam AbCellera Biologics Inc. Ablexis Adimab Akeso Biopharma Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Bruker Corporation Charles River Laboratories ChemPartner Creative Biolabs Danaher Corporation Eurofins Scientific Evotec SE FairJourney Biologics Genmab GenScript Biotech Corporation Harbour BioMed Icosagen AS ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd. Isogenica Ltd. For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Antibody Discovery Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Moderna announces FDA approved mNEXSPIKE, new vaccine against COVID-19
Moderna (MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, has approved mNEXSPIKE, a new vaccine against COVID-19, for use in all adults 65 and older, as well as individuals aged 12-64 years with at least one or more underlying risk factor as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'The FDA approval of our third product, mNEXSPIKE, adds an important new tool to help protect people at high risk of severe disease from COVID-19,' said Stephane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. 'COVID-19 remains a serious public health threat, with more than 47,000 Americans dying from the virus last year alone. We appreciate the FDA's timely review and thank the entire Moderna team for their hard work and continued commitment to public health.' Confident Investing Starts Here:
