Category: COVID-19 Vaccine

MIL-OSI USA: FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

For Immediate Release:
May 22, 2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the seizure of nearly two million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products in Chicago, with an estimated retail value of $33.8 million. The seizures, which occurred in February of this year in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), were part of a joint federal operation to examine incoming shipments and prevent illegal e-cigarettes from entering the country.
During this operation, the team uncovered shipments of various illegal e-cigarette products, almost all of which originated in China and were intended for shipment to various U.S. states. FDA and CBP personnel determined that, in an apparent attempt to evade duties and the review of products for import safety concerns, many of these unauthorized e-cigarette shipments contained vague product descriptions with incorrect values. Upon examining shipments, the team found several brands of unauthorized e-cigarettes, including Snoopy Smoke, Raz, and others.
“The FDA, working with our federal partners, can and will do more to stop the illegal importation and distribution of e-cigarette products in the United States,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Seizures of illegal e-cigarettes keep products that haven’t been authorized by the FDA out of the United States and out of the hands of our nation’s youth.”
These seizures are another example of coordinated compliance and enforcement actions across federal agencies to curb the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes. In the lead up to this operation, the joint FDA and CBP team identified potentially violative incoming shipments and completed other investigative work. The team was also able to successfully implement several new internal efficiencies and procedures building off previous operations.
“We continue to see an increased number of shipments of vaping related products packaged and mislabeled to avoid detection,” said Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “However, we have been successful at preventing these shipments from entering the U.S. supply chain – despite efforts to conceal the true identity of these unauthorized e-cigarette products.”
Most shipments violated the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), while some products were also seized for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations for unauthorized use of protected trademarks. All of the e-cigarette products seized in this operation lacked the mandatory premarket authorization orders from the FDA and therefore cannot be legally marketed or distributed in the United States.
Standard practice for products forfeited to the government include disposing of the products in accordance with the law. In the case of unauthorized new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, that generally means they will be destroyed.
FDA also sent, for the first time, import informational letters to 24 tobacco importers and entry filers responsible for importing these illegal e-cigarettes. The letters advise the recipients that it is a federal crime to make false statements or entries to the U.S. government, and the FDA seeks information on the steps they have taken to ensure compliance with applicable federal tobacco laws and regulations. Specifically, the letters advise the firms to ensure their import entries contain complete and accurate information moving forward. Failure to do so may also be viewed as an intentional attempt to circumvent the FDA’s review of the shipment. Firms are requested to respond to the letters within 30 days with the requested information.
FDA and CBP are members of a federal task force focused on e-cigarette enforcement. Previous FDA-CBP joint actions include the seizure of $18 million of illegal e-cigarettes at a cargo examination site in Los Angeles International Airport in 2023, seizure of $7 million of illegal e-cigarettes at a warehouse in Miami, and operations in Chicago announced in June and October of 2024 resulting in the seizure of illegal e-cigarettes valued at more than $77 million.
In addition to product seizures, the FDA has issued over 750 warning letters to firms for manufacturing, selling, or distributing unauthorized new tobacco products. It has also issued more than 800 warning letters to retailers for selling these products and filed civil money penalty complaints against 87 manufacturers and over 175 retailers for their distribution or sale.
Related Information

Related Information

Consumer:888-INFO-FDA

###

Boilerplate

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

Content current as of:
05/22/2025

Regulated Product(s)

Follow FDA

MIL OSI USA News –

May 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Health partnerships are key

Source: European Investment Bank

Recognising the imperative to be even better prepared for the next pandemic, we have continued to build on this previous success. The EIB is providing Gavi with €1 billion in liquidity to accelerate access to vaccines for viruses with pandemic potential (such as Ebola), and to support routine vaccination against preventable diseases like measles, malaria, and the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a leading cause of cervical cancer. (A new vaccine against tuberculosis could also be on the horizon.)

This innovative approach has also inspired others and catalysed their efforts. For example, the G7 development-finance institutions, together with the EIB, MedAccess, and the International Finance Corporation, are working on a new surge-funding instrument to mobilise vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical goods that low- and lower-middle income countries will need to respond to future pandemics.

Boosting regional vaccine production is a critical priority. Africa accounts for 20% of the world’s population, but produces just 0.1% of the world’s supply of vaccines. Building the continent’s vaccine-manufacturing base is a key part of any strategy to strengthen overall pandemic preparedness.

Here, too, the EIB’s partnership and financial innovation are a game changer. Gavi’s $1.2 billion African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator – backed by over €750 million from European governments, as well as institutions including the EIB – is designed to dismantle barriers to local vaccine production. To help Africa achieve vaccine sovereignty, the EIB is also directly financing production facilities in Ghana, South Africa, and Senegal, through the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.

