Latest news with #Velez
AFP
10 hours ago
- Health
- AFP
Experts say HHS document misrepresents studies on Covid-19 vaccine
Kennedy, who has a long history of promoting vaccine misinformation, is using his role as health secretary to shake up the country's approach to immunization. He has deflected questions from lawmakers about measles vaccination, despite an outbreak that has killed three children, and misrepresented the position of European health agencies regarding vaccines against chickenpox during Congressional testimony. In late May, he circumvented the usual channels for updating vaccine recommendations and announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which operates under his department, would stop recommending routine Covid-19 shots for pregnant and "healthy children." Image US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference to discuss health insurance at the Department of Health and Human Services Headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 23, 2025 (AFP / SAUL LOEB) Maria Velez, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Canada's (archived here), told AFP the findings of her paper, "Miscarriage after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A population-based cohort study," were misinterpreted in the text (archived here). "Our study shows that SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, either for remotely vaccinated or recently vaccinated women," she said in an email on June 23. AFP reached out to HHS for comment and did not receive a response, but the department previously told other publications it included Velez's research because it showed a higher occurrence of miscarriage among vaccinated individuals. Velez said the raw data included in her study showed a slightly higher incidence of miscarriage among pregnant people who received the shot, but pointed out when the results were adjusted for other variables which could result in loss of pregnancy, her findings did not show an increased risk associated with vaccination. Additionally, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist based in New York City (archived here), told AFP her study looking at Covid-19 vaccination in people undergoing in-vitro fertilization cited in the document did not find an association between the shots and adverse stimulation or early pregnancy outcomes (archived here). "Our study provides evidence to support safety of Covid-19 vaccination in women who are trying to conceive," she said in a June 26 email. said the document misused data and incorrectly quoted findings, sowing doubt about the safety of vaccines. "The latest correspondence from HHS regarding the decision to rescind the Covid-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women further confirms that the decision was not made based on any new research or latest scientific evidence, Research has demonstrated that the Covid-19 vaccine is generally safe during pregnancy and a meta-analysis of 66 studies found vaccination reduced the odds of infection and hospitalization, while the most common adverse side effect was pain at the injection site (archived here and here). Children and Covid-19 vaccines The Covid-19 vaccines are estimated to have saved millions of lives (archived here). Physicians and immunology experts have continually told AFP the risks of being infected with the virus far outweigh potential, infrequent side effects from the shots (archived here). Age raises the risk of serious illness and the World Health Organization only recommends vaccination beyond an initial series for children and adolescents with comorbidities (archived here and here). According to the CDC website, the agency still recommends boosters for children who are sed and The HHS memo sent to lawmakers put a particular emphasis on myocarditis and pericarditis, inflammations of the tissue around the heart. While these are noted as possible side effects of Covid-19 vaccination, with a slightly higher prevalence of the reaction observed among younger male recipients of mRNA shots, the papers cited in the memo included a study previously featured in misleading claims debunked by AFP (archived here). The research only found the inflammatory conditions among vaccinated youth, but one of the paper's authors noted to AFP at the time that the observational study may have missed cases in unvaccinated patients which would have been picked up in a randomized trial. The study also found the cases of myocarditis and pericarditis were mild and fast resolving, while vaccination reduced hospitalization from Covid-19. Another study looking at data from the HHS run Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System claimed a strong association between vaccination and myocarditis and death (archived here), but one of the authors has a history of spreading false information about the shots. Additionally, the journal Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, where the study appeared, issued an expression of concern about potential issues with the methodology and conflicts of interest (archived here). Dubious evidence The misrepresentation of studies' findings in the document fits into a larger pattern of HHS overhauling health policy while citing dubious evidence. The highly anticipated "Make America Healthy Again" report released on May 22 investigating children's health was initially published citing several sources that did not exist. It was updated, but experts said it still contained errors, including the misrepresentation of research findings. Kennedy also dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), of being compromised by financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. He replaced them with several individuals known to spread vaccine misinformation, including controversial researcher Robert Malone, who has promoted the antiparastic drug ivermectin to treat Covid-19. The former ACIP members published an editorial in the JAMA medical journal, saying their removal and the reduction Image Robert Malone speaks during a first meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices on June 25, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Elijah Nouvelage) The committee said it plans to revisit the childhood vaccine schedule and voted to bar thimerosal, a rarely used ingredient that can prevent bacterial contamination in multidose vials of influenza vaccines. ging from the anti-vaccine movement, which regularly questions shot ingredients despite no evidence of harm. Read more of AFP's reporting on health misinformation here.
