The US childhood vaccination schedule has become the center of a heated debate and much attention is being drawn towards it after a Senate hearing revealed the possible changes to when critical shots like the hepatitis B vaccine are given. Susan Monarez, former director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing said that she was fired in August for refusing two demands by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, which were: fire career agency officials and sign off vaccine recommendations without seeing any data.

“He said if I was unwilling to do both, I should resign,” she said. “I responded that I could not pre-approve recommendations without reviewing the evidence, and I had no basis to fire scientific experts.”

At stake is not just the timeline of immunization, but also health and safety of millions of children who rely on vaccines to protect them from life-threatening diseases.

“The concern is Robert F Kennedy [Jr.] is going to make America sicker again,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. “They’re going to send us towards more disease, more death and more despair in our nation.”

Why Does Vaccine Schedule Matter?

The CDC, through its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), sets the recommended vaccine schedule for children. While not mandatory, these guidelines strongly influence what health insurers cover and how doctors across the country advise parents.

For decades, the schedule has ensured that children are vaccinated against highly contagious diseases at the ages when they are most vulnerable. Changes to this timeline are not simply administrative, they have direct consequences on whether children remain protected against illnesses that once caused widespread suffering and death.

Debate Around The Hepatitis B Vaccine

One of the most debated issues that has risen is the hepatitis vaccine. It is from 1991 that the CDC recommended that babies must receive the first dose within 24 hours of birth, followed by additional doses at one month and between six to eighteen months.

This timing is not arbitrary. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to cirrhosis, cancer, and lifelong health complications. Critically, the risk of developing chronic hepatitis B depends on the age at which a person is infected. Babies infected at birth have up to a 90% chance of developing chronic infection. Adults, by comparison, have only about a 5% chance.

Because many mothers are unaware they carry the virus, the birth dose serves as a crucial safeguard. It blocks transmission at the earliest stage, preventing lifelong illness and premature deaths.

So, What Could Change?

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the committee’s chair, asked Monarez if Kennedy had told her he was going to change the childhood vaccination schedule. “He said that the childhood vaccine schedule would be changing starting in September, and I needed to be on board with it,” Monarez said.

What is being proposed contradicts the CDC recommendation of hepatitis shot being the first one for a child to receive within 24 hours of being born. Testimony at the Senate hearing suggested that the vaccine schedule could be revised to delay the first dose of the hepatitis B shot until age 4. Former CDC officials raised alarms that this proposal was not based on scientific data but rather political direction.

If implemented, such a shift would mean babies could go unprotected during the period when they are most at risk of contracting hepatitis B from their mothers or close contacts. Experts warned this would undo decades of progress in reducing infant infections, from 20,000 cases annually before 1991 to fewer than 20 per year today.

Risks of Delaying Vaccination

Delaying hepatitis B vaccination could open the door to a resurgence of preventable infections. Even if mothers are screened during pregnancy, screening isn’t perfect, and some may acquire the infection late in pregnancy or go undiagnosed. Without the immediate protection of the birth dose, babies would be vulnerable.

Moreover, shifting vaccines later in childhood carries another risk: missed doses. Studies show that adherence to vaccines is highest in infancy, when routine well-baby visits are frequent. Delaying could mean some children never get fully vaccinated at all.

The consequences are not minor. Untreated hepatitis B leads to chronic infection in most infants, setting them on a path toward liver damage, cirrhosis, and cancer later in life.

Concerns for Childhood Immunization

The hepatitis B vaccine isn’t the only one under review. The same advisory panel is expected to revisit recommendations for measles, chickenpox, and the updated COVID-19 shot.

Also Read: US Health Officials To Examine Covid Vaccine Effects In Pregnant Women And Kids

Critics worry that altering the established childhood schedule without thorough scientific review could destabilize public trust and increase preventable outbreaks.

The controversy comes at a time when confidence in public health agencies is already slipping. According to a recent KFF poll, trust in the CDC dropped from 63% in 2023 to 57% in 2025. Changes seen as politically motivated, rather than evidence-driven, could erode that trust even further.