Africa accounts for 20% of the world’s population, but produces just 0.1% of the world’s supply of vaccines.

MIL OSI Europe News –

May 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Deal on patent rules exception to ensure the supply of critical products

Source: European Parliament

The new rules will ensure that the EU will be able to secure the necessary supply of crisis-relevant products and technologies that are otherwise protected by patents.

European Parliament and EU government negotiators reached an agreement on new legislation ensuring availability of crisis-relevant products, such as vaccines or chips, during emergencies. According to the new bill, the EU will be able to issue special permission for the production of patent-protected goods during cross-border emergencies, without needing the authorisation of the rights-holder. This would allow the immediate production, for example, of vaccines or therapeutics also by other companies than the one holding the patent.

This special permission, known as compulsory license, can be issued by the European Commission in clearly defined emergencies, such as a cross-border health crisis or internal market emergency, with specified scope, territorial coverage and duration. It would be used only as a last resort and only in cases where a voluntary agreement between rights-holder and licensee could not be reached. The new law will not apply to defence-related products. In the process of launching the compulsory license procedure, the Commission will have to identify all related intellectual property rights and their holders.

Right to compensation and fines for breaches

The rights-holder would also be entitled to appropriate remuneration for the use of their patent by the licensee. The amount and timeframe for payment would be determined by the Commission and specified in the compulsory license. The regulation does not require the disclosure of trade secrets.

The new rules also clarify obligations for licensees, e.g. not to produce more products than a set maximum amount and to label the products manufactured under compulsory license. Should a licensee breach the agreed obligations, such as producing more products than allowed or exporting them from the EU, the Commission can impose a fine not exceeding €300,000 and in the case of small or medium-sized enterprise not exceeding €50,000.

Consulting advisory body, rights-holders and licensees

A competent advisory body, or if such an organisation does not exist, an ad-hoc advisory body will issue its non-binding opinion on the need to grant an EU compulsory license. Rights-holders and licensees will also be consulted during the process and notified of the termination or expiry of a compulsory license.

Quote

Following the negotiations, rapporteur of the Legal Affairs Committee Adrián Vázquez Lázara (EPP, ES) said: “I am proud to see this regulation adopted. It strikes a crucial balance between protecting intellectual property rights and ensuring that, in times of crisis, essential technologies and products can be made available swiftly across the Union. This framework enhances our collective preparedness and reinforces the EU’s commitment to both innovation and public welfare.”

Next steps

Once formally approved by the Parliament as a whole and the member states, the regulation will enter into force one day after its publication in the Official Journal.

Background

The European Commission presented its proposal on compulsory licensing in April 2023, as part of the EU patent package focusing on completion of the Single Market for patents. It was its reaction to the European Parliament resolution of November 2021, where it called on the Commission to analyse the possibility of compulsory licencing at the EU level.

MIL OSI Europe News –

May 23, 2025
India’s pharma sector powers ahead with growth, innovation and govt support

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

India’s pharmaceutical sector is witnessing robust growth, driven by rising global demand, the introduction of innovative products, and strong policy support from the government.

Having grown at over 10% annually for the past five years, the industry recorded a turnover of Rs 4,17,345 crore in 2023–24. According to India Ratings, a Fitch Group company, pharma sector revenue likely rose 7.8% year-on-year in April 2025.

India now ranks third globally in pharmaceutical production by volume and 14th by value. It has become a major player in supplying affordable vaccines and generic medicines—accounting for 20% of the world’s generic drug supply. The country meets 55–60% of UNICEF’s vaccine requirements, supplies 99% of the WHO’s DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) vaccine demand, 52% of BCG vaccines, and 45% of measles vaccines.

In 2023–24, the sector attracted Rs 12,822 crore in foreign direct investment. With 100% FDI permitted in medical devices and greenfield pharma projects, India continues to solidify its position as a global pharma hub.

Much of this success is credited to targeted government schemes that promote affordability, boost local manufacturing, and strengthen supply chains.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), 15,479 Jan Aushadhi Kendras now offer generic medicines at prices up to 80% lower than their branded counterparts. For instance, a heart medicine that once cost Rs 500 is now available for as little as Rs 100.

The government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for pharmaceuticals, with an outlay of Rs 15,000 crore, supports 55 projects aimed at producing high-end drugs, including treatments for cancer and diabetes.

A separate PLI scheme worth Rs 6,940 crore focuses on the production of key raw materials such as Penicillin G, helping reduce India’s reliance on imports.

Another PLI initiative, with Rs 3,420 crore allocated to medical devices, is boosting the domestic manufacturing of equipment like MRI machines and heart implants.

The Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks scheme, backed by Rs 3,000 crore, is establishing major pharma manufacturing hubs in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh to enhance efficiency and lower production costs.

