Miriam Rabkin

The State of US Vaccine Policy — Mar 5, 2026

Here's a good, thorough update on the state of U.S. #vaccine policy and the ongoing #RFKJr destruction of #PublicHealth https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-vaccines/state-us-vaccine-policy-mar-5-2026

#ImpeachRFKJr

Casey Means still doesn’t have the votes. Keep the letters coming.

Measles is back in California. Health departments are fighting it with less. California is battling measles outbreaks across seven counties as federal funding cuts gut local health departments and vaccine skepticism fuels spread among unvaccinated children.

California is battling measles outbreaks across seven counties as federal funding cuts gut local health departments and vaccine skepticism fuels spread among unvaccinated children.

States Move to Limit Access to H.I.V. Treatment

“An economic disaster, a public health disaster, a moral disaster”

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/h...

States Move to Limit Access to H.I.V. Treatment

Tens of thousands of Americans are losing access to treatment for H.I.V. as nearly 20 states impose restrictions on assistance programs and several others weigh such changes.

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/02/h...

As measles spreads in South Carolina, RFK Jr’s allies work to gut vaccine laws Activists who dispute safety of vaccines are pushing to limit immunization requirements in schools

As measles spreads in South Carolina, RFK's allies work to gut vaccine laws www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, Orbital by Samantha Harvey, Babel by RF Kuang, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, No One is Talking about This by Patricia Lockwood....

Former surgeon general: The Senate must not approve someone who can't practice medicine as the nation’s top doctor “The surgeon general is not a wellness influencer,” writes former Surgeon General Jerome Adams of Casey Means.

Please click here to send a letter to your Senator to oppose this nomination.
actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...

www.statnews.com/2026/02/27/c... via @statnews.com

‘Viruses don’t know borders’: US anti-vaccine rhetoric could impact global measles crisis Experts say global measles vaccination rates are falling as Trump officials signal a deprioritization of the virus

The Trump administration’s global havoc is unending.

My latest story is about how the Trump admin is amplifying anti vaxx conspiracies just as measles outbreaks are spreading across the globe; many countries have just lost elimination status, and others are on the brink.

'One year of failure.' The Lancet slams RFK Jr.'s first year as health chief In a scathing review, the top US medical journal's editorial board warned that the "destruction that Kennedy has wrought in 1 in office might take generations to repair."

In a scathing review, the top US medical journal's editorial board warned that the "destruction that Kennedy has wrought in 1 in office might take generations to repair." n.pr/3N9Foa8

13 Measles Cases Reported at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas The infections at the center in El Paso come amid growing worries by some lawmakers about the conditions at immigration detention centers across the country.

Thirteen measles cases have been reported at an immigration detention center in El Paso according to state and federal officials.

Dr. Catharine Young: We are now at 1136 new measles cases - in just the first 8 weeks of this year alone. A preventable disease resurging. This is an abject policy failure.

Recent studies challenge Kennedy's claims about vaccines, Tylenol and antidepressants The Trump administration has pledged to conduct its own studies, but research continues to contradict its claims.

New research keeps contradicting #RFKJr's continuing torrent of bullshit. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/recent-studies-challenge-kennedys-claims-vaccines-tylenol-antidepressa-rcna259464

# vaccines #antidepressants #Tylenol

The image shows a New York Times article titled "E.P.A. Plans to Loosen Mercury Rules for Coal Plants, Documents Show," with a background photo of a coal plant with smokestacks emitting smoke. At the bottom, the word "Indivisible" is displayed.

News headline image from The Guardian featuring an article about an order by the President to protect weedkiller manufacturers from lawsuits. The image shows various weedkiller containers, including Roundup, on a shelf.

Image of a webpage from Food Dive with a headline stating "Trump admin to revoke dozens of food product standards." The page includes logos of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA.

Like everything else with Trump, “Make America Healthy Again” was a lie.

And the Lancet's editorial that goes with it
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

This week's cover @thelancet.com

As Measles Spreads in N.C. Hospital, Doctors Confront a Challenge: It’s Hard To Spot As the Carolinas near 1,000 cases, health care workers who’ve never seen the vaccine-preventable disease can get caught by surprise.

