Jason L. Schwartz
@jasonlschwartz.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Health Policy and the History of Medicine, Yale School of Public Health. Vaccine policy, health policy-making, pharmaceuticals, FDA/CDC, etc. http://jschwartz.yale.edu
Pinned
Revised Recommendations for Covid-19 Vaccines — U.S. Vaccination Policy under Threat | NEJM
A series of recent actions by the Trump administration upend the country’s approach
to Covid-19 vaccination and may portend a broader shift in the government’s role in
protecting the public health.
www.nejm.org
Things are very bad for U.S. vaccination policy these days and are only going to get worse. In @nejm.org, I examine the recent news about COVID-19 vaccines and ACIP, what likely lies ahead, and what the medical and public health communities should do to lessen the damage www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Jason L. Schwartz
pretty obvious shift from following nonpartisan (scientific, medical) authority to following partisan authority. Public health advocates and researchers need to view that as the challenge, rather than rummaging around for the explanation for vaccine hesitancy in this or that community.
Republicans increasingly oppose requiring healthy kids to get MMR vaccines to attend public schools
2016 19%
2019 20%
2023 42%
2025 47%
www.pewresearch.org/science/2025... 🧪
2016 19%
2019 20%
2023 42%
2025 47%
www.pewresearch.org/science/2025... 🧪
November 24, 2025 at 1:46 AM
pretty obvious shift from following nonpartisan (scientific, medical) authority to following partisan authority. Public health advocates and researchers need to view that as the challenge, rather than rummaging around for the explanation for vaccine hesitancy in this or that community.
Heartening results here www.theargumentmag.com/p/the-covid-...
November 23, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Heartening results here www.theargumentmag.com/p/the-covid-...
Lots of criticism (appropriately) being directed toward Sen. Cassidy and his infamous ‘commitments’ from RFK, but he had company in falling for this. Here’s Sen. Murkowski the day before the final confirmation vote…
Some more ‘commitments’ noted by once-skeptical senators that I’m filing away for future reference.
November 21, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Lots of criticism (appropriately) being directed toward Sen. Cassidy and his infamous ‘commitments’ from RFK, but he had company in falling for this. Here’s Sen. Murkowski the day before the final confirmation vote…
From today’s Politico Pulse. He’s talking about downgrading more (most? all?) CDC/ACIP vaccine recommendations from ‘routine’ to ‘shared decision-making’. Almost certainly starting with the Hep B birth dose next month and expanding from there.
November 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
From today’s Politico Pulse. He’s talking about downgrading more (most? all?) CDC/ACIP vaccine recommendations from ‘routine’ to ‘shared decision-making’. Almost certainly starting with the Hep B birth dose next month and expanding from there.
Reposted by Jason L. Schwartz
With CDC now adding to confusion online about vaccine safety, it's more important than ever to establish networks of trusted sources -- and accurate information -- across communities.
With my colleague Dr. Vanya Jones in @jamahealthforum.com
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
With my colleague Dr. Vanya Jones in @jamahealthforum.com
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
November 21, 2025 at 11:31 AM
With CDC now adding to confusion online about vaccine safety, it's more important than ever to establish networks of trusted sources -- and accurate information -- across communities.
With my colleague Dr. Vanya Jones in @jamahealthforum.com
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
With my colleague Dr. Vanya Jones in @jamahealthforum.com
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
CDC epistemology Mad Libs time: “The claim "tap water does not cause male-pattern baldness" is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that tap water causes male pattern baldness.”
November 20, 2025 at 10:58 PM
CDC epistemology Mad Libs time: “The claim "tap water does not cause male-pattern baldness" is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that tap water causes male pattern baldness.”
Reposted by Jason L. Schwartz
We are excited to share our first CRRIT newsletter! Our quarterly newsletter will share recently published research, CRRIT mentions in the news, conferences and meetings, and policy engagement (1/2)
November 18, 2025 at 9:18 PM
We are excited to share our first CRRIT newsletter! Our quarterly newsletter will share recently published research, CRRIT mentions in the news, conferences and meetings, and policy engagement (1/2)
So important to keep the actual landscape re: vaccine attitudes in mind. Broad support remains across party lines. Trust highest in one’s doctor, lowest in info from social media, RFK, podcasts. (From today’s www.politico.com/politicopulse/)
November 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
So important to keep the actual landscape re: vaccine attitudes in mind. Broad support remains across party lines. Trust highest in one’s doctor, lowest in info from social media, RFK, podcasts. (From today’s www.politico.com/politicopulse/)
Bummed to hear this. One of my first papers as a grad student appeared there, and, thanks to its open access model, has continued to be found by readers (and cited) to this day. journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/new-...