Additionally, the Rs 500 crore Strengthening of Pharmaceuticals Industry (SPI) scheme is helping upgrade labs and fund R&D, enabling Indian companies to compete more effectively in global markets.

From affordable generic medicines to vital vaccines reaching the world’s most underserved regions, India’s pharmaceutical sector is not only saving lives but also building a healthier, more self-reliant future—both for the country and for the world.

May 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Alt Carbon raises $12 million seed round to scale Carbon Removal (CDR) in the Global South
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- $12 million seed will be the largest funding round for climate tech in India
- Funding round led by Lachy Groom with participation from existing investors
- To accelerate investments in CDR, Earth Sciences R&D and advanced hardware
San Francisco and Bangalore, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — : Alt Carbon, a deep-tech science & data company, announced a $12 million seed funding round to build the agricultural infrastructure for climate action. The investment will help accelerate Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) in the Global South and expand Earth Sciences R&D, advance hardware innovations, and scale-up operations for durable climate action in India. The round was led by Lachy Groom, with participation from existing investors.

This marks the largest seed round for climate tech in India, underscoring the novelty of the technology, growing demand for removal-based carbon credits, and the burgeoning opportunity for India to become the world’s frontier for climate action.

“Alt Carbon is tackling a once-in-a-generation challenge. The personal journey of the founders, their technical approach, and ambitious vision will help us remove CO₂ from the atmosphere at gigaton scale — all while adapting agricultural land for climate impact. In just 18 months, the team has built a world-class lab, created proprietary models, and laid the foundation for a new class of carbon removal and agricultural infrastructure. This is a category-defining deep-tech company that will reshape how the world thinks about climate action,” said Lachy Groom, Investor and Co-founder of Physical Intelligence.

Alt Carbon uses a novel carbon removal method called Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), which involves sourcing waste basalt rock dust from mines and spreading it across agricultural fields. This volcanic rock not only improves soil health and crop yields but also reacts naturally with rainwater to remove carbon dioxide. When CO₂ in rainwater interacts with the basalt dust, a chemical reaction converts it into stable bicarbonate ions that are stored in the soil. Over time, these ions travel through river networks to the ocean, where they eventually reside as calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) for over 10,000 years.

Alt Carbon’s flagship initiative, The Darjeeling Revival Project (DRP), is a first-of-its-kind effort to unite climate action with cultural and ecological restoration. With an ambitious goal to remove carbon dioxide at scale, the DRP aims to not just remove CO₂ but also restore livelihoods, revive degraded soils and ecosystems, and preserve India’s most valued export: Darjeeling’s tea. The project represents a new model for climate action — one that’s rooted in science, powered by community, and driven by the belief that revivals require ambition and audacious bets.

“The climate crisis demands bold bets on science innovation, rethinking infrastructure, and deploying capital. Enhanced Rock Weathering is one of the most promising, permanent carbon removal pathways we have, and yet it’s vastly underbuilt. What sets us apart is our obsession with scientific depth: we’re building advanced labs and engineering the scientific backbone of a new era of climate action grounded in the Global South. Extraordinary crises require outsized ambition, and we now have the capital to kickstart a climate revolution and have a shot at gigaton-scale carbon removal,” said Co-founder & CEO Shrey Agarwal, Alt Carbon.

In just the last two months, Alt Carbon signed two landmark agreements that signal a new chapter in climate collaboration between Japan and India. A strategic partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation marked a first of its kind framework for scaling Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) — a strong vote of confidence in both the science and Alt Carbon’s execution. This was followed by a historic offtake agreement with MOL Group to purchase 10,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits — the world’s first direct CDR offtake by a shipping company for ERW, and the first such deal between a Japanese and Indian company. Together, these partnerships not only validate ERW as a credible, scalable climate solution, but also mark the emergence of a robust Japan–India business corridor rooted in science-led, cross-border climate action.

Alt Carbon has also received early catalytic support from ACT, a leading non-profit philanthropy platform, and participation from existing investors and leading angels, including Shastra VC, Jason Zhao (Co Founder, PIP Labs), Awais Ahmed (Co Founder, Pixxel Space), Amarendra Singh (Co Founder, DeHaat), among others.

Nine months ago, Alt Carbon made history as the first India-headquartered company to be selected by Frontier, a $1 billion Advance Market Commitment backed by Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and McKinsey — to scale permanent carbon removal. Alt Carbon also became the first ERW company globally to receive an offtake agreement from the South Pole & Mitsubishi-led NextGen buyer’s coalition.

Alt Carbon also announced the appointment of Yashovardhan Bhagat (former co-founder of ed-tech platform Seekho) as Chief Operating Officer to scale its carbon removal operations across India, Adithya Venkatesan (former brand head at Gojek, Meesho and Last9) to lead the in-house Climate Studio, and Dr. Sourav Ganguly (PhD, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) to lead the science & modelling team.

