Infectious Disease

Formulary restrictions and prior authorization requirements block access to newer PrEP options, while cost sharing over $50 cuts dispensing odds by 93%.

Former CBER chief calls claims "misrepresentation." ID experts Offit and Osterholm criticize timing ahead of CDC advisory committee meeting next week.

The H3N2 subclade K is dominating early flu season gobally; despite vaccine mismatch, vaccination remains the primary defense against severe illness and hospitalization.

Two new Cochrane reviews confirm HPV vaccines significantly reduce cervical cancer risk, especially when given before age 16, with no serious safety concerns.

The CDC website now claims "studies supporting a link [between vaccines and autism] have been ignored by health authorities."

Results showed that Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine cut influenza-like illness by 34.5% compared with a standard influenza vaccine.

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Vaccine-preventable diseases claim up to 50,000 adult lives each year in the US. Click through this compact reminder of recommended catch up shots for your patient panel.

Merck reveals promising phase 3 results for DOR/ISL, showing minimal impact on weight and lipids in adults with suppressed HIV-1.

Shared decision-making for COVID-19 vaccines will widen disparities, said Moore, as those already skeptical or with limited access will likely opt out.

New global WHO data show escalating resistance in key bacterial pathogens, threatening frontline antibiotics and narrowing treatment options worldwide.

Vega considers the impact of recent changes in immunization policy on trust not just among patients but among clinicians as well. It all threatens good patient care, he said.

Public health expert Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, president and CEO of immunize.org, says the news is good for now, but the uninsured could be at future risk.

Measles vaccine coverage must reach 93% to maintain herd immunity but in 1 postelimination outbreak, the level reached only 80% in school-aged children.

Public health officials across states and regions are "thinking on their feet" about how best to protect public health given the upheavel in federal vaccine policy, Moore said.

Vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus were found both safe and effective across 100,000 participants and, critically, for older adults and infants.

"The foundation of science in the new iteration of the ACIP is uncertain at best," William Schaffner, MD, observed. He is concerned about where that might lead.

Moore, a past voting member of the ACIP, is unsure how the CDC will respond to adding "speculative concerns" to a piece of information given to every person who recieves a vaccine.

Moore, president and CEO of immunize.org, has deep roots in public health and advocacy, vaccine program implementation, and immunization education.

The CDC said clinicians should be aware of these trends, select treatments carefully, and strengthen prevention efforts.

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Seniors remain protected along with any adult or child with underlying risk factors for severe disease, but the healthy US population is left with a choice, so far.

The ACIP on September 19 narrowly voted against requiring a prescription to get the shot but urged more detailed discussion of vaccine risks during shared decision making conversations.

Discussions on day 1 focused on the difference between the MMR and MMR+V vaccines, with clinicians calling for inclusion of real-world experience in any ACIP decision.

Ada Stewart, MD, reviews current guidelines, addresses patient hesitancy, and explains how HPV self-collection tests may expand screening options in primary care.

Regardless of decisions made during the ACIP meeting, health insurance plans will continue to cover shots recommended by ACIP as of Sept 1.

Most parents support childhood vaccines such as MMR and polio, but skepticism about seasonal and newer shots persists, along with distrust of federal agencies.

States in the deep South and the West consistently ranked lowest on rates of flu vaccination across age groups, number of teens vaccinated against HPV, and older individuals with shingles vaccination.

Ada Stewart, MD, board-certified family physician, offers strategies for introducing HPV self-collection tests, addressing patient communication, follow-up challenges, and more.

Ada Stewart, MD, discusses how HPV self-collection tests can expand cervical cancer screening options in primary care while addressing patient barriers and limitations.