All posts tagged "Vaccines"

President Donald Trump yet again appeared to fall asleep on Monday after he signed an executive order reducing the recommended childhood vaccine schedule.

Trump was in the Oval Office where he was meeting with several administration officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, to discuss the overhaul to the vaccine schedule.

People noted that Trump's eyes were closed during the press event, in a moment captured on video....

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dialed back his public comments around vaccines, but behind-the-scenes, something else is underway, according to a New York Times report published on Monday.

Kennedy had a direct order to curb his critiques of vaccines and his suggestion — despite a lack of scientific evidence — that chronic disease was tied to vaccines. The Trump administration was apparently concerned that the cabinet member's talk around the topic could impact Republicans' chances of maintaining control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.

"But he has not abandoned his quest for evidence that they are unsafe," according to The Times....

Comedian John Mulaney had a fierce smackdown for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in front of a large audience at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend.

Mulaney was performing at the "Night Of Too Many Stars," a benefit for autism programs featuring top comics at the Los Angeles venue, when he dug into Kennedy's role and reputation in the Trump administration, TMZ reported. He started the monologue off by describing his own past experience with Kennedy.

"This is the best benefit I've done since Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Riverkeeper's benefit 10 years ago," Mulaney said, impersonating Kennedy's voice. ...

A Senate Republican pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his anti-vaccine stance during the top Trump health official's appearance before the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the chairman of the committee, told Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. that trust in vaccines and rates of immunization have dropped in the last year "due to false statements about safety and efficacy of vaccines" during the testimony.

"I'm a guy who has seen people die from vaccine-preventable diseases," Cassidy, a doctor, told RFK Jr. "When I see outbreaks numbering in the thousands and people dying once more from vaccine preventable diseases, particularly children, it seems more than tragic." ...

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine policies were rejected by a judge on Monday, according to reports.

The decision was the latest hit for the Trump administration after Judge Brian Murphy ruled in favor of six medical organizations that challenged Kennedy's sweeping moves over the last year to limit COVID-19 vaccines and change the childhood immunization schedule, The New York Times reported.

"The court also reversed, at least for the time being, all decisions made by the panelists that Mr. Kennedy appointed to the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which makes recommendations on which vaccines Americans should take," according to The Times. "The ruling prevents the panelists from meeting later this week as scheduled."...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s principal deputy director, Dr. Ralph Abraham, has stepped down from his role and left the agency effective immediately, according to reports released Monday.

Abraham reportedly decided to step down "to address unforeseen family obligations," according to a statement from the CDC. No further details were released.

"It has been an honor to serve alongside the dedicated public health professionals at the CDC and to support the agency's critical mission," Abraham said....