“India needs $1 trillion of climate finance by 2030 alone to adapt our soil, rivers, and cities to climate impact. Globally, we need to remove 10 billion tons of CO₂ every year by 2050. We’re nowhere close to either of these targets. Our goal is to make India a hub for carbon removal. We plan to remove CO₂ at scale from the Global South, for the planet,” said Co-founder & President, Sparsh Agarwal. He added, “We thank the partners who have joined us in this ambitious, whirlwind journey, to revive Darjeeling, remove CO₂ and undo the clock for this planet.”

–

Notes to the editor
For further information please contact the Alt Carbon press office:
Adithya Venkatesan on adithya@alt-carbon.com
Media images

About Alt Carbon
Alt Carbon is a deeptech science and data company, building agri infrastructure for climate action. We aim to make South Asia a hub for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) through technology pathways like Enhanced Rock Weathering. We work with farmers and scientists in the Global South, to turn underutilized land into carbon sinks. Our flagship initiative, the Darjeeling Revival Project (DRP), is a first-of-its-kind effort to unite climate action with cultural and ecological restoration — by reviving degraded soils, restoring livelihoods, and rebuilding ecosystems. We’re rooted in science, powered by community, and driven by the belief that revivals require ambitious people and audacious bets. Our mission is to remove 5 million metric tons of CO₂ by 2030.

For more information please visit https://www.alt-carbon.com/ or follow us via LinkedIn or X

About Lachy Groom
Lachy Groom has invested in over 200 companies including Anduril, OpenAI, Ramp, Notion, Figma, and Zepto. Lachy was previously an early employee at Stripe where he helped scale the company to over 2,500 employees. During his time there he led several teams, including Core Payments, Financial Partnerships, Stripe’s expansion into the Asia Pacific, and Stripe Issuing. Lachy is also one of the six co-founders of Physical Intelligence.

About ACT
ACT Capital Foundation is an Indian venture philanthropy platform that believes that an entrepreneurial mindset, technology and innovation and collective action have the power to create meaningful impact at scale. Driven by a bias for action, ACT funds and supports tech-first innovations that can address India’s most critical social need gaps at scale through capital, connections and collectives.

“ACT’s belief in backing tech-first innovations has helped lay the groundwork for Alt Carbon’s first field deployments and validate the efficacy of ERW to remove carbon at scale. Philanthropic capital reflects a shared commitment to help the country meet its decarbonisation goals by accelerating climate solutions that are rooted in local realities and scalable across the Global South,” said Alankrita Khera, Director, ACT.

Attachment
- Alt Carbon raises $12 million seed round
The MIL Network –
May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: “All Bets Are Off:” Padilla Blasts Senate Republicans for Going Nuclear on Senate Rules to Revoke California’s Clean Air Act Waivers
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

“All Bets Are Off:” Padilla Blasts Senate Republicans for Going Nuclear on Senate Rules to Revoke California’s Clean Air Act Waivers
WATCH: Padilla warns of the dangerous precedent Republicans would set if they ignore Senate Parliamentarian to bypass filibuster

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, blasted Senate Republicans for their attempt to go nuclear on the Senate rules and overrule the nonpartisan Senate Parliamentarian in order to bypass a filibuster and rescind California’s clean air waivers.

This afternoon’s floor speech was the first of multiple speeches Senator Padilla will deliver if Senate Republicans proceed with their attacks on the public health, air quality, and environment for millions of Americans.

“While it’s not too late to turn back at this moment, I think it’s important for all of my colleagues to know that I will be back here again and again and again throughout this process to make sure that everyone knows what these votes mean not just for the precedent and procedures of the United States Senate, but for the health of my constituents in California. And about the real threat to human life that comes when California is denied the ability to control toxic air and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Senator Padilla.

Padilla spoke on the floor as Senate Republicans prepared to move forward with their cynical attempt to rescind California’s Clean Air Act waivers with a 50-vote threshold under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), bypassing the filibuster and its 60-vote requirement by overruling the Senate Parliamentarian. He called out Republicans’ hypocrisy after they staunchly defended the filibuster in 2022, and cited Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-S.D.) recent comments that overriding the Senate Parliamentarian is “totally akin to killing the filibuster.”

Padilla made clear that “all bets are off” in the next Democratic Administration, where Democrats can go after agency actions they disagree with — from mining permits, to fossil fuel project approvals, to liquified natural gas export licenses, and more — if Republicans set this dangerous precedent. He also highlighted non-rule actions the Trump Administration could try to reverse, including vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, and merger approvals when they don’t match their political agenda.

Excerpts from Senator Padilla’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available below. Video of his remarks is available here.

