By Targeting a Key Ingredient in Vaccines, CDC Panel Jeopardizes Nation’s US Vaccine Supply
The CDC’s Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule Workgroup will assess the feasibility of removing aluminum salts from vaccines, the health agency announced. Vaccine experts warn that banning this important ingredient would compromise half of the country’s supply of routine childhood shots, including immunizations to prevent whooping cough, polio and flu. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that the aluminum salt is harmful, despite evidence clearly showing it is safe.
Full Story: MedPageToday, New York Times
mRNA Vaccines During Pregnancy Do Not Cause Birth Defects, Research Shows
According to a new study, mRNA COVID vaccines in the early stages of pregnancy do not raise the risk of birth defects. Specifically, the study found no link between vaccines during the first trimester of pregnancy and 75 major congenital malformations. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, reaffirms previous research showing the safety of mRNA vaccines.
While the vaccines have been proven to be safe, a COVID infection during pregnancy raises the risk of health complications and death in babies.
“When women are infected during pregnancy, the risks of complications increase significantly, particularly for preterm birth and both maternal and infant morbidity and mortality,” the researchers said. “To prevent these adverse outcomes, messenger RNA (mRNA)–based COVID-19 vaccines have widely been recommended during pregnancy, initially only in high-income countries and subsequently worldwide.”
Full Story: CIDRAP
