The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially reported the largest number of pediatric deaths in more than 15 years, topping even last year's death count and paralleling the killing impact of the 2009-2010 swine flu pandemic. At least 216 U.S. children have lost their lives from influenza-related causes through the current 2023–2024 flu season as of early May, a count that experts cautioned will likely still grow as further data are accumulated.

Dr. Sean O'Leary, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the University of Colorado and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, noted that the reported death toll is probably an underestimation. "This number that we have now is almost certainly an undercount," he said in an interview with the Associated Press, adding that final counts from CDC flu data are usually revised and finalized during the fall.

One of the most disturbing factors contributing to the surge in child flu deaths is the dramatic decline in rates of flu vaccination among children. The vaccination rate has plummeted from 64% five years ago to only 49% this flu season, reports Dr. O'Leary. The seriousness of the decline cannot be overstated—particularly with the fact that flu vaccines, though they cannot always prevent illness, are shown to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

The information indicates that a majority of the deaths were preventable. The number of children who received vaccinations among the 216 that passed away was not released by the CDC, nor did they provide expert insight within the report. Nevertheless, it is hard to ignore the trend between declining flu vaccine usage and higher mortality.

Adults were not exempt from this year's flu season either. The CDC estimates that this season's flu has sickened at least 47 million people, hospitalized 610,000, and killed 26,000 in all ages up to this point. In adults who were hospitalized with flu, 95% had one or more underlying conditions, including diabetes or heart disease. But the scenario is very different among children: only around 53% of the nearly 2,000 hospitalized children researchers examined had an underlying condition, including asthma or obesity. This means many of the sickened children were otherwise well.

These kinds of statistics confirm the capricious and sometimes indiscriminate nature of the flu virus—especially in years when several aggressive strains are in circulation at the same time.

Why This Year Was Particularly Challenging?

The season of 2023–2024 has been peculiar when it comes to virology. Rather than a single prevalent strain, two distinct Type A strains—H1N1 and H3N2—have been spreading extensively, making it even more complex in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Fortunately, the flu vaccine has been working fairly well, based on previous CDC information that indicated that it was efficient in cutting down hospitalizations and deaths.

Nevertheless, a large number of Americans did not get vaccinated or got vaccinated too late. Misinformation, logistical challenges, and decreased access to pediatric vaccination services have all contributed.

The healthcare infrastructure also has a part in these results. As Dr. O'Leary noted, pediatrician clinics nationwide are running short on staff and are seeing fewer after-hours clinics, which makes it harder for families to get their children vaccinated. Although pharmacies have become the default choice for many adults who are seeking vaccines, they are not all equipped—or even permitted by law—to vaccinate children.

This access structural gap is an increasingly pressing concern, particularly as more Americans are turning to retail healthcare environments for routine vaccinations.

Why is Vaccine Hesitancy and Political Rhetoric a Dangerous Mix?

Superimposed over this entire crisis is a general collapse in childhood vaccination rates across the board—led in part by a steady stream of misinformation online and amplified by political leaders. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, publicly sided with vaccine-critical language, which restarted debates that swept up speed during the COVID-19 pandemic. His divisive stance is thought to have impacted public trust and potentially led to a general collapse in vaccine confidence.

Experts fear that this politicization of public health measures may be eroding decades of effort in infectious disease prevention.

Flu Activity Now in Decline

There is some relief: the CDC says flu activity is now declining, with all 50 states reporting low or minimal levels. But for the families of the 216 children who died this season, it comes too late.

Public health officials continue to strongly recommend annual flu vaccinations for everybody six months and older, warning Americans not to get complacent. "My hope is that this season will be a little bit of a wake-up call," said Dr. O'Leary. "We actually do need to vaccinate our kids against influenza."

The increase in pediatric flu fatalities in the 2023-24 season is a failure of public health with several contributing layers—vaccine hesitancy, systemic gaps in healthcare, and politicization of science. And yet, it's also an moment of clarity. Influenza is a serious, occasionally fatal virus, and vaccines are among our most effective weapons in limiting its spread.

As flu season comes to a close, the call to action is clear: heightened awareness, greater vaccine availability, and a collective effort to restore trust in public health must be top priorities to avoid another tragic year.

Not forever, but what if you could press pause on Alzheimer’s just long enough to enjoy a few more good years? That is the tantalising promise behind a new drug called lecanemab, hailed as a game-changer in the fight against dementia.

The drug has already been licensed for use in the UK after trials showed it could slow the pace of decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s. But new long-term findings are turning cautious hope into something stronger: patients who stayed on lecanemab for four years experienced a noticeable delay in the disease's progression. Some even showed no decline at all.

How It Works

In the initial 18-month trial, the drug delayed Alzheimer’s progression by just under six months. That might not sound like much, but it’s the long game that matters here. Among 478 patients who remained on the drug for four years, the average delay before their disease advanced to the next stage stretched to almost 11 months.

Even more striking: 69 per cent of those with low levels of tau saw no decline at all over the four years. And over half in that same group actually improved their cognitive scores.

A Slow Slide Instead of a Steep Drop

Typically, people with mild Alzheimer’s see their scores on memory and function tests worsen by one or two points each year. But for those taking lecanemab, the total decline across four years was just 1.75 points. That’s a major shift in the rhythm of the disease, changing it from a downhill tumble to a slow shuffle.

Professor Christopher Van Dyck, who led the study at Yale School of Medicine, puts it simply: “You will get worse over time, but it will take longer to get there.” That extra time could mean more independence, more connection with loved ones, and more living.

Why Early Treatment is Key

This makes a strong case for early diagnosis and intervention, which could shift the way we approach Alzheimer’s care. No longer is it just about managing symptoms; it’s about changing the trajectory of the disease.