Key Excerpts:

As I said here yesterday, it’s not just why Republicans are willing to endanger the health of Californians. It’s how they’re doing it.

Republicans are trying to pass these bills to gut California’s Clean Air Act authority on a 50-vote threshold. They are plotting to overturn the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision. Plain and simple.

It’s a total 180-degree reversal from the majority. But in one way, they’re right. No, this isn’t the same as killing the filibuster. This actually goes way, way beyond that. First, they are doing more than going nuclear on the Parliamentarian. They are going nuclear on the Congressional Review Act itself.

Under this logic, the Trump Administration could send an endless stream of non-rule actions to Congress, going back to 1996. … Do we want to spend our days voting on every vaccine approval because Secretary Kennedy decides to send them to Congress?

And what about the next Democratic Administration? All bets are off. … Every agency action that Democrats don’t like — whether it’s a rule or not, and no matter how much time has passed — will be fair game if Republicans go through with this.

By voting to go nuclear on the CRA, they are ignoring the law – not just Senate rules but the text of the law. By voting to overrule the Parliamentarian, they are saying the rules are whatever Republicans say they are. The majority can tell themselves whatever they want. They can twist themselves into pretzels to try and justify their reckless actions. But despite their smoke and mirrors approach to confuse people, we are all going to see it today with our own eyes.

If this happens under a Republican majority, it will be pretty ironic. The party that claims to be the staunch defender of the filibuster threw the rules aside as soon as it was convenient. I have been honest in my views on the filibuster. I think it needs to change overall going forwards. But it was my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who fought so hard to keep it.

We’re in the minority today. But Democrats will be in the majority again one day. We will not forget what happened here. History won’t forget. And Mr. President, California won’t forget what’s at stake today, either. I yield, but I will be back.

Senator Padilla has been outspoken in pushing back against Republican attacks on California’s Clean Air Act waivers. He has spoken on the Senate floor multiple times to sound the alarm on Senate Republicans’ consideration of moving forward with their plan to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Yesterday, Padilla placed a hold on the four pending Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominees until Republicans stop their reckless attempts to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian. Padilla, along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also led Democratic Ranking Members in strongly warning Majority Leader Thune and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the dangerous and irreparable consequences if Senate Republicans overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision on California’s waivers.

Last month, Padilla, Whitehouse, and Schiff welcomed the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision that the waivers are not subject to the CRA. Padilla also joined Whitehouse and Schiff in blasting Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA after the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) similar finding. Padilla and Schiff previously slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.

Padilla’s full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available below.

Mr. President,

Today on the Senate floor, we are expecting to see some outrageous attacks on California and the historic Clean Air Act.

And while it’s not too late to turn back now, I want my colleagues to know: I will be back here again and again to make sure that everyone knows what those votes mean for the health of my constituents, and about the real threat to human life that happens when California is denied the ability to control our toxic air and greenhouse gas emissions.

But before I do, I want Senators and the American people to fully understand what we are about to witness on the Senate floor. Put aside all the procedural back and forth. I’ll get to that in a few minutes. But overall, it’s very simple: Senate Republicans are preparing to vote to overrule the Parliamentarian.

They want to do that in order bypass the filibuster, and gut the Clean Air Act. Now, as I stand here right now, those joint resolutions are subject to Rule 22 and the 60-vote filibuster threshold. They are subject to debate and amendments.

In this moment, they are regular legislation, and are subject to the legislative filibuster. But after the majority is done with their power play, the status of these same bills, maybe later this evening, will be very, very different. All of a sudden they may be subject to expedited procedures! No amendments allowed! Limited debate!

Again, as I said here yesterday, it’s not just why Republicans are willing to endanger the health of Californians. It’s how they’re doing it.

In 1967, the Clean Air Act passed this body under regular order by a vote of 88 to 12. In 1990, the landmark Clean Air Act Amendments passed the Senate 89-11.

But today, Republicans are trying to pass these bills to gut California’s Clean Air Act authority on a 50-vote threshold. They are plotting to overturn the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision. Plain and simple.

Why is that significant? Well, the Majority Leader said it himself at the very start of this Congress, that when it comes to overriding the Parliamentarian: “That’s totally akin to killing the filibuster. We can’t go there. People need to understand that.”

Fast forward to this week, and we’ve heard all sorts of excuses about why, all of a sudden, overturning the Parliamentarian isn’t akin to killing the filibuster. It’s a total 180-degree reversal from the majority. But in one way, they’re right! No, this isn’t the same as killing the filibuster. This actually goes way, way beyond that.

First, they are doing more than going nuclear on the Parliamentarian. They are going nuclear on the Congressional Review Act itself.