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘She was gardening—then vanished': 47 years in US, ICE arrests 64-year-old Iranian woman in New Orleans
A 64-year-old Iranian woman, who has lived in the US since 1978, was detained by immigration agents outside her New Orleans home on Sunday—just hours after US airstrikes in Iran. Madonna 'Donna' Kashanian was gardening when plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles handcuffed her and took her to a Mississippi jail before transferring her to the South Louisiana ICE processing center in Basile, Nola reported. Kashanian, who arrived in the US on a student visa and later sought asylum due to her father's ties to the Shah of Iran, was denied asylum but granted a stay of removal. Her family insists she complied with all immigration requirements and has no criminal record. The arrest came amid a nationwide ICE sweep that reportedly netted 11 Iranians over the weekend. Federal officials did not explain the timing, though Kashanian's case has sparked outrage among neighbours and immigrant rights advocates. Her husband and daughter are now scrambling to find legal help. ICE also detained two Iranian LSU students in Baton Rouge this week, part of a broader uptick in enforcement. Government data shows an 807% rise in arrests of people with no criminal records since Donald Trump's second term began in January. ICE currently detains around 59,000 people nationwide. Earlier this week, in a shocking incident caught on video, a 32-year-old US citizen was arrested during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles, sparking outrage and raising concerns about racial profiling and ICE overreach. Andrea Velez, a college graduate and lifelong US citizen, was reportedly taken into custody without explanation or proper identification checks. Her family, who witnessed the event, said the arrest resembled a 'kidnapping.' 'My mom looked at the rear mirror and saw how my sister was attacked from the back,' Estrella Rosas told ABC7. 'She was like: 'They're kidnapping your sister.'' Footage shows federal agents surrounding Velez as stunned onlookers gather. Her mother, Margarita Flores, who holds US residency, screamed for help from a nearby car. Eyewitness videos appear to show agents lifting Velez off the ground and carrying her away. Her family said ICE agents did not ask for ID or explain the reason for the arrest. 'She's a US citizen,' Rosas can be heard screaming in the video. 'They're taking her. Help her, someone.' Velez's mother told CBS Los Angeles: 'The only thing wrong with her … was the color of her skin.' Attorneys for the family said it took them over a day to locate Velez, with no information provided by authorities. 'It took us four hours to find her, and we're attorneys. That's crazy,' Dominique Boubion said. The Department of Homeland Security has alleged Velez was arrested for assaulting an ICE officer, but lawyers say no charges have been communicated. This is not the first time such incidents have occurred. A government report found that between 2015 and 2020, ICE erroneously deported at least 70 US citizens, arrested 674, and detained 121.
