health
Rubio Seeks to Restore Global Vaccination Funding
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TL;DR
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's influence on the department's work, including vaccine issues, has reportedly diminished.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is taking steps to release $600 million in stalled global vaccination funding previously held up by Kennedy.
- Kennedy had blocked the funds to Gavi, citing concerns about the safety of a specific DTwP vaccine and the use of thimerosal.
- These objections contradict established scientific consensus on the safety of thimerosal-containing vaccines, which are crucial for vaccine access in poorer countries.
- A bipartisan group of senators has pressured the administration to release the funds, highlighting their importance amidst current health crises like the Ebola outbreak.
- Gavi has presented a plan to phase out older vaccines and transition to newer ones without thimerosal or with alternative preservatives, and has committed to not using U.S. funds for thimerosal-containing vaccines.
- The release of the funds is expected soon, though it is unclear if Kennedy's specific concerns about the DTwP vaccine are fully resolved.