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CDC to Offer Contract to Study Link Between Vaccines and Autism
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposes to offer a contract opportunity to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to run a study on a potential link between vaccination and autism prevalence, according to data from a federal website.
A notice posted on Sep. 11 on the SAM.gov website indicated that the CDC’s Office of Acquisition Services intends to offer the fixed-price contract to Rensselaer Polytechnic, a private research university based in New York. “The vendor has unique ability to link children to maternal cohorts using proprietary databases and de-identified data sets, enabling advanced statistical analyses within the project’s timeframe,” the posting read.
The CDC is expected to decide whether to conduct a competitive bidding process for the contract after evaluating all quotations and responses submitted within 15 days of the notice. The proposal follows a Reuters report in March, which indicated that the agency is planning to conduct an extensive study to see whether there is a potential connection between vaccines and autism.
USDA Releases Farm-to-School Funding After Earlier Cancellation
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced yesterday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making the largest single-year investment to date in a popular farm-to-school grant program, while streamlining the application process.
The announcement failed to mention the USDA’s earlier cancellation of the same program’s 2025 funding, and experts say the money is unlikely to make up for other recent cuts making it harder for schools to source local food.
Rollins shared the news in support of the Make America Healthy Again Commission Strategy agenda, which said the Trump administration would improve farm-to-school grants to better connect local producers to schools. “These grants will open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers,” she said in a press release.
Gov. Mills Issues Standing Order to Make COVID Vaccines Available to Mainers Without Prescription
Mainers will be able to access COVID-19 vaccines without a prescription, according to new guidance issued by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention under Gov. Janet Mills’ direction. This fall, the Food and Drug Administration only approved the shots for those at greatest risk for getting seriously ill from COVID-19, including seniors at least 65 years old or those who have health conditions.
That means COVID-19 vaccines aren’t broadly available to anyone ages 6 months and older anymore, which has been enforced in other states. Some national pharmacies, such as CVS, previously said they would only administer COVID-19 vaccines to people in Maine with prescriptions from their doctors, according to the Portland Press Herald.
But the new order from Mills “serves as a prescription for all Maine people,” allowing them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at pharmacies, clinics, and health care offices across the state without a prescription from their health care provider, according to an announcement from herMills’ office Friday afternoon.
Wary of RFK Jr., Colorado Started Revamping Its Vaccine Policies Last Spring
As Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s dismantling of federal vaccine policy continues to roil the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some Democratic-led states have struck out on their own, setting up new systems to help them assess the science and maintain immunization access for their residents.
Four western states — California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington — are creating a collaborative aimed at preserving access to vaccines. Several northeast states are considering a similar alliance.
New York’s governor declared a “statewide disaster emergency” and issued an order that allows pharmacists to give the COVID-19 vaccine without a prescription. Minnesota made a similar change, and Massachusetts is requiring insurance carriers to pay for vaccines recommended by its health department, not just those recommended by the CDC.
The changes represent a huge shift in public health authority from the federal government to the states. Traditionally, states have looked to the CDC for expertise and guidance on public health issues — not just vaccines but issues such as workplace safety, water fluoridation, vaping and sexually-transmitted diseases.