It’s true that the Parliamentarian does not make law. Under the Constitution, the House and the Senate set their own procedures, limited by the requirements set in the Constitution.

For the good of order, and a functioning democracy, we have all come to rely on the Parliamentarian to call balls and strikes and set the rules of the road.

But the Congressional Review Act is a law. And it says that all points of order are waived during a CRA resolution. And that’s what we are debating right now. An actual CRA resolution relating to hydrogen fuel.

Now, I oppose this resolution, but at least it is following the law and Senate procedure. But what is about to happen is going to be against the law. And against Senate procedure.

As I understand it, we are going to go nuclear twice. First we are going to go nuclear and overturn the rule on points of order during a CRA. Which is in the law!

Then Republicans plan to go nuclear a second time, to throw out the rulebook and use the CRA against any agency action that an agency submits. No questions asked.

So like I said, this goes way beyond the filibuster. And let’s play this out a bit.

Under this logic, the Trump Administration could send an endless stream of non-rule actions to Congress, going back to 1996, including: vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, merger approvals, and any number of government decisions that apply to President Trump’s long list of enemies.

All it would take is a minority of 30 Senators to introduce related bills, and the Senate would be bogged down voting on agency grocery lists all day.

Do we want to spend our days voting on every vaccine approval because Secretary Kennedy decides to send them to Congress?

And what about the next Democratic Administration? All bets are off. Mining permits. Fossil fuel project approvals. LNG export licenses or offshore leases. IRS tax policies. Foreign policy. Every Project 2025 or DOGE disruption.

Every agency action that Democrats don’t like — whether it’s a rule or not, and no matter how much time has passed — will be fair game if Republicans go through with this.

So, let’s step back. Republicans are admitting that they don’t have the votes to pass these California resolutions under the Senate Rules that the Parliamentarian says apply — so why not throw out the rule book altogether!

By voting to go nuclear on the CRA, they are ignoring the law – not just Senate rules but the text of the law. By voting to overrule the parliamentarian, they are saying the rules are whatever Republicans say they are.

The majority can tell themselves whatever they want. They can twist themselves into pretzels to try and justify their reckless actions. But despite their smoke and mirrors approach to confuse people, we are all going to see it today with our own eyes.

The majority is going to go nuclear to bypass the filibuster rule and pass a bill – for the first time in Senate history. It has happened for nominations before. It has happened on few procedural questions before. But it has never happened to pass a bill – or three bills. Never.

If this happens under a Republican majority, it will be pretty ironic. The party that claims to be the staunch defender of the filibuster threw the rules aside as soon as it was convenient.

I have been honest in my views on the filibuster. I think it needs to change overall going forwards. But it was my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who fought so hard to keep it.

Well, there is about to be a new precedent in the record, unless we step back at the last minute. And it will stand as a guidepost going forward.

We’re in the minority today. But Democrats will be in the majority again one day. We will not forget what happened here. History won’t forget.

And Mr. President, California won’t forget what’s at stake today, either. I yield, but I will be back.
MIL OSI USA News –
May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Libby Richards, Professor of Nursing, Purdue University

Older adults will continue to receive yearly COVID-19 shots, but lower-risk groups will not, says the FDA. dusanpetkovic via iStock / Getty Images Plus

On May 20, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration announced a new stance on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The agency said it would approve new versions of the vaccine only for adults 65 years of age and older as well as for people with one or more risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes. These risk factors include medical conditions such as asthma, cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and diabetes.

However, healthy younger adults and children who fall outside of these groups may not be eligible to receive the COVID-19 shot this fall. Vaccine manufacturers will have to conduct clinical trials to demonstrate that the vaccine benefits low-risk groups.

FDA Commissioner Martin Makary and the agency’s head of vaccines, Vinay Prasad, described the new framework in an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine and in a public webcast.

The Conversation U.S. asked Libby Richards, a nursing professor involved in public health promotion, to explain why the changes were made and what they mean for the general public.

Why did the FDA diverge from past practice?

Until the May 20 announcement, getting a yearly COVID-19 vaccine was recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, regardless of their health risk.

According to Makary and Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration is moving away from these universal recommendations and instead taking a risk-based approach based on its interpretation of public health trends – specifically, the declining COVID-19 booster uptake, a lack of strong evidence that repeated boosters improve health outcomes for healthy people and the fact that natural immunity from past COVID-19 infections is widespread.

The FDA states it wants to ensure the vaccine is backed by solid clinical trial data, especially for low-risk groups.

Was this a controversial decision or a clear consensus?

The FDA’s decision to adopt a risk-based framework for the COVID-19 vaccine aligns with the expected recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an advisory group of vaccine experts offering expert guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, which is scheduled to meet in June 2025. But while this advisory committee was also expected to recommend allowing low-risk people to get annual COVID-19 vaccines if they want to, the FDA’s policy will likely make that difficult.

