The Vaccine Intelligence Report: June 10-16

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 is seeking an expedited appeal in the ACIP vaccine policy lawsuit, as uncertainty continues around the committee’s ability to issue timely recommendations ahead of the fall respiratory virus season
  • ACOG released its own maternal immunization schedule, continuing to recommend Covid vaccination during pregnancy despite recent changes to federal guidance
  • A new report finds widespread concern among current and former CDC workers that staffing losses and leadership disruption are weakening the agency’s core capacity
  • NIH announced new leadership for two of its centers, though leadership gaps remain across HHS
  • Michigan health and public health organizations launched a new coalition focused on increasing childhood vaccination rates and defending school immunization requirements
  • Arizona and Rhode Island advanced vaccine-related legislation, while West Virginia’s religious exemption case moved closer to a possible state Supreme Court decision
  • New polling suggests continued voter support for school immunization requirements, including among majorities of Republicans and voters in Republican-leaning states
  • The U.S. has reported more than 2,100 measles cases this year as World Cup travel raises concerns about increased transmission of measles and other infectious diseases
  • New studies add to evidence supporting respiratory virus vaccination, finding benefits from flu and Covid vaccination and highlighting the health care burden associated with long Covid

NEED TO KNOW

HHS Seeks Expedited Appeal in ACIP Vaccine Policy Lawsuit

  • Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday (Jun. 12) that the Administration has asked the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite its appeal in the ongoing lawsuit brought by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other medical groups over federal vaccine policy changes.
    • AAP opposed the motion to expedite appeal. On Tuesday (Jun. 16), the court largely granted HHS’s request for an expedited schedule, ordering HHS to file its opening brief by today (Jun. 17) and AAP to respond within one month (Jul. 16).
  • The appeal seeks to overturn a March preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who found that Kennedy’s overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended childhood immunization schedule were likely unlawful.
    • The ruling paused several HHS actions while the case proceeds, including Kennedy’s appointment of most new ACIP members, all votes taken by the challenged ACIP panel, and the January 2026 revisions to the recommended childhood immunization schedule.
    • As a result, HHS was required to revert to the July 2025 childhood immunization schedule while litigation continues.
  • Kennedy said the appeal “seeks to restore a functioning ACIP so the vaccine recommendation process can continue, and families, physicians, and public health programs have the guidance they need.”
  • However, the injunction does not prevent ACIP from meeting, which AAP highlighted in its response. Kennedy can appoint new members who are not covered by the court’s order, and two current voting members—Dr. Sean Downing and Dr. Angelina Farella—were appointed after plaintiffs filed their motion and were not included in the stay.
    • There may also be procedural options for allowing ACIP to conduct business by temporarily designating ex officio members as voting members. There are currently four ex officio members, who represent other federal agencies responsible for immunization programs. Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg, who previously served in an ex officio role, was recently fired.
  • ACIP’s June meeting is still listed on the CDC website, but as of June 17 (today) no Federal Register notice has been issued, making a meeting unlikely. The June meeting is typically important for seasonal vaccine recommendations, including influenza (flu) and Covid vaccination ahead of the fall respiratory virus season.

ACOG Releases Maternal Vaccine Guidance Diverging From Federal Recommendations 

  • The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released its own maternal immunization schedule last week (Jun. 10), becoming one of the latest medical professional organizations to issue immunization guidance independent of the CDC.
    • In announcing the schedule, ACOG said its goal was to provide clinicians and patients with clear, evidence-based guidance amid changing federal recommendations and increasing vaccine misinformation, which it says has contributed to growing confusion about maternal vaccination.
  • ACOG’s schedule largely reflects longstanding evidence-based recommendations for maternal immunization that were in place prior to recent changes to federal guidance, with continued recommendations for routine vaccination against flu; Covid, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap); and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy.
    • The schedule also provides guidance on vaccination during the postpartum period and for those who are breastfeeding, including recommendations for catch-up immunizations that cannot be administered during pregnancy.
  • The most notable difference from federal guidance is ACOG’s continued recommendation for Covid vaccination during pregnancy, despite HHS’s decision last year to remove Covid vaccines from its recommendations for healthy pregnant women—a decision that drew criticism from many maternal health and infectious disease experts.
    • The recommendations were endorsed by 13 additional medical and professional organizations, underscoring broad support across maternal health, nursing, pediatric, and infectious disease experts.
  • Historically, medical professional societies have relied on CDC and ACIP recommendations as the basis for their vaccine guidance, making separate immunization schedules uncommon.
  • ACOG’s decision, however, reflects a growing departure from that model. In recent months, organizations including the AAP have also issued recommendations that differ from federal guidance, as medical societies seek to maintain longstanding evidence-based recommendations in response to ongoing changes to federal vaccine policy.