NBC News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
ICE detained a U.S. citizen in L.A. and charged her with obstructing an arrest
The family of a 32-year-old U.S. citizen said she was wrongfully detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers and falsely accused of "forcefully obstructing" officers during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday morning. Andrea Velez appeared in federal court Thursday charged with assaulting a federal officer while he was attempting to arrest a suspect and was released on $5,000 bail. She did not enter a plea and is due back in court on July 17. The arrest comes as ICE and other federal agents have arrested thousands of people, many of whom have not committed any crimes. President Donald Trump promised aggressive immigration enforcement and mass deportations as part of his campaign platform. Velez's sister, Estrella Rosas, and their mother saw the incident unfold moments after dropping Velez off at 9th and Main Street, where she works as a marketing designer. Rosas said she saw officers throw Velez to the ground and then put her in an unmarked vehicle. "We dropped off my sister to go to work like we always do. All of a sudden, my mom in the rearview mirror, she saw how a man went on top of her. Basically, dropped her on the floor and started putting her in handcuffs and trying to arrest her," Rosas told NBC Los Angeles. Rosas recorded her and her mother's reaction while watching the arrest. "That's my sister. They're taking her. Help her, someone. She's a U.S. citizen," Rosas says in the video. The Union Del Barrio group, which supports Latin American and Mexican communities, posted video to Instagram that shows four officers detaining someone on the ground at the scene. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that Velez was arrested for "impeding an arrest after she forcefully obstructed an ICE officer by making physical contact with him." Luis Hipolito was also arrested at the same time for allegedly assaulting an ICE officer, she said. McLaughlin said both he and Velez "kept ICE law enforcement from arresting the target illegal alien of their operation." "Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," McLaughin said. She added, without citing evidence nor a timeframe, that ICE officers face a 500% increase in assaults. A criminal complaint alleges that Velez "stepped into an officer's path and and extended one of her arms in an apparent effort to prevent him from apprehending a male suspect he was chasing and that Velez's outstretched arm struck that officer in the face." But Velez and her family dispute this and are considering launching a civil lawsuit against the federal officers. "Andrea is a victim of excessive use of force by federal agents, they had no right to stop her and no right to beat her. What you see in the videos is police brutality," Luis Carillo, Velez's attorney, told NBC Los Angeles. The LAPD said it was called to the scene in response to a report of a kidnapping in progress by individuals who wouldn't identify themselves, but officers arrived to find a federal operation. The police said they had no prior knowledge of the operation and that while the crowd became "increasingly agitated," they made no arrests. The statement mentioned the arrest of a woman, thought to be Velez, but did not mention her by name nor mention any alleged assault. "At one point, a partially handcuffed woman approached and stood near a LAPD officer. After several minutes, a Federal agent approached and assumed control of the woman. LAPD was not involved in her detention or arrest," the police statement said. Rosas, who is also a U.S. citizen, said her older sister is a graduate of Cal Poly and has never been in trouble with the law. "When I saw the videos, they made me feel really upset," she said. "I'm a U.S. citizen, my sister is a U.S. citizen and we have rights and they violated her rights, so it doesn't make me feel secure that they're going to protect or respect my rights."
India Gazette
a day ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Chennai Bulls, Hyderabad Heroes register big wins in season 1 of RPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 26 (ANI): The Chennai Bulls and the Hyderabad Heroes put on quite the show for their fans, as they won at a canter against the Kalinga Black Tigers and the Delhi Redz, respectively, during Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League (RPL), at the at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex, here, in Mumbai. In the first game of the day, the Chennai Bulls outclassed the Kalinga Black Tigers 40-21. From the get-go, the Chennai Bulls were looking to put a lot of pressure on the Kalinga Black Tigers' defence. And it was the Bulls who had the better of the early exchanges, as Vaafauese Maliko sprinted down the wing to get his try. Shortly after, the Tigers got on the scoresheet with Kyle Tremblay's try and Maurice Longbottom's conversion. Manueli Maisamoa then extended the lead for the Tigers with his try and Ethan Turner's conversion; however, it was all Chennai after that. For the Bulls, Joseva Talacolo added a try and Vaafauese Maliko went over the line a couple of more times whilst Gaurav Kumar converted all his kicks, as per a press release from RPL. The Bulls had stormed into a 12-point lead by the end of the third quarter, and they continued to dominate proceedings in the final phase of play as well. Filipe Sauturaga got on the scoresheet with a try and a conversion, and Alexander Davis's try was complemented by Joseva Talacolo's conversion. For the Tigers, Lucas Lacamp scored a try in the final minutes, but it was too little too late. In the second game of the night, the Hyderabad Heroes stamped their authority over their opponents, as they defeated the Delhi Redz 40-19. The Delhi Redz, who have one eye on the final semi-final spot, had a bright start with Jordan Conroy scoring a try. From then on in, the Hyderabad Heroes grabbed the contest by the scruff of the neck as Javed Hussain scored yet another try. That was followed up by Lautaro Velez and Kevin Wekesa getting over the line with ease, while Velez scored three converting kicks. Quarter 3 saw Wolfram Hacker cross the line as well, giving the Heroes a solid 26-5 lead. The Heroes were quite literally running away with the game as Joji Nasova raced through the heart of the Redz's defence and Velez added two more points to the cause. Before the third quarter was over, Velez added another seven points to the cause. With a quarter to go in the game, the Heroes led 40-5. In the final quarter, Patrick Okongo added two more tries, and Matias Osadczuk and Alejandro Laforga scored their kicks as well. But the Heroes had done enough to come away with the win. (ANI)
