Category: Science and Tech
Understanding the Impact of Federal Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Research
American Lung Assn Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cancelled $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine research and development. This decision will have devastating consequences for public health and goes against the science, which has demonstrated the efficacy of mRNA vaccines. Though mRNA medicine has only recently entered the public […]
Sep 17, 2025
CDC Infectious Disease Data Project Shelved
MedPageToday Website was going to make data more available, but HHS put it on hold indefinitely. HHS has put on ice a CDC project that would make information about dozens of diseases available in near real time, CDC sources told MedPage Today. Since early summer, the team has been working on a more user-friendly website that […]
Sep 10, 2025
RFK Jr. Vowed to Find Environmental Causes of Autism, but Axed That Type of Research
Med Page Today “We need to stop trusting the experts,” Kennedy recently said. Erin McCanlies, MPH, PhD, was listening to the radio one morning in April when she heard Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promising to find the cause of autism by September. The secretary of Health and Human Services said he believed an environmental toxin […]
Aug 27, 2025
Dormant cancers can be reawakened by flu, COVID: Study
Fox Infections like influenza and COVID-19 may do more than cause temporary illness. A new study suggests they can also “wake up” dormant cancer cells, potentially increasing the risk of recurrence and metastasis years after treatment. The research, led by Dr. James DeGregori at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, was published July 30 […]
Aug 20, 2025
Gene-Swaps Could Let Influenza Jump Species
Scientific American Influenza viruses like bird flu can mix and match their genomes, and this has played a role in at least three of the last four flu pandemics. Influenza viruses are shifty entities. They accumulate small genetic changes on a regular basis, necessitating yearly updates to the flu vaccines because the prior year’s strain may not […]
Jul 30, 2025
This Boise lab used to ship bird flu samples to CO. Now it gets results in hours
Idaho Statesman Since bird flu was first detected in Idaho cattle over a year ago, officials at the State Department of Agriculture have had to ship milk samples from dairies around the Gem State to laboratories in Utah, Colorado and Washington state for testing. The shipments delayed test results and response times to the highly […]
Jul 30, 2025
FDA Rapid Antigen COVID Tests Hold Up After Approval—But Oversight Still Lacking
Global Biodefense Systematic review reveals most FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests maintain high accuracy after approval—though some underperform, highlighting need for continued oversight. A newly published analysis in Clinical Microbiology and Infection provides critical insights into the diagnostic accuracy of FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests. Conducted by researchers from Cochrane Denmark and the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Odense (CEBMO), this […]
Jul 23, 2025
Long COVID Gene Variants: A Step Toward a Diagnostic Test?
Medscape A large-scale global study has identified genetic variants that are risk factors for long COVID, a discovery that helps researchers better understand the biological systems involving the disease and one small, early step toward the elusive goal of developing a long COVID diagnostic test. International researchers with the Long COVID Host Genetics Initiative used […]
Jul 23, 2025
Scientists discover compounds that help cells fight a wide range of viruses
MIT News The molecules trigger a built-in cellular stress response and show promise as broad-spectrum antivirals against Zika, herpes, RSV, and more. Researchers at MIT and other institutions have identified compounds that can fight off viral infection by activating a defense pathway inside host cells. These compounds, they believe, could be used as antiviral drugs […]
Jul 16, 2025
Confronting the AI-Accelerated Threat of Bioterrorism
Global Biodefense How artificial intelligence is changing the risk landscape for bioterrorism—and what global health security stakeholders must do next. As artificial intelligence (AI) systems rapidly integrate into everyday life and scientific enterprise, a new frontier of biosecurity risk has emerged—one where malicious actors may exploit generative AI to design, synthesize, and deploy bioweapons. A […]
Jul 9, 2025