The Vaccine Intelligence Report—brought to you by Vaccinate Your Family—provides clear, fact-based updates on vaccine policy, research, and public health each week. This report is part of Viral Truths, a resource designed to cut through the noise, offering concise information to help navigate the evolving immunization landscape.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
- HHS has moved to renew ACIP’s charter—a move that could open the door to reconstitution of the advisory panel and ultimately impact future vaccine recommendations
- Pfizer and BioNTech have paused a large U.S. Covid vaccine trial due to low enrollment, reflecting broader shifts in vaccine demand, policy, and research investment
- The CDC has temporarily paused testing for more than two dozen infectious diseases, with limited details on the cause or duration
- New research highlights expanding benefits of vaccination—from reduced Alzheimer’s risk to lower long Covid incidence—while also underscoring persistent gaps in vaccine uptake and the role of communication
- 2026 measles cases have reached nearly 80% of all cases reported in 2025, and doctors are warning of a potential reemergence of Hib as childhood vaccination rates fall
- Oregon, Maine, and California advanced legislation to increase vaccine access, while New Hampshire considers bills that could roll back immunization requirements
- Congressional hearings and a delayed Surgeon General nomination signal continued scrutiny and uncertainty around federal vaccine leadership and policy direction
NEED TO KNOW
After Court Halts ACIP, HHS Renews Charter that Could Open Path to Panel Rebuild
- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is moving to renew the charter of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
- Last month a federal judge ruled that the administration likely violated federal law when it replaced members of ACIP and changed immunization recommendations and cited concerns that most of the appointees lacked expertise required for the role. The ruling blocked the appointments and decisions for at least the duration of the case.
- The charter renewal notice removes earlier language requiring committee members to have specific expertise in vaccines and immunization, replacing it with broader and less defined qualification criteria for members.
- While charter renewals are a routine administrative step for federal advisory committees, these changes to membership criteria could influence how the panel is reconstituted following the court’s decision.
- While the charter renewal itself does not immediately reestablish the committee, it does provide a framework HHS could use to appoint new members.
- The updated charter could give Kennedy greater flexibility in selecting members, and if ACIP is reconstituted under these new criteria, the committee could revisit or reintroduce vaccine guidance changes made over the past year—including revisions to the childhood immunization schedule that were blocked by the court.
- Despite appearing in recent weeks to deemphasize vaccine policy, following polling that showed the issue is politically sensitive and not especially popular, the administration took this recent step that put vaccines back in the spotlight—a shift that seems at least in part driven by pressure from vaccine injury lawyer Aaron Siri and other anti-vaccine voices.
- Last month (Mar. 24), Siri sent Kennedy a formal notice on behalf of the anti-vaccine group Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), calling for changes to ACIP and expansion of the federal vaccine injury program, warning of potential legal action should HHS not respond within 60 days.
- It remains unclear when or how quickly a new committee might be formed. HHS has not yet appealed the court’s ruling, meaning the original decision remains in effect; and while the charter renewal may help reinstate ACIP members, any new appointments could face additional legal challenges.
Pfizer, BioNTech Pause Covid Vaccine Trial as Research and Demand Evolve
- Pfizer and BioNTech have halted a U.S. study of their updated Covid vaccine after struggling to enroll enough participants, in turn limiting the ability to generate meaningful data.
- The trial aimed to enroll more than 25,000 adults ages 50-64 to assess vaccine efficacy, immune response, and prevention of Covid cases, but fewer cases and lower vaccination demand slowed recruitment.
- The study was part of a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-required post-marketing commitment for approved Covid vaccines, put in place last year by Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, and was halted solely due to recruitment challenges—not because of any safety or efficacy concerns.
- While Moderna’s trial is ongoing, it is facing similar recruitment challenges—underscoring how current regulatory requirements may be difficult to meet and creating uncertainty about the path forward for approvals in this age group.
- These challenges reflect broader shifts in the regulatory environment and public sentiment. Federal policy changes have attempted to narrow recommendations and access for Covid vaccines, while new requirements—including placebo-controlled studies, in some cases—have introduced additional complexity and friction around ongoing research and data generation.
- These signals are not isolated—BioNTech announced plans this week to shut down its planned mRNA manufacturing site in Singapore by 2027, as it scales back pandemic-era capacity and pivots toward other areas of its pipeline.
- Notably, these shifts are occurring even as Covid continues to pose a meaningful public health burden: the virus still causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths annually in the U.S., and emerging variants—including the highly mutated “Cicada” lineage—underscore the risk of future surges.