Why Science-Based Decisions Are Essential

Experts stress that vaccination decisions should be grounded in data, not politics. The success of public health in the U.S., from reducing measles deaths to nearly eliminating mother-to-child hepatitis B transmission—has hinged on science-led policymaking.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a gastroenterologist, reminded lawmakers that the hepatitis B vaccine transformed infant health in America: “Before 1991, as many as 20,000 babies were infected with hepatitis B each year. Now, fewer than 20 babies annually get the virus from their mother.”

Such achievements highlight the life-saving role of evidence-based vaccination. Undoing or weakening these protections without compelling scientific justification risks reversing decades of progress.

What Comes Next?

The ACIP meeting will be pivotal in determining the future of the childhood vaccine schedule. If changes are recommended, they could reshape how millions of American children are immunized. However, for many experts, the principle remains clear: any adjustments must be backed by rigorous data and public health expertise.

Health officials in Washington, D.C. are warning that confirmed cases of measles may have spread during this year’s National March for Life rally and related events held in the capital late January. The annual anti-abortion gathering drew thousands of people to the National Mall and surrounding areas, raising concerns about potential large-scale exposure.

The D.C. Department of Health said it is actively working to identify individuals who may be at risk after learning that several people who later tested positive for measles were present in the city while contagious.

“DC Health was notified of multiple confirmed cases of measles whose carriers visited multiple locations in the District while contagious,” the agency said in a statement on Sunday. Officials are now contacting people who were at those locations during the exposure window.

Measles In DC: Transit Hubs and Campuses Among Exposure Sites

According to DC Health, potential exposure sites span a wide range of busy public locations between January 21 and February 2. These include Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Union Station, an Amtrak Northeast Regional train, and multiple stops within the city’s Metro subway system.

Health officials also flagged visits to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Catholic University as part of the exposure timeline. Given the volume of visitors moving through these spaces daily, authorities say the risk of wider spread cannot be ruled out.

Measles In DC: Hospital Issues Public Health Notice

Children’s National Hospital has also issued a public health notice after a confirmed measles patient from Virginia visited its Emergency Department on February 2 while infectious. The hospital said it is coordinating with public health authorities to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed during that time.

Measles is highly contagious and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, making hospital settings particularly vulnerable.

Measles In DC: Surge Across the United States

The situation in Washington comes as the United States faces its largest measles outbreak in decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 733 confirmed cases have been reported across 20 states so far this year. The CDC says about 95 percent of those cases involve people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

South Carolina remains one of the hardest-hit states. Its outbreak began in October 2025 and has now surpassed earlier outbreaks elsewhere in the country. State health officials reported 44 new cases on Friday, bringing the total to 920. While the pace of new cases has slowed slightly, officials continue to warn of possible exposure at public places such as a Target store in Taylors and a Social Security Administration office in Spartanburg, where the outbreak is centered.

Measles In DC: Vaccination Urged Amid Global Concern

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz urged Americans to get vaccinated against measles. While recent federal policy changes have rolled back recommendations for some vaccines, guidance on measles immunization remains unchanged.

International health authorities are also watching closely. The World Health Organization’s Pan American Health Organization has invited U.S. officials to a meeting in April to review the country’s measles elimination status, which is now under threat.

D.C. health officials are urging anyone who may have been exposed and is not fully vaccinated, pregnant, or immunocompromised to contact a healthcare provider immediately.

The latest release by Department of Justice (DOJ) on Epstein Files show a chat between the late sex offender and financer Jeffery Epstein and Harry Fisch, a urologist. The message from Epstein reads: "I am back can you call in Stendra 100 at zitimer".

Epstein Files: What Is Stendra Used For?

Stendra, which is a common brand name for avanafil, is a commonly used medicine for erectile dysfunction. This is a condition where a man has trouble getting or keeping an erection. It can also be used for other conditions as determined by a healthcare provider.

It works by blocking an enzyme in the body called PDE5, which helps relax certain blood vessels. This also increases blood flow to the penis when aroused, and makes it easier to get and keep an erection.

Epstein Files: Did Jeffery Epstein Have An STI?

Another chat thread between the two reveal that Epstein was worried if he had caught 'trich' or trichomoniasis. The chat from Epstein reads: "Does the culture pick up trich", to this Harry replies: "No. We can do a urine test for that".

