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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 1d

If you tuned in to last month’s ACIP mtg, there was a weird moment when a presenter invited by RFK Jr’s ACIP said that his research grant had been canceled abruptly, so he could only present preliminary results

It then got weirder; HHS denied it

Here’s the whole story www.cnn.com/2025/10/04/h...

RFK Jr.’s HHS killed a research grant to investigate vaccine safety, then asked the researcher to publicly present results | CNN

About 90 seconds into his presentation on Covid-19 vaccine safety at a closely watched meeting of advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month, Dr. Bruce Carleton made a st...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 7d

Pfizer's stock rose 6.83% today after its drug pricing deal with the White House

That added about $9.3B in market value

Stock chart of Pfizer, showing shares rose 6.83% to end the day at $25.48, with a market cap of $144.87 billion

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 7d

TrumpRx program promises discounts of 40-85% for Americans buying drugs directly from manufacturers

White House fact sheet says discounts are off list prices

Pfizer’s Xeljanz list price = $6,073/month

40% discount = $3,643/month

@dusetzinas.bsky.social: “How is this a reasonable cash price?”

TrumpRx prescription drug discounts
Eucrisa- dermatitis - 80% discount
Duavee- osteoporosis- 85% discount
Zavzpret- migraine - 50% discount
Xeljanz- rheumatoid arthritis - 40% discount

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 12d

CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten today on RFK Jr’s approval ratings

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 13d

Trump’s directives on Tylenol on Monday, compared with communications from the FDA: www.cnn.com/2025/09/24/h...

Trump goes beyond his own FDA with Tylenol warning | CNN

President Donald Trump warned against Tylenol use during pregnancy, overstating its link to autism and contradicting some of the FDA’s guidance. CNN’s Meg Tirrell examines the FDA’s letter to doctors ...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 14d

(I was looking for how to prepare acorn squash… CSA help needed!)

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 14d

Google search suggestions: such a snapshot of humanity

How to prepare for the rapture
How to prepare for a colonoscopy
How to prepare iPhone for trade in

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 14d

Trump says Cuba has 'virtually no autism.' That's news to Cuban doctors, @cnn.com's Havana bureau chief reports: edition.cnn.com/2025/09/23/a...

Trump says Cuba has ‘virtually no autism.’ That’s news to Cuban doctors | CNN

Despite what you may have heard recently and contrary to what President Trump apparently believes, there is autism in Cuba.

edition.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 15d

European Medicines Agency: “In the EU, paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) can be used for reducing pain or fever during pregnancy if clinically needed. There is currently no new evidence that would require changes to the current EU recommendations for use.”

European Medicines Agency

23 September 2025

Use of paracetamol during pregnancy unchanged in the EU
Paracetamol medicines can be used in pregnancy, in accordance with official recommendations

In the EU, paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) can be used for reducing pain or fever during pregnancy if clinically needed. There is currently no new evidence that would require changes to the current EU recommendations for use.

“Paracetamol remains an important option to treat pain or fever in pregnant women”, says Steffen Thirstrup, EMA’s Chief Medical Officer. “Our advice is based on a rigorous assessment of the available scientific data and we have found no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children”.

As included in the product information for paracetamol in the EU, a large amount of data from pregnant women who used paracetamol during pregnancy indicates no risk of malformations in the developing foetus or in newborns.

In 2019, EMA reviewed available studies that investigated the neurodevelopment of children exposed to paracetamol in utero and found that the results were inconclusive and that no link with neurodevelopmental disorders could be established.[1] [2]

When needed, paracetamol can be used during pregnancy. As with any medicine for acute treatment, it should be used at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest possible time and as infrequently as possible.

Pregnant women should speak to their healthcare professional if they have questions about any medication during pregnancy.

As for all medicines, EMA and the national competent authorities in the EU will continue to monitor the safety of medicines containing paracetamol and promptly evaluate any new data as they emerge. Regulatory actions will be taken as necessary to protect public health.

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · 27d

"My sense is the administration is disregarding solid science and replacing it with whim and whimsy — substituting seed oils with beef tallow for deep-frying french fries and cane sugar for high fructose cane syrup in soda,” Gardner said.

From @cnn.com's Sandee LaMotte: www.cnn.com/2025/09/10/h...

MAHA’s ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again’ guidance ignores root causes of poor childhood health, experts say | CNN

Experts say the latest MAHA report, which focused on children’s health, didn’t include science-backed ways or funding to improve their well-being.

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Sep 3

In response to a call from President Donald Trump to make the positive impact of Covid-19 vaccines public, drug giant Pfizer posted a collection of more than 200 press releases and statements and 27 peer-reviewed data publications since early 2020: www.cnn.com/2025/09/03/h...

Pfizer responds to Trump’s call for Covid-19 vaccine data, says Operation Warp Speed deserves Nobel Peace Prize | CNN

In response to a call from President Donald Trump to make the positive impact of Covid-19 vaccines public, drug giant Pfizer posted a collection of more than 200 press releases and statements and 27 p...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Sep 3

Dr. Paul Offit, a prominent voice on vaccines and frequent critic of RFK Jr, is blocked from participating in FDA’s vaccine advisory committee. HHS says his special government employee status expired. Offit says FDA had asked him to stay on 2 more years: www.cnn.com/2025/09/02/h...

