Largest US pediatricians’ association
Back-to-school gear weighs on students as backpacks hold laptops, textbooks and gear. Experts say signs of overload include leaning forward and difficulty walking; families are urged to audit contents and keep loads light as schools weigh print versus digital learning.
Moderna has won FDA approval for its mRNA flu vaccine mFlusiva for adults 50–64 and accelerated approval for those 65 and older. The decision follows a contentious review earlier this year, a unanimous advisory panel recommendation in June and political disputes inside US health agencies over mRNA vaccines. Retail availability is expected in coming weeks.
President Trump has signed an executive order directing federal health officials to cut the federal recommended childhood vaccine list, to split the combined MMR vaccine into separate measles, mumps and rubella doses once single‑disease products are available, and to space routine immunisations across separate medical visits. Public health groups and drugmakers have said the changes lack scientific support and will increase missed vaccinations during a major U.S. measles outbreak.
The White House has issued an executive order reducing federal vaccine recommendations to 11 core shots and urging the separation of the MMR vaccine into three injections. Physicians warn the move risks confusion and slower protection, while public health groups stress that CDC guidance remains unchanged and vaccines should proceed as recommended.
The administration has finalized a rule that ends federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for gender-affirming care for minors, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries. Mental health services remain funded. Seventeen states currently cover some degree of gender-affirming care under Medicaid and CHIP, while many hospitals have paused treatments.
A 40-year-old Jefferson County resident has died of complications described as measles-related, the county coroner has announced, bringing Pennsylvania state officials' total to three deaths linked to this year's outbreak. The CDC's public tracker currently shows no measles deaths and federal officials are reviewing whether the Pennsylvania fatalities meet their criteria.
Major US medical societies have issued unified guidance this week for flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines after the CDC’s advisory process has been disrupted. Updated COVID shots have FDA approval and manufacturers are shipping doses, but legal and policy disputes over federal recommendations continue to leave states and insurers uncertain about timing and coverage.
UK immunisation coverage shows signs of stabilising among children starting primary school, but latest data reveal uptake for several vaccines remains below the 95% target set by the WHO. The UK Health Security Agency reports small year-to-year declines in several shots, with regional gaps and disparities in deprived areas. NHS continues offering vaccines free of charge from infancy onward.
A UK study involving nearly 1 million adults has found that drinking beverages at very hot temperatures is associated with a higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The risk rises with frequency, but overall numbers remain small. Experts urge cooling drinks before consumption and maintaining other protective habits.
Flu vaccines are underway and updated COVID-19 shots are arriving nationwide after FDA approval. RSV remains a threat, prompting guidance from medical societies as Trump health officials rethink autumn vaccine policies. An advisory panel remains in a legal dispute, while doctors push clear, science-based guidance. Older adults and high-risk groups are urged to vaccinate, with a new mRNA flu shot showing improved effectiveness.
Andrea Shaw has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges in the death of her 18‑month‑old twins. Prosecutors say autopsies support suffocation as the cause; defense argues the deaths followed vaccine reactions. Shaw faces a January trial and possible death penalty consideration. Medical experts defend vaccine safety amid calls for accountability.