- Vaccines continue to be the most effective tool for preventing severe illness from Covid—they have a strong safety profile supported by extensive real-world evidence, showing benefits far outweigh any potential risks associated with vaccination.
- These developments point to a broader shift that has been taking place across the vaccine landscape—despite scientific evidence remaining strong, uptake continues to lag and policy constraints have intensified, leading to more uncertainty for vaccine research and development, with manufacturers adjusting investment accordingly.
- These shifts have the potential to narrow the pipeline and infrastructure needed to respond to future public health challenges, and experts warn that many of these changes threaten to reverse years of progress on vaccine-preventable diseases.
CDC Pauses Testing for Over Two Dozen Infectious Diseases
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has temporarily paused diagnostic testing for more than two dozen infectious diseases, according to an update posted to the agency’s website last week (Mar. 30).
- Paused tests include those for common infections such as the Epstein-Barr virus, the varicella zoster virus which causes chickenpox and shingles, and respiratory panel tests which detect the virus that causes Covid and influenza A and B.
- Testing was also paused for rabies and Mpox, as well as schistosomiasis and oropouche virus—zoonotic diseases spread by infected snails and biting midges and, although rare in the U.S., can spread in travelers from endemic regions like the Caribbean and South America.
- This is not the first time CDC has paused some of its lab testing. While the reason for the pause is unclear, CDC said it will still support state and local public health agencies in accessing testing, and that some tests are available commercially in the meantime.
New Research Highlights Vaccine Benefits, Uptake Challenges, and the Role of Communication
- A series of new studies underscore both the broad and evolving benefits of vaccines, as well as the challenges in ensuring those benefits translate into real-world uptake and sentiment.
- New evidence continues to show that vaccines may provide protection beyond preventing initial infection:
- A large study of older adults (65+) published last week (Apr. 1) found that high-dose influenza (flu) vaccination was associated with a nearly 55% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to standard-dose vaccines, which are associated with a 40% reduction in risk, adding to evidence that vaccination may protect cognitive health as we age.
- Additionally, a recent retrospective cohort study that evaluated more than 76,000 immunocompromised cancer patients during the Omicron wave showed that receiving updated Covid vaccines was linked to lower risk of long Covid, finding no significant difference in long Covid outcomes between infected and non-infected patients in populations that were highly vaccinated.
- Additionally, new behavioral research provides meaningful insights on how messaging can influence vaccine decisions. According to a recent study, older adults who were hesitant about Covid vaccines were more likely to express willingness to vaccinate when vaccines were framed as a way to preserve freedom and autonomy, as opposed to a way to comply with government recommendations.
- At the same time, separate research also shows that vaccine uptake challenges persist and that uptake remains uneven across diseases and populations.
- A study of healthcare professionals (HCPs) found that 76% of those surveyed received flu vaccines, compared to just 40% for Covid vaccines, with lower rates among some HCP groups, such as nurses. The research also showed that access and workplace policies—like offering vaccines on-site—were strongly associated with higher uptake.
- Lastly, research published late last month (Mar. 28) shows that misinformation continues to shape health decisions. In a single-center study, 15 patients or their surrogates refused standard blood transfusions unless the blood came from donors perceived to be “unvaccinated”—requests that are not supported by evidence, cannot be reliably fulfilled, and in some cases have delayed care or led to serious complications.
- Findings from these recent studies highlight a clear gap between what the science shows and what is happening in practice—underscoring the need for effective communication, clear policy and guidance that supports access, and efforts to ensure credible, evidence-based information is amplified to improve health outcomes.
STATE POLICY SPOTLIGHT
Vaccine Legislation Becomes Law in Oregon, Advances in Maine and California, and Remains Under Consideration in New Hampshire
- On March 31, the governor of Oregon signed a bill (SB 1598) that requires insurers to continue covering vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs and allows the state’s public health officer to recommend covered vaccines based on state-level determinations, independent of federal guidance.
- A Maine bill (LD 2071) to allow pharmacists to prescribe, dispense, or administer vaccines to those 18 years and older passed the House last Thursday (Apr. 2). The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
- In California, lawmakers advanced a bill (AB 2651) that would require schools to notify parents if the number of vaccinated students drops below a state-established herd immunity threshold. The bill will next be considered in the Assembly Education Committee.
- The New Hampshire House Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing last week (Apr. 2) on three bills that seek to roll back vaccine protections in the state.
