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good morning. Big news: I convinced at least one STAT staffer to reread The Odyssey with me ahead of the film’s release this summer. Starting today, you’ll be reading three books (chapters), or about 1,500 lines, each week for eight weeks. Would you like to join us?
Influenza vaccines are no longer required for the U.S. military
After more than half a century of mandatory vaccinations, the U.S. military will no longer require flu shots for all U.S. soldiers, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced yesterday. He said military personnel will not be forced to get vaccinated because “their bodies, their faith and their beliefs are non-negotiable.” AP has more details.
Some interesting background from STAT editor Zachary Tracer: The history of these military orders dates back to 1777. At this time, George Washington required all soldiers to be vaccinated against smallpox. Smallpox vaccination was administered by smearing pus from a sick person onto a small wound in the skin of a healthy person. When it comes to influenza vaccines in particular, the U.S. military pushed ahead with vaccine development after the 1918 pandemic that killed more than 26,000 soldiers. The military first required influenza vaccines in 1945, and they have been consistently required since the early 1950s.
Moderna continues research on avian influenza vaccine, but limits research in the US
In other vaccine news: When the U.S. government canceled a hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts with Moderna last year, one of the casualties was its avian influenza vaccine testing and licensing efforts. The avian influenza vaccine is a tool the world hopes will have if the virus evolves and causes a pandemic.
But Moderna, which is advancing a Phase 3 trial of its H5 messenger RNA vaccine with funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, announced Tuesday night that the first participants in the United States and United Kingdom had received doses of its vaccine candidate, mRNA-1018.
Notably, the majority of the study (3,000 of 4,000 volunteers and 26 of 36 trial sites) was conducted in the UK, with the remainder in the US. In a media briefing, Moderna’s senior director of clinical development Hiwot Hirui declined to say whether more trials would have been conducted in the U.S. had the country’s Department of Health, led by vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., not made budget cuts. Program support.
Meanwhile, the UK aims to attract more investment from biopharmaceutical companies by speeding up the process of starting and running clinical trials. The country has also emphasized particular enthusiasm for mRNA research, underpinned by a decade-long partnership with Moderna. — andrew joseph
“I know there’s a debate in this country, but you’re choosing the institutions that fund research and find cures.”
That was Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)’s response to Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during yesterday’s Senate Appropriations and Health Subcommittee hearing. As STAT’s Chelsea Siluzzo reports, senators from both parties appear skeptical of proposed cuts to health research and public health in the White House budget. Read more about what this means for Congress’ response to the administration’s dramatic proposals.
A thorough introduction to STAT’s healthy snacks
The $156 billion packaged snack industry saw an opportunity in the MAHA movement. There are also Sun Chips made for Pop-Tarts and Fiber Max that contain additional protein. Small boutique brands promote products made with “clean” ingredients, such as onion rings and cheese balls. But determining whether munching on chips with avocado oil is better for you than eating regular Lay’s is more complicated than it seems. This includes analyzing research on ultra-processed foods to understand both human snacking habits and corporate marketing habits.
Luckily, STAT’s Sarah Todd was willing to do much of that work for us. In our latest article, Sarah spoke to a nutrition expert about this grocery store gold rush. She also sampled some specific products with her STAT colleagues in Brooklyn. Read more about the queso substitute for tostitos that another reporter recalled vomiting.
Two major suicide foundations merge
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Jed Foundation announced yesterday that, subject to approval by the New York State Attorney General, the two organizations will merge to create the nation’s largest suicide prevention nonprofit organization.
AFSP already claims to be the largest private funder of suicide prevention research. Jed has traditionally focused on partnering with schools and community groups on programming and awareness campaigns. The new group will have an annual operating budget of approximately $75 million and net assets of approximately $140 million. We will focus on building research and translating that research into tools and policies for collaborative suicide prevention for youth and adults.
The announcement comes at a time when federal funding is feeling pretty thin. Last year, the Trump administration’s funding cuts decimated the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, forcing much of the agency’s operations to cease.
What would happen if you caught a cold on the moon?
After the Artemis II mission, NASA leadership announced that the trip was the beginning of a lunar “relay race” in which human crews would operate from a lunar base within the next decade. What is your ultimate goal? Mars.
In a new First Opinion essay, biological sciences professor Scott E. Solomon argues that human health will be a key element in these efforts, especially when it comes to immunology and infectious diseases. Once humans establish a base on the moon, all kinds of microorganisms will begin to undergo rapid evolutionary changes. Read more about how to prepare.
what we are reading
- Measles took my daughter. This is what you need to know, New York Times
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How to create a genius child to thwart the threat of AI? (Yes, really), Mother Jones
- CDC’s Disease Detective program celebrates 75th anniversary, STAT
- Real estate investors profit from long-term care while residents suffer, KFF Health News
- Listen: There’s a story behind every miracle drug, STAT
