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As Kennedy faces Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday and Thursday, health advocates find themselves in an uncomfortable position: voicing cautious support for some of Kennedy’s ideas while warning of the catastrophic consequences of others “If there’s an opportunity to advance the public health, you have to seize it,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, a former FDA official who now leads the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. “So you can’t ignore the guy on everything because you oppose him on some things.” (Perrone, 1/26)

President Trump has said that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee to run HHS, would investigate why autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses are rising. ... "There have been extensive studies researching potential links to routine childhood vaccinations and autism diagnoses, and the results have shown that no such link exists," said Eric Burnett, MD, of Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. (George, 1/24)

Before their immune systems mature, young children are especially vulnerable to infections — and to falling far more ill than adults might with certain common illnesses. That’s why childhood vaccination programs have been such a boon for public health. In the past 30 years, recommended childhood vaccines have prevented an estimated 1.1 million deaths and 32 million hospitalizations in the United States. (Whitcomb, 1/25)

When speech pathologist Rebecca Hardy recalls her up-close seat to lawmaking during the 2015 state legislative session, she remembers how tough it was to find anyone interested in what she wanted: more choice for Texans when it came to getting vaccinated. (Langford, 1/27)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: �鶹Ů�� Health News’ ‘On Air’: Reporter Assesses Rise In Vaccine Exemptions, Gives Other Stories To Watch In 2025

�鶹Ů�� Health News Southern correspondent Sam Whitehead discussed vaccine exemptions on WAMU’s “Health Hub” on Jan. 22. Whitehead also discussed major Georgia health stories of 2025 on WUGA’s “The Georgia Health Report” on Jan. 17. (1/25)