- HB 1719 would remove the hepatitis B vaccine from the state’s required vaccines list; HB 1584 would require the state’s Department of Health to give notice of medical and religious vaccine exemptions; and HB 1449 would limit school vaccination clinics and require parents or guardians to be present during any vaccination.
- Attendees including doctors spoke in opposition to the bills, and said that removing hepatitis B immunization requirements could put children at risk of severe, preventable outcomes of hepatitis B infection like liver cancer.
OUTBREAK OUTLOOK
News on respiratory virus season, measles, pertussis, and other vaccine-preventable and infectious disease outbreaks.
Measles Rises in Handful of States While Respiratory Disease Slows Overall
- As of April 3, the U.S. has reported 1,768 measles cases in 2026—adding 104 new cases since last week’s update.
- 2026 cases represent nearly 80% of cases reported in all of 2025, and significantly outpace annual U.S. measles cases dating back to 2019 (see graph below).
- In Utah, total case numbers have reached 386 so far this year. Infections in Eastern Utah have doubled in the past week and 14% of Salt Lake County’s cases have required hospitalization.
- Texas has reported 175 cases this year—135 of the state’s cases occurred at the West Texas Detention Facility.
- Additional cases have been confirmed in Florida(144), Michigan (8), Oregon (13), and Washington (31).
- One county in Michigan has spent over $45,000 in staff time and $100,000 in state funds to address its measles outbreak.
Source: CDC / Johns Hopkins
- On the national level, respiratory activity is generally low.
- In most areas of the country, flu activity has continued to decline, with only one state—New Mexico—still reporting high activity, down from 4 states last week.
- Four new pediatric flu deaths were reported this last week, bringing the total number of children who have died from the flu this season to 127.
- Notably, data published this week (Apr. 6) reaffirm the effectiveness of flu vaccines in preventing severe illness and hospitalization in children—underscoring that while vaccination rates remain low, flu vaccines play an important role in helping prevent pediatric flu deaths.
- Covid activity is low and hospitalizations continue to decline. That said, the new ‘Cicada’ variant of Covid is spreading and has been detected in more than half of U.S. states, with experts warning that “low vaccination rates and little to no public health effort toward stopping COVID infection,” could lead to a potential summer surge.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity is elevated, but has peaked in many regions of the country.
- CDC data shows infections are still growing in New Hampshire and North Dakota.
- Notably, due to a later-than-usual RSV season, many states are extending recommendations for infant RSV immunization through April (previously the window has been October-March).
- In most areas of the country, flu activity has continued to decline, with only one state—New Mexico—still reporting high activity, down from 4 states last week.
Rare but Serious Hib Cases Emerge, Raising Concerns and Underscoring Risks as Vaccination Rates Decline
- As vaccination rates decline across the country, experts are warning about a potential resurgence of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) following several recent severe cases in unvaccinated children.
- Hib is an often-deadly bacterial infection that was common before a vaccine was created. It can cause meningitis, pneumonia, and life-threatening airway infections. Routine vaccination—introduced over three decades ago—has helped reduce cases by 99%, but as more parents opt out of vaccinating their children, this progress is threatened.
- Recent cases—which have led to hospitalizations, severe complications, and at least one death in an unvaccinated infant—highlight the risks of declining immunization, particularly among children who are most vulnerable to serious disease.
- While federal data do not yet show a nationwide increase in cases, experts warn that declining childhood vaccination coverage, expanded exemption policies, and gaps in disease surveillance could allow infections to spread quickly and go undetected.
- That said, CDC data show that as of March 28, eight Hib cases have been reported in the U.S. this year across five states: Kansas, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.
- Notably, reporting on Hib data can lag by a year or more because states often do not submit data as quickly as they do for more acute outbreaks like measles or flu.
- CDC data released March 26 also show that Hib vaccination rates dropped from 78.8% to 77.6% between birth years 2019-20 and 2021-22, raising concerns about increased transmission.
- It takes about 90% population immunity (herd immunity) to prevent sustained transmission of Hib—this means populations like newborns, who cannot be vaccinated against some diseases, are especially vulnerable when vaccination rates decline.
REALITY CHECK
These fact checks respond to several recent claims made by different groups and individuals.
CLAIM: Blood from unvaccinated donors is safer and should be available to patients in need of transfusions.
- REALITY: There is no scientific evidence that blood from unvaccinated donors is safer, and the U.S. blood supply is already highly regulated and rigorously screened to ensure safety.
- Blood donations are carefully tested for infectious diseases like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis, and there is no mechanism—or need—to screen or label blood based on vaccination status.
