Unexpected finding from analysis of more than 130 million people was an association between antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines, and a reduced risk of dementia. The finding supports the hypothesis that some cases of the disease may be triggered by viral or bacterial infections.

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#DementiaResearch #Antibiotics #Antivirals #Vaccines #PublicHealth

Antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines could help tackle dementia, study suggests. Using drugs approved for other conditions could dramatically speed up hunt for cure, experts say.

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#DementiaResearch #Antibiotics #Antivirals #Vaccines #HealthcareInnovation

RFK Jr. says federal vaccine advisers are beholden to industry. The evidence does not support him. A Science [Journal] investigation finds no sign that members of a key CDC vaccine committee are compromised.

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#RFKJr #Vaccines #PublicHealth #Science #CDC

Non-mRNA vaccine targeting common mutations in pancreatic 🍍 and bowel 🍽️ cancers could lower risk of relapse | Lymph node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial final results 📊✨

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#CancerResearch #PancreaticCancer #ColorectalCancer #Vaccines #ClinicalTrials

🦠 US Officials Restrict RSV Shots: New guidelines announced last week by US officials recommend RSV shots only for high-risk babies, a departure from previous universal recommendations. This decision, led by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr., limits access to a vaccine previously available to all infants.

📈 Evidence Shows Dramatic Hospitalization Reduction: Four studies in Jama confirm that RSV shots significantly reduce hospitalizations. Doctors like Richard Rupp report a visible decrease in severe illness among babies who received the shots, leading to concerns that restrictions will cause hospitalizations to surge again.

👶 RSV Shot Efficacy and Safety: The RSV shot for newborns is 81% effective at preventing hospitalization, and the vaccine given during pregnancy is 70% effective. A third study indicated the infant shot prevents hospitalization from all lower-respiratory infections. A fourth study found the vaccines are safe to give during pregnancy. Prior to these shots, 2-3% of US babies were hospitalized with RSV, making it the most common reason for hospitalization in children under five.

🤔 Expert Concerns Over Decision Basis: Experts like Kevin Ault call the decision "made by political appointees without a scientific basis." There are concerns that access could be further eroded due to healthcare fragmentation and uncertainty about insurance coverage, particularly for the Vaccines for Children program.

#RSV #Vaccines #PublicHealth

🦠 A new flu strain, subclade K, a variant of H3N2 influenza A, is circulating globally, leading to concerns of a "superflu." Scientists state it's a novel genetic group but not fundamentally different from previously circulating strains.

🛡️ Current evidence from lab and population studies shows subclade K does not bypass existing immunity from past infections or vaccines. People's defenses still offer protection.

💉 The current flu vaccine provides meaningful protection against severe illness from subclade K. Effectiveness is estimated at 72-75% in children and adolescents, and 32-39% in adults.

🌍 While some regions, like the UK and Japan, experienced early flu seasons, this is not unprecedented. In the US, this season has seen at least 2.9 million illnesses, 30,000 hospitalizations, and 1,200 deaths so far, predominantly from H3N2 with K subclade predominating.

#FluSeason #PublicHealth #Vaccines

Routine childhood vaccinations 💉, nor the aluminum used as vaccine adjuvants 🧪, are not associated with an increased risk of epilepsy 🧠 in young children 👶, according to a new decade long case-control study 📚🗓️

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#Vaccines #ChildHealth #VaccineSafety #Epilepsy #PublicHealth

🧠 South Carolina measles outbreak sees children developing encephalitis (brain swelling), a serious complication. The outbreak has reached 876 cases as of February 3, with 700 reported since January 1.

🏥 State epidemiologist Linda Bell confirmed 19 measles-related hospitalizations in South Carolina, including some due to pneumonia, a common and potentially fatal complication.

🤰 Pregnant women exposed to measles have required immune globulin for temporary protection, as exposure during pregnancy can lead to preterm birth or miscarriage.