Trichomoniasis or trich is a common, curable sexually transmitted infection in men caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. While many men are asymptomatic, they can still transmit the infection.

Common symptoms of trich are:

• Burning after urination
• Burning after ejaculation
• Itching
• Penile discharge

In another screenshot of the chat, Harry responded that he had ordered a Trich urine test and the test was negative on 9/6/16.

However, based of the DOJ documents and report by The Times, a blood test in 2016 reported Epstein had tested positive for gonococcus (GC), or gonorrhea.

Epstein Files: What More Do These Documents Reveal About His Health?

Epstein had 'very low' testosterone levels, and appeared to have cryogenically frozen his sperm, reported The Times, based on the medical records released by DOJ.

A urology test also showed that his testosterone levels were well-below normal levels in 2016. On this, Epstein noted that it had been the "same for ten years".

His reported levels ranged between 65 and 150 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), far below the normal range of about 350 to 1,000 ng/dL, and warrant prompt medical consultation to identify the underlying cause, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

In a 3am email dated April 24, 2015, Epstein, who was 62 at the time, wrote to one of his doctors, Dr Bruce Moskowitz: “As you can see from the time stamp my sleep pattern is not wonderful. I am hesitant to start a regimen of hormones. my low testosterone has been there for 15 years. mechanic view is that it has caught up to me?”

Among the several doctors he consulted, one advised Epstein to use testosterone replacement therapy along with Clomid, a drug that blocks estrogen receptors in the brain and stimulates the body to produce more testosterone. In a 2016 email to Dr Peter Attia, Epstein said he had stopped taking Clomid, calling it a “giant mistake.” “Stopped the clomid the water retention and fat around the waist made it as if i was pregnant,” he wrote.

California mushrooms poisoning has led to four deaths and three people who required liver transplant. This happened after people consumed the death cap mushroom that is proliferating in California following a rainy winter.

The California Department of Public Health has urged people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether as death cap mushrooms could easily be confused with the safe and edible ones.

California Mushroom Poisoning: How Many Cases So Far?

Since November 18, 2025, there have been more than three dozens cases of death cap poisoning. This included three people getting liver transplants, confirmed the health department. Among the cases, four were also reported to be dead. Some of whom sought medical attention suffered from rapidly evolving acute liver injury and liver failure. Other patients were required to be admitted in intensive care units. The patients age ranged from 19 months to 67 years old.

California Mushroom Poisoning: What Is The Death Cap Mushroom?

The death cap mushroom is the most poisonous mushrooms in the world. It is part of a small group of mushrooms that contain amatoxins, which are highly potent compounds and cause 90% of fatal mushroom poisoning globally. They could be found in city parks, forests, and often under oak trees.

Dr Craig Smollin, medical director for the San Francisco Division of the California Poison Control System tells PBS News that in a year, there are between two to five death cap poisonings.

"The main thing this year is just the magnitude, the number of people ingesting this mushroom," Smollin said. "Having almost 40 is very unusual."

With warm temperature along with early rains, a 'super bloom' of death caps in California could be seen.

Experts point out that eating even a small amount could be fatal. The confusing part is that the color is usually not a reliable way to detect toxicity. Furthermore, whether the mushroom is consumed raw, dried or cooked, does not make a difference.

California Mushroom Poisoning: A Case Study

Speaking to San Francisco Chronicle, Laura Marcelino, 36, said that her family in the Northern California town of Salinas gathered mushrooms that looks like the ones she and her husband used to forage in their native Oaxaca. "We thought it was safe".

However, the next day, her husband felt dizzy, but Marcelino was fine. They ate the mushrooms again, heating them up in a soup with tortillas. Her kids do not like mushrooms, so they were safe, as they did not have any. The next day, she and her husband became ill with vomiting, and stayed home form work.

Marcelino spent five days in a hospital, while her husband underwent a liver transplant.

In an email response to The Associated Press, the US Poison Centers said that the cases of mushroom exposure have increased, and not just the death cap. This increase was noted from September through January by 40% from the same period in the previous year. Exposure do not always result in illness or poisoning.

California Mushroom Poisoning: Common Symptoms

• Cramping
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Experts point out that early symptoms could go away within a day, but serious to fatal liver damage can still develop within 2 to 3 days