New Report Warns CDC Workforce Strain Is Undermining Agency Capacity 

  • A new report from researchers at Michigan State University finds widespread concern among current and former CDC workers that staffing losses, operational restrictions, and leadership disruption are weakening the agency’s ability to carry out its public health mission.
    • The report is based on an anonymous survey of 624 CDC workers—including 433 current employees and 191 people who left the agency after Inauguration Day 2025—and was conducted between February and April 2026.
  • Nearly all respondents said recent changes have reduced CDC’s capacity to respond to a pandemic or public health emergency, and 94% said their own work unit has been impaired to the point that it can no longer fully achieve its mission.
    • Respondents also expressed concern about the downstream public health impacts of recent changes, with 95% saying they believe Americans will die as a result of the agency’s diminished capacity.
  • The findings also point to significant workplace instability, with 68% of current CDC employees surveyed saying they had taken concrete steps toward leaving the agency and 95% of former employees who departed voluntarily saying they left mostly or entirely because of changes under the current Administration.
  • While the survey may not represent the entirety of the workforce at the CDC, it offers a rare view from inside the agency at a time when the CDC has reportedly lost more than a quarter of its federal employee workforce since January 2025.
  • The findings are particularly notable as the U.S. faces ongoing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and other emerging public health threats, raising concerns that staffing losses could undermine the CDC’s ability to detect, monitor, and respond to public health emergencies.

NIH Appoints New Center Directors, But Leadership Challenges Persist

  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced new leadership for two of its 27 centers: the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Fogarty International Center (FIC).
  • Dr. John Powers III has been appointed Acting Director of NIAID, which is responsible for researching infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases. The search for a permanent Director remains ongoing.
    • Powers’ appointment follows the departure of former Acting Director Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, who remains listed as Chief of the Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section at NIAID.
    • Earlier this year, Powers, Taubenberger, and NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya outlined a “new vision” for NIAID that removed biodefense/pandemic preparedness and HIV research from its core focus pillars.
  • Separately, Dr. Steven Schiff has been named Director of FIC, which leads NIH’s global health research efforts, including international research partnerships and capacity-building programs.
    • Schiff is the first permanent Director selected by Bhattacharya to lead one of NIH’s 24 grantmaking institutes, marking a notable appointment amid persistent vacancies across the agency.
  • NIH has faced significant leadership instability over the last year and a half, with 14 of its institutes and centers still operating under acting leadership. Permanent institute directors play an important role in setting research priorities, guiding grantmaking, and shaping long-term scientific strategy.
  • Leadership gaps also persist across HHS. Bhattacharya continues to oversee the CDC in addition to serving as NIH Director, while the CDC has not had a Senate-confirmed Director since August 2025. There has been no Surgeon General under this Administration.
    • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also operating without a permanent Commissioner. Key FDA centers—including the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), which regulates vaccines, and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), which oversees drugs—are currently led by Acting Directors.

STATE POLICY SPOTLIGHT

Michigan Health Groups Launch Coalition to Defend Vaccination Policies

  • A coalition of Michigan health care and public health organizations has launched Michigan for Vaccines, a new advocacy group focused on increasing childhood vaccination rates and opposing efforts to weaken the state’s school immunization requirements.
  • Coalition members cited declining vaccination rates since the Covid pandemic and rising rates of vaccine-preventable diseases, including 30 measles cases in Michigan last year and the highest number of pediatric influenza deaths since the state began tracking them in 2004.
  • The group said it plans to educate parents about vaccine safety and effectiveness while also lobbying against legislative efforts to weaken Michigan’s school vaccination policies.
    • Michigan currently requires parents seeking non-medical vaccine waivers in most counties to complete an educational process outlining the safety and efficacy of vaccines before opting out of school immunization requirements.