Although the FDA states that its new policy aims to promote greater transparency and evidenced-based decision-making, the change is controversial – in part because it circumvents the usual process for evaluating vaccine recommendations. The FDA is enacting this policy change by limiting its approval of the vaccine to high-risk groups, and it is doing so without any new data supporting its decision. Usually, however, the FDA broadly approves a vaccine based on whether it is safe and effective, and decisions on who should be eligible to receive it are left to the CDC, which receives research-based guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Change is coming to COVID-19 vaccine policy.
Rock Obst, CC BY-SA

Additionally, FDA officials point to Canada, Australia and some European countries that limit vaccine recommendations to older adults and other high-risk people as a model for its revised framework. But vaccine strategies vary widely, and this more conservative approach has not necessarily proven superior. Also, those countries have universal health care systems and have a track record of more equitable access to COVID-19 care and better COVID-19 outcomes.

Another question is how health officials’ positions on COVID-19 vaccines affect public perception. Makary and Prasad noted that COVID-19 vaccination campaigns may have actually eroded public trust in vaccination. But some vaccine experts have expressed concerns that limiting COVID-19 vaccine access might further fuel vaccine hesitancy because any barrier to vaccine access can reduce uptake and hinder efforts to achieve widespread immunity.

What conditions count as risk factors?

The New England Journal of Medicine article includes a lengthy list of conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 and notes that about 100 million to 200 million people will fall into this category and will thus be eligible to get the vaccine.

Pregnancy is included. Some items on the list, however, are unclear. For example, the list includes asthma, but the data that asthma is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 is scant.

Also on the list is physical inactivity, which likely applies to a vast swath of Americans and is difficult to define. Studies have found links between regular physical activity and reduced risk of severe COVID-19 infection, but it’s unclear how health care providers will define and measure physical inactivity when assessing a patient’s eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines.

Most importantly, the list leaves out an important group – caregivers and household members of people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 infection. This omission leaves high-risk people more vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19 from healthy people they regularly interact with. Multiple countries the new framework refers to do include this group.

Why is the FDA requiring new clinical trials?

According to the FDA, the benefits of multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines for healthy adults are currently unproven. It’s true that studies beyond the fourth vaccine dose are scarce. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that the vaccine is effective at preventing the risk of severe COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death in low-risk adults and children. Receiving multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines has also been shown to reduce the risk of long COVID.

The FDA is moving to risk-based access for COVID-19 vaccines.

The FDA is requiring vaccine manufactures to conduct additional large randomized clinical trials to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 boosters for healthy adults and children. These trials will primarily test whether the vaccines prevent symptomatic infections, and secondarily whether they prevent hospitalization and death. Such trials are more complex, costly and time-consuming than the more common approach of testing for immunological response.

This requirement will likely delay both the timeliness and the availability of COVID-19 vaccine boosters and slow public health decision-making.

Will low-risk people be able to get a COVID-19 shot?

Not automatically. Under the new FDA framework, healthy adults who wish to receive the fall COVID-19 vaccine will face obstacles. Health care providers can administer vaccines “off-label”, but insurance coverage is widely based on FDA recommendations. The new, narrower FDA approval will likely reduce both access to COVID-19 vaccines for the general public and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines.

The FDA’s focus on individual risks and benefits may overlook broader public health benefits. Communities with higher vaccination rates have fewer opportunities to spread the virus.

What about vaccines for children?

High-risk children age 6 months and older who have conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 are still eligible for the vaccine under the new framework. As of now, healthy children age 6 months and older without underlying medical conditions will not have routine access to COVID-19 vaccines until further clinical trial data is available.

Existing vaccines already on the market will remain available, but it is unclear how long they will stay authorized and how the change will affect childhood vaccination overall.

Libby Richards has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the American Nurses Foundation, and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

– ref. FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules – https://theconversation.com/fda-limits-access-to-covid-19-vaccine-to-older-adults-and-other-high-risk-groups-a-public-health-expert-explains-the-new-rules-257226

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson Releases Report; Will Hold Hearing on Federal Health Agencies’ Failure to Warn About the Risk of Myocarditis Following COVID-19 Vaccination