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HHS justifies decision to stop recommending Covid shots during pregnancy with studies supporting the shots' safety
The Department of Health and Human Services is circulating a document on Capitol Hill to explain its decision to remove the Covid-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women — citing studies that largely found the shot is safe. The document, which HHS sent to lawmakers days before Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his plan to fire the panel that advises the CDC on immunizations, says that studies have shown that women who got the vaccine during pregnancy had higher rates of various complications. And it claims that "a number of studies in pregnant women showed higher rates of fetal loss if vaccination was received before 20 weeks of pregnancy,' footnoting a research paper on vaccination during pregnancy. But Dr. Maria P. Velez of McGill University, the lead author of one of the studies, told POLITICO in an email that 'the results of our manuscript were misinterpreted.' The 2023 study shows a slightly higher rate of miscarriages among women who were immunized against Covid-19 during their pregnancies. But, Velez said, that after adjusting for 'variables that can confound a crude association,' like 'age, rurality, neighbourhood income quintile, immigration status, comorbidity' and other factors that could affect the outcome, Canadian researchers found 'no association between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and an increased risk of miscarriage.' Raw numbers don't account for significant differences among the groups being compared — such as underlying conditions and when during pregnancy the people were vaccinated, said Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who's consulted for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Scientists, including the Canadian researchers, use statistical methods to adjust for those factors, she said, which is how they determined the vaccine wasn't associated with miscarriage. In a statement, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon pointed to the raw study data, which showed a slightly higher rate of miscarriage in the first half of pregnancy for women who were vaccinated against Covid compared with those who weren't. "The underlying data speaks for itself — and it raises legitimate safety concerns," he said. "HHS will not ignore that evidence or downplay early pregnancy loss." Nixon added that HHS and the CDC encourage people to talk to their providers "about any personal medical decision." Vaccine researchers and obstetricians criticized the decision to remove the recommendation for pregnant women, and researchers cited in the HHS document largely dismissed any connection between Covid vaccination and miscarriages. 'Given that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is associated with serious maternal and neonatal morbidity, the current study can inform healthcare providers, pregnant women and those considering a pregnancy about the safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in relation to miscarriage risk,' Velez and her co-authors wrote in the study. That research was based on health-system data from Ontario, Canada, and aligned with similar population studies in the U.S., Scotland and Norway. Similarly, HHS cited an April 2022 study in its document concerning mRNA vaccination in people undergoing in-vitro fertilization, which also found no adverse effects on conception rates or on early pregnancy outcomes. 'Administration of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines was not associated with an adverse effect on stimulation or early pregnancy outcomes after IVF,' the New York City-based researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai West hospital wrote in the study. 'Our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in women who are trying to conceive.' The HHS document also includes an incorrect link for that study, instead leading to a different study — also cited in HHS' document — by Israeli researchers that found the vaccine 'appears to be safe during pregnancy,' with no increase in preterm labor or in newborns with low birth weight. That February 2022 study did note a possible increase in preterm birth rates for women vaccinated during the second trimester, and the authors suggested future investigations of outcomes based on the timing of immunization. HHS' assertion about significant risks to pregnant women 'contradicts the bulk of published studies,' said Dr. Paul Offit, an expert who has served as an outside adviser on vaccines to the FDA and the CDC. HHS deviated from past practice when it changed the Covid vaccine guidance last month, announcing the decision without the endorsement of an existing outside panel of expert advisers. Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told POLITICO at the time that he was disappointed by HHS' decision, and pointed to data showing that newborns can benefit from maternal antibodies from the vaccine for protection from Covid. 'In fact, growing evidence shows just how much vaccination during pregnancy protects the infant after birth, with the vast majority of hospitalized infants less than 6 months of age — those who are not yet eligible for vaccination — born to unvaccinated mothers,' Fleischman said.
