Andrew Pavia

Vested Interests, Influence Muscle: At RFK Jr.'s HHS, It's Not Pharma, It's Wellness MAHA notables have financial ties to largely unregulated $6.3 trillion global wellness industry

#IDSky
Terrific reporting by @kffhealthnews.org and @stephaniearmour.bsky.social about conflicts of illness. "Big Wellness" has entanglements with RFK Jr and company that rival those of big Pharma. www.medpagetoday.com/washington-w...

Flu Shot in Pregnancy Tied to Fewer Infections in Young Infants Protection appeared greatest when vaccination occurred in the second or third trimesters

A large cohort study 245,498 infants, 46.0% born to vaccinated mothers confirming reduction in influenza in infants of vaccinated moms. These are the kids with the highest risk of hospitalization. Flu Shot in Pregnancy Tied to Fewer Infections in Young Infants www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/v...

CDC panel targets flu shot ingredient blasted by anti-vaccine activists The effective removal of thimerosal from influenza vaccines would have limited impact, but it illustrates how the anti-vaccine movement is achieving its goals.

#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky
The only problem with this nice article by @lenasun.bsky.social is that it repeated the false idea that the panel actually "reviewed the evidence." They heard from an anti-vaccine advocate and ignored the extensive actual science. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

We will not stay silent on vaccines, say leaders of five major U.S. medical associations “We cannot and will not gamble with our patients’ health or the health of our communities,” write the presidents of the AAFP, AAP, ACP, ACOG, and IDSA.

"We will not stay silent."

IDSA President Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP, joins @ameracadpeds.bsky.social, @acpimphysicians.bsky.social,
@acog.org, and @aafp.org in urging evidence-based vaccine recommendations. bit.ly/443ptQw

#FactsFromtheFronline

RFK Jr.’s New Advisers Rescind Recommendations for Some Flu Vaccines Panelists pulled back some endorsements for certain vaccines containing a preservative that critics have falsely linked to autism.

“As a physician and scientist who has devoted my entire career to vaccines and preventing and treating infections, this meeting has been devastating to watch.” ACIP votes to stop recommending some vaccines, even though they're safe and effective. nyti.ms/3ZT1pxg

To paraphrase @atul.bsky.social and @drtomfrieden.bsky.social this will result in tens if not hundred of thousands of children dying. Have you no shame?

This is incredibly important for the pregnant parent and for their babies. I worry about more interference from RFK jr and his accolytes

CDC vaccine advisers recommend Merck’s RSV therapy for babies A CDC advisory panel on Thursday voted 5-2 to recommend the use of a new preventative RSV therapy in babies, Merck’s Enflonsia.

@helenbranswell.bsky.social reports on the odd logic and questioning by the handpicked ACIP members about what should have been and easy vote - adding a second effective RSV monoclonal. CDC vaccine advisers recommend Merck’s RSV therapy for babies www.statnews.com/2025/06/26/c... via @statnews.com

And pregnant people should be getting vaccinated. Those deaths in infants less than six months can be prevented. From @acog.org

Flu Burden Prevented by Vaccination 2023-2024 Flu Season CDC estimates that during the 23-24 season, flu vaccination prevented 9.8 million flu illnesses.

7/ Thimerosal isn’t the danger. Flu is. And inaccurate health information kills.
More than 200 kids died from flu in the 2023–24 season.
CDC data: www.cdc.gov/flu-burd...

The vast majority were unvaccinated.

That’s the crisis. Not a preservative studied for decades. ✅

What Is Thimerosal? Why Most Vaccines Don't Contain Mercury Anymore Thimerosal, which contains an organic compound of mercury, has mostly been phased out as a preservative for vaccines. Here's how we know it is safe, and why we still use it in some vaccines given to a...

Excellent overview of the thimerosal issue by Tara Haelle in SciAm 👇

www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...