- Hospitals and blood banks do not track donor vaccination status, and there is no test to distinguish between blood from vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
- Additionally, while many who claim that blood from an unvaccinated donor is safer are concerned specifically about Covid vaccines, vaccine components do not remain in the bloodstream in a way that would affect transfusions. There is no evidence that Covid mRNA vaccines alter the safety or quality of donated blood.
- In reality, requests for “unvaccinated” blood can delay care and make transfusions less safe for patients by creating additional risk—data show that patients who refuse standard transfusions face significantly increased risk of anemia, serious complications, and even death.
- Additionally, direct donations (e.g., from family members) are not safer and studies suggest these types of donations can carry higher risks, as donations are more likely to be from first-time donors who have a higher probability of having undetected infections than those who donate regularly.
- Public health and blood safety organizations consistently emphasize that the current blood supply is safe, and critical for timely care—introducing unsupported requirements threatens access and puts patients at risk.
CLAIM: The halted Pfizer-BioNTech study shows Covid vaccines aren’t safe and haven’t been properly studied.
- REALITY: The study was paused due to low enrollment—not safety concerns—and Covid vaccines remain among the most extensively studied and monitored vaccines in history.
- The recent Pfizer-BioNTech trial was being carried out as part of an FDA-required post-marketing study and was halted because it could not enroll enough participants to generate relevant data—not because of any safety or efficacy issues.
- The study was tied to newer FDA requirements introduced last year, which included requirements for placebo-controlled trial data in certain populations, even though safe and effective vaccines are already available—making these trials more difficult to conduct in practice.
- Placebo-controlled trials compare people who receive the vaccine with those who do not. Now that effective Covid vaccines have been available for years and many people have some level of immunity, it is difficult to find participants who are both unvaccinated and willing to potentially forgo protection by receiving a placebo.
- Importantly, post-marketing studies like this are not used to determine whether vaccines are safe or effective overall, but instead to gather additional information, and answer more targeted or longer-term questions once initial safety and effectiveness have already been established.
- Authorization of Covid vaccines was based on large clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants and have since been safely administered to billions of people worldwide, which has generated robust real-world safety data.
- Additionally, ongoing safety monitoring systems in the U.S. and around the world continue to track vaccine outcomes, with consistent findings that serious adverse events are rare and that the benefits of Covid vaccines far outweigh potential risks.
- While there was lower enrollment in this recent trial, this reflects declining demand seen in recent years and fewer Covid cases—rather than gaps in safety data—which can make it harder to run large studies even when vaccines remain widely available and effective.
WHAT TO WATCH
RFK Jr. Set to Testify Across Key Congressional Committees
- Kennedy is expected to testify before Congress in a series of April hearings tied to the White House’s FY2027 budget request, marking his first appearance since last fall.
- Scheduled appearances will span multiple key committees, including House Ways and Means, House Energy and Commerce, Senate Finance, and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), along with appropriations subcommittee hearings.
- His last appearance before Congress—a Senate Finance Committee hearing—drew bipartisan scrutiny over his views on vaccines and his handling of CDC leadership.
- Upcoming hearings are expected to focus on administration health priorities and funding decisions, with vaccine policy likely to remain a point of focus.
Surgeon General Nomination Remains in Limbo as HELP Action Stalls
- Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D., (R-LA)—Chair of the Senate HELP Committee—declined to provide clarity on the nomination timeline for Casey Means, M.D., telling reporters, “No comment on Casey.”
- The Senate adjourned for a two-week Easter recess without advancing the nomination, further delaying any near-term committee or floor action.
- The White House has continued to publicly push for confirmation, even as President Trump has indicated he is considering alternative candidates.
- This ongoing delay reflects a lack of clear consensus within Republican leadership, particularly as scrutiny of Means’ vaccine views continues to shape the debate.
State Vaccine Policy Activity Intensifies as Legislative Sessions Wind Down
- A wave of state-level vaccine policy activity has emerged in recent weeks, including proposals that would both expand or protect access to vaccines and others that aim to erode existing requirements.
- Recent actions in states including Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New York, Oregon, and Vermont illustrate the wide variation in approaches—ranging from efforts to broaden pharmacist authority and reinforce evidence-based guidance to initiatives aimed at expanding exemption pathways and removing requirements.
- This activity underscores a continued shift toward state-driven decision-making in vaccine policy, as states increasingly explore greater flexibility in how vaccine coverage decisions are determined.
Vaccinate Your Family is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting people of all ages from vaccine-preventable diseases. To learn more, visit us at: vaccinateyourfamily.org
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