Vaccine expert who is a frequent critic of RFK Jr. is blocked from participating in FDA advisory committee | CNN

Dr. Paul Offit, a frequent critic of US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been blocked from participating in a panel of independent experts who advise the US Food and Drug...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Sep 3

1,000+ HHS employees (current & former) call for RFK Jr’s resignation www.cnn.com/2025/09/03/h...

HHS employees demand RFK Jr. resign for ‘compromising the health of this nation’ | CNN

More than 1,000 current and former employees of the US Department of Health and Human Services wrote a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday, arguing that his leadership has “put the ...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Aug 8

Nearly two dozen people developed food poisoning in Florida after consuming tainted raw milk from the same farm, state health department says (from @reportergoodman.bsky.social) www.cnn.com/2025/08/05/h...

Nearly two dozen people in Florida are ill after drinking raw milk from the same farm | CNN

Nearly two dozen people have developed food poisoning in Florida after consuming tainted raw milk from the same farm, according to the state’s Department of Health.

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 29

A major NIH grant to study ways to restore hearing was terminated by the Trump administration bc it was awarded through a DEI initiative—to a researcher who qualified bc of his own hearing loss www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/h... @manorlaboratory.bsky.social

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 16

Big shakeup at HHS, our new colleague @adamcancryn.bsky.social reports -

RFK Jr fires chief of staff Heather Flick Melanson and deputy chief of staff for policy Hannah Anderson. Melanson had worked in first Trump admin

Kennedy "lost confidence in them," sources say

www.cnn.com/2025/07/16/h...

RFK Jr. fires top aides in HHS shakeup | CNN

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired two of his top aides in an abrupt shakeup of the leadership at the nation’s sprawling health department, two people familiar with...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 9

RFK Jr abruptly called off tomorrow's scheduled USPSTF meeting

Notice came from the immediate Office of the Secretary

"There is extraordinary concern," among those connected to the task force, "that it's about to be dismissed, like ACIP was," a source familiar tells us

www.cnn.com/2025/07/09/h...

HHS abruptly calls off meeting of expert panel on preventive care, raising questions about its future | CNN

The US Department of Health and Human Services called off an upcoming meeting of expert advisers on preventive health care, raising questions about the future of the longtime, nonpolitical advisory gr...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 8

(This is an updated post as plaintiffs corrected information about physician, who is concerned she won’t be able to obtain a Covid booster while pregnant. Previous post said she was said to have been blocked from getting one, and has been deleted.)

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 8

American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Medical orgs led by AAP sue Trump admin health leaders over vaccine policy

Plaintiffs include pregnant physician said to fear being blocked from getting Covid booster bc of RFK Jr's change to vaccine recs www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/h...

Major medical associations sue Kennedy, Trump administration health leaders for Covid-19 vaccine changes | CNN

Medical associations representing hundreds of thousands of doctors, medical professionals and scientists in the United States are suing the leaders of US health agencies for limiting who can get Covid...

www.cnn.com

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 8

American Academy of Pediatrics v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Medical orgs led by AAP sue Trump admin health leaders over vaccine policy

Plaintiffs include pregnant physician said to fear being unable to get Covid booster

www.cnn.com/2025/07/07/h...

Major medical associations sue Kennedy, Trump administration health leaders for Covid-19 vaccine changes | CNN

Medical associations representing hundreds of thousands of doctors, medical professionals and scientists in the United States are suing the leaders of US health agencies for limiting who can get Covid...

www.cnn.com

Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jul 7

US measles cases are now the highest for any year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, w 1,277 cases in 2025 so far. That surpasses the last record from 2019, when large outbreaks concentrated in Brooklyn & Rockland County NY threatened elimination status: www.cnn.com/2025/07/05/h...

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 27

New measles cases continue to pop up across US

-Kentucky reports 4 new cases; 3 in one household and 1 unrelated from international travel

-New Mexico this wk said 5 detainees in a detention center tested positive

-Texas outbreak slowing; state reported no new cases this wk

US 2025 total: 1,220+

Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 18

The US has passed 1,200 measles cases so far in 2025, per @cnn.com tally

In West TX outbreak:
-TX added 6 cases in the past week, to 750 as of 6/17; 97 hospitalizations; 2 deaths
-NM still at 81 cases, 7 hospitalizations, 1 death
-OK still at 20 cases
-KS (may be linked) adds 3 to 79 cases

Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 13

W Tx measles outbreak is slowing;

TX has moved to updating case # once/wk, on Tues -
744 cases, 96 hospitalizations, 2 deaths (as of June 10)

NM: 81 cases, 7 hospitalizations, 1 death

OK: 20 cases

KS: 76 cases (+ 5 since June 4)

US measles cases = at least 1,197 per @cnn.com tally

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 26

On day 2 of ACIP, we’ll be hearing about thimerosal, a preservative removed from most vaccines ~25 yrs ago as a precaution.

No harm was seen in multiple studies of thimerosal, which contains a form of mercury. But it became a focal point of people concerned about autism: www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/h...

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 25

CDC slide up during Covid-19 vaccine discussion at first meeting of RFK Jr’s newly assembled ACIP:

“Covid-19 vaccines have been evaluated under the most extensive safety monitoring program in U.S. history”

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Meg Tirrell @megtirrell.bsky.social · Jun 25

Here we go

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