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Blue States Cut Ties With RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel
On Tuesday, Maryland became the latest in a procession of blue states moving to decouple their laws from a federal vaccine advisory panel overhauled by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on which vaccines Americans should receive and at what ages. But the recommendations are also embedded in state laws, affecting policies such as vaccine requirements for school attendance and health care workers, as well as for insurance coverage.
Last year, Kennedy fired all the ACIP members, replacing them with more vaccine-skeptical picks — who voted to downgrade the recommendations for several shots, including the Covid-19 vaccine and hepatitis B shot given at birth. Those changes were put on ice by a federal judge last month, and the panel’s future is in limbo.
But many states are moving to scrub reliance on the panel from their laws — worried that decisions by Kennedy’s hand-selected members could impact their state policies.
EPA Delays Decisions on ‘Forever Chemicals’
U.S. News & World Report reported:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has paused decisions on uses for dozens of “forever chemicals,” also known as PFAS. The delay includes proposed changes regarding how several of these chemicals can be used, according to one of two people familiar with the situation who spoke to The Washington Post. The two commented anonymously because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
PFAS are typically used in products like nonstick cookware, firefighting foam and electronics. They’re called “forever chemicals,” because they break down very slowly and can build up in the environment, and even in the human body. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to cancer, immune system problems and infertility. The delay comes as federal officials face pressure from various groups over how to handle these chemicals.
Some health advocates want stricter limits, while others warn that delays could disrupt product development and production.
“Prolonged delays in the approval process slows innovation, disrupts supply chains and hinders the development of new products that are critical to a wide range of industries, including those supporting health, energy and advanced manufacturing,” Kimberly White, vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs for lobbying group American Chemistry Council, told The Post.
The US Government Will Ask Data Centers How Much Power They Use
The US federal government’s central energy information agency is planning to implement a mandatory nationwide survey of data centers focused on their energy use, according to a letter seen by WIRED. This survey would be the first effort of its type to collect basic information about data centers.
The letter was sent to senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley on April 9 by the head of the Energy Information Administration, Tristan Abbey, and comes in response to a previous inquiry from the senators about the EIA’s plans to get more information about data centers. WIRED reported on Hawley and Warren’s letter last month.
“Americans deserve to know how much energy data centers are sucking up and what that’s doing to their utility bills,” Warren told WIRED in a statement. “The EIA’s mandatory survey is an important first step towards holding data centers accountable, but people are hurting right now. I’m pushing EIA to collect and share this data as soon as possible.”
The EIA told WIRED that it doesn’t have any specifics to share beyond what is in the letter to the senators. The explosion of data centers across the US has caused an outpouring of public concern and proposed legislation to rein in their resource use, as well as put moratoriums on their construction. But there’s surprisingly little official data collected on the industry.
Ophthalmologist Is Front-Runner for Next FDA Vaccine Chief, Sources Say
Dr. Houman Hemmati, an ophthalmologist critical of the government’s Covid vaccine response, is the front-runner for the role of the nation’s vaccine chief at the Food and Drug Administration, according to two people familiar with the matter.
If selected, Hemmati would replace Dr. Vinay Prasad, who is leaving the agency this month after facing criticism over the FDA’s delay or rejection of several treatments and vaccines, including a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare blood cancer treatment and Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine. Prasad was also the author of a controversial memo claiming the Covid vaccines killed at least 10 children; evidence backing the claim was never released.
The director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) leads the division responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and gene therapies.
EPA May Ease Regulation of Chemical Plastic Recycling, and Environmentalists Worry
The Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering whether facilities that recycle plastic chemically should be held to the same strict air pollution standards as incinerators. The possible change is alarming environmental advocates who say it would lead to more dangerous pollution spewing into communities, with fewer or no checks at the federal level. The plastics industry disputes that, saying it would clear up confusion while still controlling emissions.
The world is pumping millions of tons of plastic pollution into the environment every year. While dozens of countries and many environmental groups have urged caps on production, industry and several big oil-producing countries have resisted, arguing instead for improvements in reuse and recycling.
Chemical recycling uses heat or chemicals to break down plastics. The main method, a process known as pyrolysis, has long been regulated as incineration by the Clean Air Act. The EPA limits emissions from incinerators of nine air pollutants, including toxic particulates, heavy metals and dioxins.
Trump Admin Launches Global Crackdown to Shield Kids From Pornography, Online Abuse
American diplomats will push countries around the world to adopt policies that prioritize the online safety of kids while not jeopardizing free speech or digital privacy, according to an internal memo first obtained by The Daily Wire.
The memo from the State Department directs diplomats to encourage their host countries to pursue policies that keep children safe from the dangers of online pornography and sexual abuse while not compromising fundamental freedoms.
“The Trump Administration strongly prioritizes the protection of children online, advancing policies that combat exploitation while safeguarding privacy, free expression, and innovation,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told The Daily Wire. “As countries explore frameworks to protect children online, we stand ready to engage and encourage approaches that are effective, balanced, and do not impose unintended consequences on fundamental freedoms or technological progress.”
Pfizer Rebuked by FDA for Misleading Adcetris Ads on Facebook
The FDA has scolded Pfizer over Facebook ads for the cancer drug Adcetris, accusing the Big Pharma of failing to adequately communicate the indication, contraindications and risks. Continuing a wave of actions against drug ads in recent weeks, the FDA sent (PDF) Pfizer an untitled letter outlining its issues with promotional materials for the CD30-directed antibody-drug conjugate Adcetris.
The FDA ruled the Facebook ads misbranded Adcetris and made distributing the drug a violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. FDA officials found fault with video ads that made statements such as: “Recently diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma?” and: “A new T-cell lymphoma diagnosis brings many questions.” In the FDA’s view, the claims suggest Adcetris is approved for the general treatment of T-cell lymphoma.