States Split on Vaccine Policy as Arizona, Rhode Island, and West Virginia Take Diverging Paths

  • The Arizona legislature is advancing two bills aimed at restricting immunization requirements:
    • HB 2248, the “Arizona Medical Freedom Act,” has advanced to the Governor’s desk. The bill would bar schools, businesses, employers, and government from requiring “medical interventions,” including vaccination.
    • HB 2086, which would restrict vaccine and mask requirements, has also advanced to the Governor’s desk.
  • Rhode Island legislators passed a bill (S 2379) to require state-regulated health insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the Rhode Island Department of Health, without cost-sharing, regardless of federal vaccine recommendations.
  • The West Virginia Supreme Court could decide as soon as this summer whether the state’s Equal Protection for Religion Act requires religious exemptions to school immunization requirements.
    • Last week, school officials filed their final reply brief, meaning the court can now either rule based on the written record or schedule oral arguments.
    • The case stems from Governor Patrick Morrisey’s Executive Order directing state officials to recognize religious vaccine exemptions despite West Virginia’s longstanding policy allowing only medical exemptions. A lower court ruling favoring families seeking religious exemptions remains on hold while the Supreme Court considers the appeal.

Polls Find Continued Support for School Immunization Requirements

  • New polling suggests voter support for school immunization requirements remains strong, even as lawmakers in several states have considered measures to weaken or eliminate existing requirements, though many of these measures have failed.
  • A Cygnal survey found that majorities of the overall electorate in nine Republican-leaning states opposed eliminating school immunization requirements, ranging from 61% to 70%. Opposition also exceeded support among Republican primary voters in every state surveyed.
    • In West Virginia, 69% of voters and 57% of likely Republican primary voters opposed eliminating school immunization requirements.
  • Separately, a national Harvard/de Beaumont Foundation poll found that 77% of U.S. adults—including 65% of Republicans and 91% of Democrats—believe children should be required to receive routine vaccinations to attend school.

OUTBREAK OUTLOOK

News on respiratory virus season, measles, pertussis, and other vaccine-preventable and infectious disease outbreaks.

Measles Continues to Spread Across U.S. as World Cup Raises Transmission Concerns 

  • As of June 12, the U.S. has reported 2,163 measles cases in 2026—an increase of 31 cases in the last week.
    • Connecticut reported its first measles case of 2026.
    • Florida officials reported one new measles case last week, following a week without any new cases.
    • New York officials reported one new measles case last week, bringing the state’s total to 13 cases in 2026.
    • Pennsylvania reported three new measles cases in the last week, bringing the state’s 2026 total to 66.
    • South Carolina officials reported one new measles case last week (Jun. 11), marking the third case reported since the state’s measles outbreak ended on April 27.
    • Virginia has become a current measles hotspot, as officials reported 14 measles cases in the last week. Out of the state’s 121 total cases in 2026, 94% were unvaccinated and 6% were hospitalized.
    • Health officials in Arizona and California counties each declared an end to their measles outbreaks, after no new cases were identified in over 42 days.
  • As millions of soccer fans from over 100 countries converge on North American cities this month for the World Cup, public health officials are preparing for increased transmission of multiple infectious diseases.
    • Experts say the spread of measles—which is highly contagious—is their top concern, especially as U.S. cases continue to rise and measles vaccination rates fall. Increases in dengue, respiratory viruses, and sexually transmitted infections are also possible.
    • The CDC has expanded disease surveillance efforts in host states and is working with local health departments, hospitals, and emergency medical services to improve preparedness and response capabilities.
    • Separately, Georgetown University and MedStar Health have established a Health Security Operations Center that plans to issue daily reports throughout the World Cup and provide alerts if significant health risks are detected.

New Studies Emphasize the Importance of Vaccinating Against Respiratory Illnesses 

  • A study published in JAMA found that during the 2024-25 flu season, Californians vaccinated against influenza were 40% less likely to test positive for flu than unvaccinated people.
    • Among adults 65 and older, those who received a flu vaccine were 29% less likely to die of influenza-related causes.
  • A separate study published in JAMA investigated associations between Covid vaccination and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among a cohort of American veterans.
    • Researchers found those who received Covid vaccines had a 38% lower risk of Covid-related MACE, with the greatest benefit among those 75 years and older, and those with chronic conditions.
    • Covid vaccination was also linked to a nearly 24% reduction in all-cause cardiac events. These findings indicate Covid vaccination could prevent roughly 3,500 major cardiac events and 2,400 deaths annually per 1 million people.
  • A new study from the Netherlands finds that post-Covid condition (PCC), or long Covid, is associated with higher healthcare use and costs.
    • Patients with long Covid had about double the average annual primary care costs compared to those with no lingering symptoms after infection and those with no history of Covid infection.
    • Researchers note that vaccination is an effective tool to reduce the risk of developing long Covid.

