Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

5 INFECTION CONTROL How HHS may shift on vaccine development under RFK Jr.: 6 notes By Mariah Taylor H HS and the National Institutes of Health are developing a project that involves producing vaccines from chemically inactivated whole viruses with the goal of making "universal" vaccines that protect against multiple strains of a virus at once. Here's what to know: 1. e project, called Generation Gold Standard, is a "decisive shi toward transparency, effectiveness and comprehensive preparedness," according to a May 1 HHS news release. Vaccines are in development for universal influenza, coronavirus and multiple strains of pandemic-prone viruses like H5N1, SARS- CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV. 2. Scientists have been trying to develop universal vaccines for decades, but have been unsuccessful so far, e Wall Street Journal reported. However, HHS said the platform is adaptable for future use against respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus and parainfluenza. 3. e Trump administration has invested $500 million in the project, an unusually large sum, especially during a time when health agencies are cutting budgets and staff. e research is co- led by Matthew Memoli, MD, who serves as its principal deputy director, and Jeffery Taubenberger, MD, who is acting director of NIH's infectious diseases institute. 4. Clinical trials for universal influenza vaccines are scheduled to begin in 2026, and intranasal BPL-1357 flu vaccines are already in advanced trials. Both are targeted to receive FDA approval in 2029, according to the HHS release. 5. HHS also said that all new vaccines will be required to undergo placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure, e Washington Post reported. e agency has not clarified how the change will be implemented, for which vaccines testing would apply or how a "new vaccine" will be defined. e government has indicated the requirement would not apply to the flu vaccine. 6. Moreover, the new placebo requirement has raised concerns among health experts who worry the changes could cast doubt on vaccines that are safe and effective. Vaccines for new pathogens have oen been tested with placebos, but doing this on well- researched disease like measles and polio would be unethical because the placebo group would not receive a known effective intervention, according to the Post. In cases of diseases that cause serious illness or fatality, the use of placebos is oen not considered ethical and is not necessary because scientists can look for evidence that vaccines induce a biological response, or a correlate of protection. n Measles could become endemic within 2 decades: 5 things to know By Alexandra Murphy T he U.S. is facing its second-largest measles outbreak in 25 years, with 884 confirmed cases reported, according to the latest CDC data. Health officials are urging immediate action to increase vaccination coverage and prevent a more widespread health crisis. Here are five more things to know: 1. As of April 24, 884 cases have been reported, a significant increase from 285 reported in 2024, with ongoing outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma accounting for 84% of cases. 2. The Texas Department of Health reported 646 cases have been confirmed in the state amid the ongoing outbreak. Among the cases, 64 individuals have been hospitalized and two fatalities have been reported, while one is undergoing investigation. 3. On April 24, the CDC reported the ongoing outbreaks are concentrated within tight-knit communities where vaccination rates are low. The agency also noted that endemic measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but declining immunization rates are reversing that success, especially in areas with gaps in vaccination coverage. 4. A recent study by Stanford University projects that, if vaccination rates continue to decline by just 10%, the U.S. could see millions of measles cases in the next two decades. 5. Nathan Lo, an infectious disease physician, told The Washington Post that if rates drop just 10%, the disease could become a common household threat again, with hospitalizations and deaths becoming routine. The study also showed that a mere 5% increase in state- level vaccination coverage could help avert hundreds of thousands of infections. n

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