Latest news with #AmericanPublicHealthAssociation
08-07-2025
- Health
Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy changes
NEW YORK -- A coalition of doctors groups and public health organizations sued the U.S. government on Monday over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association and four other groups — along with an unnamed pregnant doctor who works in a hospital — filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston. U.S. health officials, following infectious disease experts' guidance, previously urged annual COVID-19 shots for all Americans ages 6 months and older. But in late May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was removing COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. A number of health experts decried the move as confusing and accused Kennedy of disregarding the scientific review process that has been in place for decades — in which experts publicly review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes. The new lawsuit repeats those concerns, alleging that Kennedy and other political appointees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have flouted federal procedures and systematically attempted to mislead the public. 'This administration is an existential threat to vaccination in America, and those in charge are only just getting started,' said Richard H. Hughes IV, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. 'If left unchecked, Secretary Kennedy will accomplish his goal of ridding the United States of vaccines, which would unleash a wave of preventable harm on our nation's children.' HHS officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also joining the suit are the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Massachusetts Public Health Association and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
New Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy change
NEW YORK: A coalition of doctors' groups and public health organizations sued the US government on Monday over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association and four other groups — along with an unnamed pregnant doctor who works in a hospital — filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston. US health officials, following infectious disease experts' guidance, previously had urged annual COVID-19 shots for all Americans ages 6 months and older. But in late May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was removing COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. Many health experts decried the move as confusing and accused Kennedy of disregarding the scientific review process that has been in place for decades — in which experts publicly review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes. The new lawsuit repeats those concerns, alleging that Kennedy and other political appointees at the US Department of Health and Human Services have flouted federal procedures and systematically attempted to mislead the public. The lawsuit also notes recent changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation's top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel this month and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices. Doctors say Kennedy's actions are making their jobs harder — with some patients raising doubts about all kinds of vaccines and others worried they will lose access to shots for themselves and their children. 'This is causing uncertainty and anxiety at almost every pediatric visit that involves vaccines,' said Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pediatricians and other major health groups are suing RFK Jr. over vaccines
Several major medical organizations are suing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services over actions they call a 'public health emergency that demands immediate legal action and correction.' The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The move follows several recent high-profile anti-vaccine actions by Kennedy, including firing all members of a key vaccine panel of experts and removing a recommendation that children and pregnant women get a Covid shot. 'He's doing everything he possibly can to undermine vaccine confidence,' said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, one of the organizations joining the lawsuit. 'Quite frankly, we've had enough.' It was Kennedy's late May post on X negating recommendations that kids and pregnant women should get the Covid shot that served as a final straw prompting legal action, said Richard Hughes, lead lawyer for the plaintiffs. They are 'asking the court to order the secretary to announce on X that those immunization recommendations are now reinstated to the CDC immunization schedules,' Hughes said in a media briefing Monday. An HHS spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Susan Kressly said that 'our immunization system has long been a cornerstone of U.S. public health, but actions by the current administration are jeopardizing its success.' According to the AAP, at least 183 children have died of Covid since the pandemic began. 'The only acceptable number of dead children from Covid is zero,' Dr. Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said during the briefing. IDSA is another plaintiff in the lawsuit. Also involved are the American College of Physicians, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance. An anonymous pregnant woman who lives in Massachusetts is also listed as a plaintiff. She said she was unable to get a Covid vaccination after Kennedy changed the recommendations. Pregnancy is a known risk for complications of Covid. Dr. Jason Goldman, president of the American College of Physicians, said that adults who come to his practice are 'hesitant' about vaccines. 'They are not trusting the system anymore, and this is a direct impact on the health of our patients, because if they don't get vaccinated, they can get sicker, they can end up hospitalized or even die,' Goldman said during the briefing. This article was originally published on
Toronto Star
07-07-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy change
NEW YORK (AP) — A coalition of doctors' groups and public health organizations sued the U.S. government on Monday over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association and four other groups — along with an unnamed pregnant doctor who works in a hospital — filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston.
Hamilton Spectator
07-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy changes
NEW YORK (AP) — A coalition of doctors groups and public health organizations sued the U.S. government on Monday over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association and four other groups — along with an unnamed pregnant doctor who works in a hospital — filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston. U.S. health officials, following infectious disease experts' guidance, previously urged annual COVID-19 shots for all Americans ages 6 months and older. But in late May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was removing COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. A number of health experts decried the move as confusing and accused Kennedy of disregarding the scientific review process that has been in place for decades — in which experts publicly review current medical evidence and hash out the pros and cons of policy changes. The new lawsuit repeats those concerns, alleging that Kennedy and other political appointees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have flouted federal procedures and systematically attempted to mislead the public. 'This administration is an existential threat to vaccination in America, and those in charge are only just getting started,' said Richard H. Hughes IV, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs. 'If left unchecked, Secretary Kennedy will accomplish his goal of ridding the United States of vaccines, which would unleash a wave of preventable harm on our nation's children.' HHS officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also joining the suit are the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Massachusetts Public Health Association and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
