Not a Doctor

  • How RFK Jr. made millions from vaccine lawsuits

    His actions as health secretary could lead to widespread vaccine shortages, illness, death — and personal enrichment. My editor at the New Republic recently asked me what I thought of the latest news on vaccines. He was referring to the decision by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of health and human services, to fire 17…

    Melody Schreiber

  • RFK Jr. recommends new vaccines after months of delay

    With no official or acting CDC director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is in charge of the CDC — and recommending vaccines is the one job he can’t delegate. Who is in charge at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? I reported on this last week for the Guardian — and the answer was…

    Melody Schreiber

  • Top US officials throw Covid vaccines into turmoil

    The Trump administration is bypassing scientific evidence and procedure to change vaccine rules. Last week, three top U.S. health officials made an unusual announcement about Covid vaccines. They said they would remove the recommendation for Covid vaccination from the childhood immunization schedule, and would also cease recommending it for pregnant people. The first reason it…

    Melody Schreiber

  • The measles outbreak is getting worse — and so is the misinformation

    Anti-vaccine activists, and the U.S. health secretary, are promoting unproven treatments in place of vaccination. A second child died from measles in Texas this month. Both of the girls, ages 6 and 8, had no previous health conditions, other than being unvaccinated. The outbreak in Texas has now risen to 541 known cases and 56 hospitalizations. The…

    Melody Schreiber

  • Should I be worried about measles?

    Here’s the lowdown on measles in the U.S., and whether you should get a measles booster. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has only been health secretary for a few weeks, but already he’s facing a test that reveals his approach to infectious diseases. A measles outbreak is spiraling in the American Southwest, with a total of…

    Melody Schreiber

  • RFK Jr doesn’t need a Trump admin job to control public health

    The two most influential anti-vaxxers in the U.S.—Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump—are teaming up, which could give Kennedy control over health agencies. At his Madison Square Garden rally last week, Donald Trump talked about his new (or, at least, newly public) partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of the most powerful anti-vaxxers…

    Melody Schreiber