Not a Cure, But a Clear Step Forward

Lecanemab isn’t a miracle cure. It doesn’t reverse Alzheimer’s, and it’s not suitable for all patients. But experts say it’s a major milestone. Reportedly, this is the first wave of disease-modifying treatments and there’s still plenty to understand.

Other Contenders in the Ring

Lecanemab isn’t the only drug showing promise. A similar treatment called donanemab was tested over a three-year period, though it was only administered for 18 months. Still, the results were encouraging: patients on the drug gained an extra six to 12 months before their disease progressed.

That might not sound earth-shattering, but in a condition where time is everything, even a few more months of clarity and connection can be priceless.

The research is still evolving, but the signs are encouraging. With continued trials, this could be the start of a new chapter in dementia treatment, one where patients and families have more time to prepare, more time to enjoy life, and more hope than ever before.

When 63-year-old John Starns slumped on a train station bench in Sevenoaks, drenched in sweat and struggling to stay upright, most passers-by assumed he was drunk. He looked wobbly, pale, and visibly disoriented. But what looked like an awkward case of public intoxication turned out to be something far more sinister: a brain tumour hiding behind symptoms commonly mistaken for vertigo.

From “It’s Just Vertigo” to “You Have a Brain Tumour”

Three months and one MRI scan later, John finally got the truth. He reportedly had a vestibular schwannoma, a rare, benign brain tumour sitting on the nerve that connects the brain to the inner ear. It was affecting his balance, hearing, and overall coordination, symptoms that, in hindsight, were never typical of garden-variety vertigo.

What is Vestibular Schwannoma?

That is why the symptoms can masquerade as something much less serious.

• Dizziness or vertigo
• Hearing loss in one ear
• Ringing or buzzing sounds (tinnitus)
• Poor sound localisation
• In more advanced cases, numbness on one side of the face

Because these tumours grow at a glacial pace, symptoms tend to hide for months or even years. According to Cancer Research UK, they account for around 8 per cent of all brain tumours, with risk increasing significantly after the age of 65. In rare cases, they are linked to a genetic condition called neurofibromatosis, which often causes tumours on both sides of the brain.

Why Dizziness Deserves a Second Look

For John, it was not just one woozy episode. It was a string of unsettling, spin-the-room moments that left him lying flat on his back, eyes squeezed shut, praying for the world to stop pirouetting. And while vertigo was the first suspect, his brain had other plans, like growing a tumour on his vestibulocochlear nerve.

That is the thing with dizziness: it is vague, common, and often misunderstood. It can signal anything from low blood pressure and ear infections to neurological conditions that need serious medical attention. But because it is so easy to dismiss and hard to describe without wildly gesturing, it often gets brushed under the rug until it insists on being noticed.

If you face dizziness, do not ignore it. Especially if the dizziness is intense, recurrent, or comes with sidekicks like hearing loss, balance issues, or ringing in your ears.

In a controversial move that has rattled the U.S. medical community, federal health officials have severed ties with more than half a dozen major medical organizations from participating in government vaccine advisory workgroups.

The decision, communicated via email on Thursday, disinvites top experts from these groups from contributing to the workgroups that support the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key body that guides the nation’s vaccination policies.

Organizations affected include the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and several others, many of whom have historically played a critical role in shaping vaccine guidelines.

“This is deeply concerning and distressing,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a renowned vaccine expert from Vanderbilt University who has been involved with ACIP workgroups for decades. “Removing these organizations will likely create conflicting messages about vaccine guidance. Patients might hear one thing from the government and another from their personal doctors.”

Longstanding Collaboration Ends Abruptly

For years, the ACIP has relied on a structured system where experts from various medical and scientific fields evaluate vaccine data and help draft recommendations. These recommendations, once approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), often inform clinical practice and determine insurance coverage.

But according to an email obtained by Bloomberg and confirmed by federal officials on Friday, the medical organizations are now being sidelined on the grounds that they are “special interest groups” and are assumed to carry a “bias” due to the populations they serve.

Dr. Schaffner defended the former system, highlighting how professional organizations offered practical insights on how recommendations could be realistically implemented in clinical settings. Importantly, all members were subject to conflict-of-interest vetting, ensuring objective guidance, he added.

Health Secretary Kennedy’s Sweeping Changes

This latest shake-up follows an earlier, unprecedented move in June when U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly dismissed the entire ACIP panel, accusing it of being too closely aligned with vaccine manufacturers. Kennedy, a former leader in the anti-vaccine movement, has since appointed several known vaccine skeptics to the new committee.

Among the organizations removed from the workgroup process are the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Geriatrics Society, American Osteopathic Association, National Medical Association, and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

In a joint statement released Friday, the AMA and several of the disinvited organizations denounced the decision, calling it “irresponsible” and “dangerous to our nation’s health.” The statement warned that excluding their medical expertise “will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines.”

The groups urged the administration to reverse the decision, emphasizing the importance of transparency and collaboration in public health decision-making.

Lawsuit and Fallout

Several of the ousted organizations had previously criticized Kennedy’s overhaul of the ACIP. Last month, three of them joined a lawsuit challenging the government’s decision to halt COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for most children and pregnant women, a policy shift that has been widely criticized by public health experts.

Meanwhile, newly appointed ACIP member Retsef Levi, a professor of business management with no formal medical background, defended the administration's direction on social media. Levi wrote that future workgroups would “engage experts from an even broader set of disciplines,” and claimed that membership would be based on “merit & expertise, not organizational affiliations with conflicts of interest.”

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not yet disclosed which experts will replace the disinvited members or when the new workgroups will begin operating.