November 14, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Bummed to hear this. One of my first papers as a grad student appeared there, and, thanks to its open access model, has continued to be found by readers (and cited) to this day. journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/new-...
So much trust being restored by this crew!
FDA’s top drug regulator placed on leave amid investigation
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
FDA’s top drug regulator placed on leave amid investigation
George Tidmarsh, the FDA's top drug regulator, has been placed on leave after being accused of abusing his regulatory authority, STAT has learned.
www.statnews.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:54 PM
So much trust being restored by this crew!
Lots of things to worry about in vaccine policy, but this isn’t one of them (at least for now). The VFC program doesn’t depend on the annual schedules being updated/ published, but on existing VFC “resolutions” for each vaccine that remain on the books unless rescinded: www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for...
October 28, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Lots of things to worry about in vaccine policy, but this isn’t one of them (at least for now). The VFC program doesn’t depend on the annual schedules being updated/ published, but on existing VFC “resolutions” for each vaccine that remain on the books unless rescinded: www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for...
A great time talking vaccines and seeing old bioethics friends at ASBH this weekend! (My connecting flight on the way out to Portland, on the other hand, was a bit of an adventure.)
October 27, 2025 at 10:45 PM
A great time talking vaccines and seeing old bioethics friends at ASBH this weekend! (My connecting flight on the way out to Portland, on the other hand, was a bit of an adventure.)
@airlineflyer.net @petchmo.bsky.social Big fan of the pod (but a total novice in this world). Was on DL1661 today; rejected takeoff after an engine failed. Looks to have hit 137 KTS. Google suggests that’s really close to its ballpark V1. True? www.flightradar24.com/data/flights...
Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24
The world’s most popular flight tracker. Track planes in real-time on our flight tracker map and get up-to-date flight status & airport information.
www.flightradar24.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:39 AM
@airlineflyer.net @petchmo.bsky.social Big fan of the pod (but a total novice in this world). Was on DL1661 today; rejected takeoff after an engine failed. Looks to have hit 137 KTS. Google suggests that’s really close to its ballpark V1. True? www.flightradar24.com/data/flights...
Reposted by Jason L. Schwartz
I spoke to @melodyschreiber.com @theguardian.com along with @pauloffit.bsky.social & @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social about the MMR going monovalent.
We all agree: following Andrew Wakefield's advice to "break up the vaccines" is unnecessary, pointless, & will only prevent kids from getting vaccinated
We all agree: following Andrew Wakefield's advice to "break up the vaccines" is unnecessary, pointless, & will only prevent kids from getting vaccinated
"If a vaccine is sitting on a shelf and not going into somebody’s arm, then it’s worthless, essentially," @angierasmussen.bsky.social said.
"I think anti-vaxxers love vaccines that sit on shelves.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
"I think anti-vaxxers love vaccines that sit on shelves.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Alarm as CDC calls for separate MMR vaccines despite measles outbreak
Concerns that three separate shots would be more costly and time-consuming, and keep kids from being vaccinated
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I spoke to @melodyschreiber.com @theguardian.com along with @pauloffit.bsky.social & @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social about the MMR going monovalent.
We all agree: following Andrew Wakefield's advice to "break up the vaccines" is unnecessary, pointless, & will only prevent kids from getting vaccinated
We all agree: following Andrew Wakefield's advice to "break up the vaccines" is unnecessary, pointless, & will only prevent kids from getting vaccinated
Latest eBay purchase: the 2005 Rolling Stone issue where RFK’s (later retracted) ‘Deadly Immunity’ was published. The very beginning of his two decades (and counting) spent challenging/rejecting the safety of vaccines. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadly_...
October 9, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Latest eBay purchase: the 2005 Rolling Stone issue where RFK’s (later retracted) ‘Deadly Immunity’ was published. The very beginning of his two decades (and counting) spent challenging/rejecting the safety of vaccines. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadly_...