REALITY CHECK

These fact checks respond to several recent claims made by different groups and individuals.

CLAIM: Recent differences between CDC vaccine guidance and medical organization recommendations mean vaccine guidance is becoming too confusing to trust.

  • REALITY: Recent federal vaccine policy changes have made the guidance landscape more complicated, but they do not mean the evidence supporting vaccination has become less certain.
  • CDC vaccine guidance has historically served as the national baseline for immunization recommendations, but recent federal policy changes have created a growing divide between CDC guidance and recommendations from leading medical organizations.
    • This divide is increasingly visible across both pediatric and maternal immunization.
  • AAP released its own 2026 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, which continues to recommend routine immunization against 18 vaccine-preventable diseases.
    • In contrast, the CDC recommends routine immunization for children against 17 diseases, and the Administration has made moves to further narrow the federal childhood immunization schedule.
    • AAP’s schedule has been endorsed by 12 other major medical and health care organizations representing more than 1 million physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health professionals.
  • Similarly, ACOG released its 2026 maternal immunization schedule, which differs from federal vaccine guidance for the first time ever. The schedule recommends routine vaccination during pregnancy against flu, Covid, Tdap, and RSV, and has been endorsed by 13 medical societies and health organizations.
  • These schedules do not reflect a sudden change in vaccine science. Rather, leading medical organizations are reaffirming recommendations grounded in decades of evidence showing that vaccines are safe, effective, and critical to preventing severe illness.
    • The actions reflect growing concern among medical organizations and others that recent federal vaccine policy changes have moved away from longstanding evidence-based processes and created confusion for patients, families, and healthcare providers.
    • As a result, 30 states have announced that they will no longer follow the CDC’s childhood immunization guidance for all or some vaccines, with many instead opting to rely on organizations including AAP and ACOG.
  • The practical implications are significant. Divergent guidance can affect clinical counseling, state policy, insurance coverage, and patient access—especially when federal recommendations determine which vaccines are covered without cost-sharing.

WHAT TO WATCH

Potential Successors Emerge for Future HELP Committee Leadership

  • With Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) set to leave at the end of his term in January 2027, attention is beginning to turn to who could lead the committee next.
  • Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently indicated she would be interested in serving as the HELP Committee chair. Her interest positions her as an early contender for one of Congress’ most influential healthcare oversight posts.
  • Senator Dr. Roger Marshall (R-KS), a proponent of Kennedy, has also previously expressed interest in the role and currently ranks just behind Murkowski in HELP Committee seniority, setting up a potential competition for the chairmanship.

U.S. Nears Potential Loss of Measles Elimination Status

  • Public health experts warn the U.S. could lose its measles elimination status for the first time since achieving the designation in 2000 if outbreaks that began in January 2025 are deemed to be linked.
  • The country has reported 2,163 measles cases in 2026, following a record 2,288 cases in 2025. Most cases have been associated with large, sustained outbreaks that began last year and continue to spread across multiple states.
  • Although losing elimination status would not immediately change immunization recommendations, it would mark a significant shift in the nation’s measles control landscape and would require increased attention on outbreak response, surveillance, and immunization efforts to regain measles elimination status.

Kennedy Seeks Explanation for Removal of Retracted Vaccine Study

  • Kennedy is demanding that the journal Toxicology Reports explain, by June 25, its recent removal of a 2021 study examining vaccines and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
  • The study was among those cited in support of recent proposed changes to the childhood immunization schedule, which have since been blocked by a federal judge.
  • The study, authored by vaccine skeptic Neil Miller, analyzed Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports and claimed that SIDS incidents following vaccination were statistically significant, while acknowledging that the research did not prove an association between infant vaccines and SIDS.
  • In its removal notice, the journal’s publisher, Elsevier, concluded that the study’s methodology did not support its conclusions, citing both limitations of passive reporting systems such as VAERS (which the study relied exclusively on) and the potential for events to occur close together without a causal relationship.
  • For more information about the retraction of this study see the May 28-June 2 edition of the Vaccine Intelligence Report.

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