💉 Measles vaccination is on the rise in South Carolina, with over 7,000 more MMR vaccine doses administered statewide in January compared to January 2025, a 72% increase.

#MeaslesOutbreak #PublicHealth #Vaccines

💡 A shingles vaccine, originally designed to prevent a painful rash, may also help prevent dementia and slow biological aging, according to recent studies.

🔬 Studies suggest that older adults vaccinated against shingles have shown a lower risk of dementia, with newer vaccines potentially offering even greater protection.

📈 The vaccine works by stimulating the immune system to fight off the dormant varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and can reactivate as shingles, often due to age-related immune decline.

#HealthTech #Vaccines #AgingWell

Critical gaps in knowledge, vaccination status, and acceptance of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine found among patients visiting emergency departments across US. Misinformation and access barriers may contribute to declining vaccination rates, raising concerns amid ongoing measles outbreaks.

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#Measles #Vaccines #PublicHealth

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that childhood vaccine uptake increases when clinicians use clear, presumptive recommendations plus empathetic, patient-centered discussion. Motivational interviewing and trust-building were more effective than open-ended approaches.

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#Vaccines #MotivationalInterviewing #VaccineUptake

AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine passes first human trial

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#AI #Vaccines #Coronavirus

COVID-19 boosters provide cross-protection against potential future animal coronaviruses, two Cambridge studies show. However, data also demonstrates that an individual's initial exposure to SARS-CoV-2 imprints the immune response, shaping and restricting antibody production against new variants.

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#COVID19 #Vaccines #Immunology

A new study shows that a decision by RFK Jr.'s advisory panel to strip federal recommendations for the MMRV vaccine disproportionately harms low-income and minority toddlers, who rely on the combination shot to overcome healthcare barriers

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#Vaccines #PublicHealth #ImmunizationEquity

Report: Trump mad RFK Jr. hasn’t cut more vaccines or proven autism link

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#Vaccines #RFKJr #ScienceNews

💉 Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal anti-vaccine activist, is reportedly facing dissatisfaction from Trump for not being anti-vaccine enough. Trump is reportedly fixated on the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism and wants to include an autism remedy in his legacy.

🗣️ Trump has expressed disappointment to Kennedy multiple times, including in May and June, regarding Kennedy's perceived lack of action in reducing childhood vaccine recommendations or confirming a link between vaccines and autism.

🏥 Despite criticism, Kennedy is described as actively working to undermine vaccines. Examples include filling a key vaccine advisory committee with anti-vaccine allies, who then altered recommendations for the hepatitis B and MMRV vaccines, and trimming the US childhood vaccine schedule to resemble Denmark's.

#RFKJr #Vaccines #PublicHealth

No link between MMR vaccination before age 2 and autism, large US study suggests

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#Vaccines #MMR #AutismScience

Report: White House drafting executive order linking vaccines and autism

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#Vaccines #AutismMyths #PublicHealthPolicy

💉 Public health campaigns may be more effective if they highlight the vaccination rates of opposing political groups, as learning these rates are higher than previously thought increases people's intent to get vaccinated.

🤔 The study, published in PLOS One by researchers Brandyn F. Churchill, Xiaoxue Sherry Gao, and Rong Rong, found that political affiliation is a stronger predictor of COVID-19 vaccination status than education, race, or health insurance.

📊 A May 2024 survey of 200 adults found 46% of Democrats were recently vaccinated versus 28% of Republicans. A follow-up August 2024 experiment with 579 participants showed that learning the true vaccination rate of the opposing party shifted vaccination intentions.

⚠️ Messaging that emphasizes low vaccination rates might inadvertently discourage people from getting vaccinated, as individuals often overestimate peer vaccination numbers, creating a negative "information shock."

#PublicHealth #Vaccines #HealthCampaigns

Study of 2.5 million children finds no link between MMR vaccine and autism.

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#Vaccines #AutismMyth #MMRStudy