I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong The health secretary has made many inaccurate statements about vaccines. But the science is clear that vaccines have dramatically reduced childhood illness, disability and death.

I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong

by @jakescottmd.bsky.social (congrats Jake - keep it up!)

theconversation.com/im-a-physici...

Excellent post on vaccine safety by @jakescottmd.bsky.social
👇👇

#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky
There have been many studies showing the small amount of thimerosol in multidose vials of influenza vaccine pose no risk, as summarized by CDC and others. Despite this, the new RFK jr picked ACIP forced a vote on thimerosol. The 5 anti-vax members voted in lock step

I fully agree that ongoing genomic surveillance will be important. In vitro, the antigenic sites on the pre-fusion F seem very conserved, but nature could find a way. I suspect though as Dr. McNeil hypothesized that RSV has already been under strong selective pressure from repeated infection

CDC vaccine advisory committee to review long-approved immunizations A leader of the CDC's reconstituted vaccine advisory committee said the panel would start a review of long-approved shots.

News: The American Academy of Pediatrics says it will no longer take part in the process of ACIP meetings.

“We won’t lend our name or our expertise to a system that is being politicized at the expense of children’s health,” the group's president says.
www.statnews.com/2025/06/25/c...

#IDSky
Robert Malone asked a strange question about interaction between infant immunization schedule and nirsevimab. It is not clear what the biologic effect of active vaccines at 2, 4 and 6 months would have on a monoclonal antibody at birth

#IDSky @idsainfo.bsky.social Nicely summarized here. Great news on both effectiveness and the population level.

Sickening because the U.S. is turning its back on women and children at risk of death and disability. And sickening because it reflects the invasion of anti-vaccination falsehoods into life-and-death programs.

False claim about COVID-19 vaccine animal studies circulates anew False. None of the manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. reported that preclinical testing was halted because of such animal safety concerns.

lots of recycling of misinformation..... apnews.com/article/fact...

They are doing a spectacular job in the face of political pressure and somewhat hostile questions from the panel. I hesitate to refer to them as the ACIP until they go though the same vetting that has been used for other members.

can we just take a moment to recognize the career CDC vaccine experts at ACIP who are explaining the data and facts to the committee?

they are under tremendous political pressure but they continue to do their jobs admirably and honestly. what courage under fascism looks like

Hepatitis B can be passed from parent to baby at birth - and when that happens, the consequences can be deadly. It is unscientific and dangerous to intentionally ignore the success of U.S. vaccination programs or argue that the U.S. should not vaccinate babies for hepatitis B at birth.

Malone says he wants to see the analyses of all 65 outcomes examined for COVID-19 vaccine safety, a completely reasonable request for a ~30-minute presentation, and wants to know about specifically hypertension, tachycardia and POTS. POTS was examined by NASEM and a clear link was not found.

@idsainfo.bsky.social #IDSky
Cody Meissner explains to the other members of ACIP how VAERS is a highly sensitive signal detection system that does not demonstrate causality. Anyone appointed to ACIP should already understand the components of the vaccine safety system

Per ACIP, < 2 years old have the highest rates of hospitalization in peds. < 6 mos similar rates to those 65 – 75 yrs. < 2 yrs hospitalized with COVID, majority had NO underlying condition. 89% hospitalizaed children had not received most recent vaccination.Vaccines work. #PedsIDsky #Rxsky #IDsky

People should have confidence that the level of safety and safety monitorng is high and that new low frequency problems will be detected and reported. Now we will see what the new anti-vax ACIP RFK jr appointees say...

#FactsFromTheFrontline #IDSky @idsainfo.bsky.social
Excellent presentation by Dr. Meyer on vaccine safety surveillance of Covid vaccines. It is well designed, and redundant. It has successfully identified and acted on safety concerns, contrary to what the recent political appointees have claimed

Thanks. That was my vague memory. Sports medicine physician?!? I hope she is willing to let me repair her ACL since I am also an MD but not trained in sports medicine