Public Health News Round Up, April 11, 2025

by Jon Scaccia April 11, 2025

I saw today that NIH scientists might be able to travel to conference again, but only if it’s officially ru n through the Department. Okay, seems reasonable, except where they are prohibited from attending conferences on their own dime and time.

Well, here’s what we have coming up next week.

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Measles may not longer be formally “eliminated’

The U.S. is seeing a worrying resurgence of measles with outbreaks in several states, threatening to undo the country’s decades-long elimination of the disease primarily achieved through widespread MMR vaccination. Rising case numbers, particularly among unvaccinated children, and reports of international spread highlight the urgent need for increased vaccination efforts to protect public health and maintain elimination status.

RFK Jr. claims new research effort will find cause of ‘autism epidemic’ by September

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is spearheading a swift global research initiative to uncover the causes of autism, a project that critics argue is colored by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial views linking vaccines to autism, despite substantial scientific evidence debunking such a connection. As Kennedy promises answers by September, experts and autism advocates express skepticism about the research’s integrity, transparency, and feasibility, fearing a predetermined agenda that overlooks established science and distracts from meaningful scientific work.

Slashed federal funding cancels vaccine clinics amid measles surge

The abrupt cancellation of $11.4 billion in federal COVID-related funds by the CDC has forced many U.S. states to terminate vaccination clinics, notably in vulnerable communities, even amid a resurgence of measles and increasing vaccine hesitancy. Despite a temporary block on these cuts, health departments are struggling to maintain vaccination and public health education efforts, potentially endangering community health and trust in public health systems.

Trump and RFK Jr. Want to Make America Poisoned Again

In a swift and controversial move, the Trump administration is aiming to dismantle federal and state regulations on PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” through changes at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This shift, coupled with state law preemption, raises serious concerns about public health, as these chemicals have been linked to various chronic diseases, despite their broad public and bipartisan opposition. Meanwhile, the administration’s chaotic approach to policy is not limited to chemicals; it extends across various sectors, including agriculture and international aid, demonstrating a broader pattern of prioritizing corporate interests at the expense of health and environmental protections. The administration’s actions reveal a troubling disparity between professed public health priorities and policies that undermine those very goals.

“Not Just Measles”: Whooping Cough Cases Are Soaring as Vaccine Rates Decline

In light of declining vaccination rates and significant cuts to public health funding, preventable diseases like pertussis and measles are making a troubling comeback across the United States. Health experts warn that the dismantling of public health infrastructure, coupled with mixed messages around immunizations, is setting the stage for more outbreaks, posing serious risks to unprotected communities and especially vulnerable populations like babies and young children.