Reposted by Jason L. Schwartz
The acting director of the CDC called for new, separate MMR shots. That would be "remarkably complicated, time-consuming, costly, but more importantly unnecessary," @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social told me:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Alarm as CDC calls for separate MMR vaccines despite measles outbreak
Concerns that three separate shots would be more costly and time-consuming, and keep kids from being vaccinated
www.theguardian.com
October 9, 2025 at 12:23 PM
The acting director of the CDC called for new, separate MMR shots. That would be "remarkably complicated, time-consuming, costly, but more importantly unnecessary," @jasonlschwartz.bsky.social told me:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Great conversation on vaccine hesitancy (and all things US vaccine policy) hosted by the folks at @busph.bsky.social yesterday. Here’s the recording www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSCw...
Vaccine Hesitancy: Past, Present, and Future
YouTube video by Boston University School of Public Health
www.youtube.com
October 9, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Great conversation on vaccine hesitancy (and all things US vaccine policy) hosted by the folks at @busph.bsky.social yesterday. Here’s the recording www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSCw...
One more plug for this webinar tomorrow afternoon. Not too late to register!
An opportune time to promote this virtual event coming up in a few weeks, hosted by the folks at @busph.bsky.social. (Too bad there’s not much to discuss!) Details and registration: publichealthconversation.org/conversation...
October 7, 2025 at 9:42 PM
One more plug for this webinar tomorrow afternoon. Not too late to register!
This new NASEM report on vaccine safety was commissioned by CDC during the Biden administration but arrives in an entirely different vaccine policy landscape. www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/rev...
www.nationalacademies.org
October 7, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This new NASEM report on vaccine safety was commissioned by CDC during the Biden administration but arrives in an entirely different vaccine policy landscape. www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/rev...
The @factcheck.org team have done really thorough, careful work on 1000 vaccine-related claims during and since the pandemic. A fantastic resource and service that should get more attention.
A substantial body of evidence supports the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy, contrary to the suggestions of some members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently reconstituted the committee.
www.factcheck.org/2025/10/vacc...
www.factcheck.org/2025/10/vacc...
October 5, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The @factcheck.org team have done really thorough, careful work on 1000 vaccine-related claims during and since the pandemic. A fantastic resource and service that should get more attention.
If there’s really going to be another ACIP meeting on October 22-23, FACA requires a Federal Register announcement (with topics and potential votes) no later than this Tuesday, 10/7 (15 days ahead)
October 4, 2025 at 3:48 PM
If there’s really going to be another ACIP meeting on October 22-23, FACA requires a Federal Register announcement (with topics and potential votes) no later than this Tuesday, 10/7 (15 days ahead)
It doesn’t make a lot of sense that FDA is convening VRBPAC next week to make recommendations on the 2026 Southern Hemisphere flu vaccine strains when they didn’t have them meet last spring to consider the flu vaccine composition for the US itself this fall/winter. www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
VRBPAC October 9, 2025 Meeting Announcement
On October 9, 2025, the Committee will meet in open session to discuss and make recommendations on the following separate topics.
Topic I: the strain selection for the influenza virus vaccines for the...
www.fda.gov
October 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
It doesn’t make a lot of sense that FDA is convening VRBPAC next week to make recommendations on the 2026 Southern Hemisphere flu vaccine strains when they didn’t have them meet last spring to consider the flu vaccine composition for the US itself this fall/winter. www.fda.gov/advisory-com...
Very glad that ICER is tackling this topic, its first-ever vaccine project!
Institute for Clinical and Economic Review to Assess Vaccines for COVID-19: tinyurl.com/2tfn5pme
Institute for Clinical and Economic Review to Assess Vaccines for COVID-19 - ICER
Report will be subject of New England CEPAC meeting in June 2026.
tinyurl.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Very glad that ICER is tackling this topic, its first-ever vaccine project!
And here’s the final version. ysph.yale.edu/news-article...
September 25, 2025 at 7:21 PM
And here’s the final version. ysph.yale.edu/news-article...
Sounds like we’ll be hearing a lot about aluminum in vaccines next. Great resource from the team at CHOP: www.chop.edu/vaccine-educ...
Vaccine Ingredients: Aluminum
Aluminum is used in vaccines as an adjuvant. Aluminum adjuvants are used in vaccines such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria-tetanus-containing vaccines, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and pneumo...
www.chop.edu
September 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Sounds like we’ll be hearing a lot about aluminum in vaccines next. Great resource from the team at CHOP: www.chop.edu/vaccine-educ...