NC state epidemiologist Zack Moore: “We are preparing for a future in which we follow a trajectory like SC, where we see sort of a gradual accumulation of cases" then "a more explosive growth in the outbreak and spread across the state.” www.theassemblync.com/news/health/...

Just what we don't need
www.wsj.com/opinion/case...

Jerome Adams & @JeromeAdamsMD X.com As a former U.S. Surgeon General who held an active medical license and practiced medicine while in the role (at Walter Reed and aboard the USS Comfort) it is incomprehensible that the Senate is even considering a nominee for this role who lacks any active license and has never practiced unsupervised. 7:49 PM • 2/25/26 • 369 Views

Trump’s first-term Surgeon General speaks out against Trump’s current nominee for the job, Casey Means

Oppose Nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General The Senate HELP Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the nomination of Casey Means to serve as U.S. Surgeon General on Wednesday, February 25th. While we were hoping this nomination was dead, i...

Help push us over 2500 letters! Still time to write to your Senators (and get your friends to do so too). Casey Means is a charlatan with dangerous views on contraception, raw milk, vaccines and has a whole lot of conflict of interest-she's making money off it all.
actionnetwork.org/letters/oppo...

RFK Jr. downplays vaccine agenda as Republicans warn of midterm risks Health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on tour to tout his MAHA food initiatives and drug pricing over vaccines, an issue GOP pollsters see as a liability.

RFK Jr. misleads:
Downplays vaccine agenda as Republicans warn of midterm risks
Health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is on tour to tout his MAHA food initiatives and drug pricing over vaccines, an issue GOP pollsters see as a liability
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

This isn't just about conflicts of interest and whether or not she'll be profiting in office.

It's about her having a clear record of endorsing faulty products in exchange for compensation. It's about her being completely unworthy of an office that requires public trust.

15 States Sue H.H.S. Over Revisions to Vaccine Schedule

Breaking: Aiming to reverse recent changes to federal vaccine recommendations, 15 states led by Democrats announced on Tuesday that they were suing the Trump administration.

Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/h...

A new generation of birth control skeptics leans right More young women are embracing fertility tracking methods long popular among Catholics, looking to influencers, questioning doctors — and finding a home in MAGA.

Casey Means’ Surgeon General confirmation hearing is tomorrow.

Means holds a number of extremely disturbing views, including that hormonal birth control is “disrespect for life”.

She isn’t a “fringe” or “alternative” healthcare provider. She is a person who blithely ignores scientific facts.

What RFK Jr.’s CDC Doesn’t Want You to Know The CDC is withholding critical information about vaccine-preventable diseases from the American public. Why?

pauloffit.substack.com/p/what-rfk-j...

RFK Jr. May Eliminate the USPSTF, Original Task Force Members Warn Dismantling the task force would be 'an existential threat to clinical practice,' they said

RFK Jr. May Eliminate the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) because -- I guess -- we don't care about prevention? www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/...

An Early Surge Is Surprising North Carolina’s Primary Election Ten days of Early Voting is telling us that Democratic ballots are running well ahead of past primaries, unaffiliated voters are tilting left, and the electorate looks older—and familiar.

Interesting things are happening in NC too ncpoliticscenter.substack.com/p/an-early-s...

Fears of polio resurgence as US vaccine adviser questions need for childhood shots Survivors say US healthcare system not ready for new cases – ‘the only thing to fix polio is the polio vaccine’

Every time I write about measles, experts warn that polio is next.

But it's been so long since we had polio outbreaks, there are very few doctors who even know how to treat its long-term health issues. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Read this thread

The Trump Administration Is Ending Aid That It Says Saves Lives The State Department will let lifesaving projects expire because “there is no strong nexus between the humanitarian response and U.S. national interests,” according to an internal email.

Quietly, the Trump administration is now ending even the life-saving aid that they had promised would be preserved

Reporting from @hana-kiros.bsky.social

www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...