US deputy health secretary: Vaccine guidelines are still subject to change
A top US health official's libertarian views are reshaping national vaccine policy...
Deep Dive
Jim O'Neill, the US Deputy Health Secretary and acting CDC director, defended reducing the number of broadly recommended childhood vaccines in an exclusive MIT Technology Review interview. The CDC no longer recommends flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, or meningococcal vaccines for all children—a move widely criticized by medical experts. O'Neill, a longevity enthusiast, stated guidelines are subject to change based on new data and international comparisons, despite most states rejecting the new recommendations.
Why It Matters
This policy shift could significantly alter childhood vaccine access and public health strategy nationwide.