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “Subcommittee”), will hold a hearing entitled, “The Corruption of Science and Federal Health Agencies: How Health Officials Downplayed and Hid Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Associated with the COVID-19 Vaccines.” In conjunction with the hearing, the chairman released an interim Majority Staff Report, along with more than 2,400 pages of records, detailing the failure of federal health agencies to properly warn the public of the risks of myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. The report, which follows Chairman Johnson’s Jan. 28, 2025 subpoena to the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), reveals how federal health officials who were aware of reports of heart inflammation conditions associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines delayed notifying the public while downplaying the risks.
Records produced pursuant to the subpoena reveal the following: in the first half of 2021, federal health officials had ample evidence of myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions occurring in young adults who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Although a number of these records were previously made available to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), the Biden administration’s heavy redactions prevented a full understanding of what federal health officials knew and what actions they took.
As detailed in the report and records Chairman Johnson released, beginning in February 2021, federal health officials were put on notice by counterparts in Israel of individuals experiencing myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions after receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Over the next three months, federal health officials continued to receive information on cases of heart inflammation following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. By mid-May 2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) officials were drafting a formal notification for health care providers and other officials.
Records indicate that while health officials were drafting the notification, a key vaccine safety monitoring system, VAERS, began showing a safety signal for a heart inflammation condition in young adults who had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Within days of the safety signal, the top ranking official at the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), then-Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, pushed back on the CDC’s plan to formally notify healthcare providers, ultimately resulting in the formal notification being rejected in favor of a posting on CDC’s website.
The report builds on the work of many individuals who fought tirelessly to obtain records through the FOIA process under the Biden administration. The chairman credits Brenda Baletti, Ed Berkovich, Brian Hooker, Amy Kelly, Zachary Stieber, Naomi Wolf, and many others who worked persistently to expose the truth about the association of myocarditis with the COVID-19 vaccines.
With the release of the interim report and the corresponding subpoenaed documents produced by the Trump administration, the public will be able to access a more complete record of the Biden administration’s failure to warn the public about the health risks of COVID-19 vaccines without heavy FOIA redactions.
Key findings from the report include:
Despite their awareness of the risks, U.S. health officials downplayed the risks of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation conditions after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
U.S. health officials delayed for months alerting the public, and ultimately rejected a formal notification to health care providers about the risks to young people of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation conditions following receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
U.S. health officials were made aware by at least early 2021 that some of their vaccine safety monitoring systems may not have been capturing all cases of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation following receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
The hearing will be live streamed beginning at 2:00pm EST here.
The interim PSI Majority Staff report can be found here.
The records, which at the request of HHS contain minimal redactions for Personally Identifiable Information, are linked below:

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Commend Romania on Deinstitutionalisation Process, Raise Questions on Corporal Punishment and Segregation in Education

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its review of the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Romania, with Committee Experts commending the State on the deinstitutionalisation process of alternative care centres, while raising questions on the prevalence of corporal punishment and measures taken to combat segregation in education.

A Committee Expert said she was happy to hear about the programme for the deinstitutionalisation of alternative care centres; this was something Romania should be proud of, as well as all the foster arrangements being made, especially for children with disabilities.

Juliana Scerri Ferrante, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said there seemed to be a lack of parental education programmes around corporal punishment. How could the views of the child be respected if violence was accepted as a disciplinary measure? Could the Romanian Government take clear steps to train staff and promote child education? Philip Jaffe, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, also noted that corporal punishment appeared to remain quite widespread despite being banned in 2004. What efforts were being made to lower the prevalence and change attitudes among parents and adults?

Mr. Jaffe asked what was being done to combat school segregation based on disability, special education needs, and family economic status? What improvements were being made to increase the improvement of vocational training for older children who may be leaving the school system? Were there any programmes which specifically targeted economically disadvantaged children?

The delegation said Romanian legislation completely prohibited violence against children, regardless of the environment. However, despite the legislation, which was fully aligned with United Nations Conventions, the State needed to fight against mentalities and traditions and to practically change the minds of parents and caregivers, who believed corporal punishment would discipline children better. Awareness-raising campaigns were being conducted for parents, and mechanisms including hotlines had been developed to support children, including the helpline 119. Authorities were obligated to launch investigations immediately concerning any allegations of violence against children.

The delegation said the Ministry of Education had taken steps to assist children with special educational needs, with the creation of frameworks offering them different kinds of support, based on the type of disability. Adaptive measures had been taken for Roma children, including stimulating their participation in early education and in summer kindergartens, supporting education in their current language, and translating schoolbooks in their mother tongue, among others. An increasing number of contracts between schools and the business sector had been recorded, including around 6,000 contracts in the school year 2023/2024.

Introducing the report, Helena Omna-Raicu, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, said Romania’s path in recent years had been shaped by profound changes and emerging pressures, including the war in Ukraine and the arrival of thousands of children and families fleeing conflict. As a neighbouring country, Romania had mobilised rapidly to provide emergency care, protection, psychosocial support, and schooling to children regardless of their nationality.

Ms. Omna-Raicu said Romania had made significant progress in certain areas, including in the deinstitutionalisation process. Of the 167 residential placement centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed by the end of March 2025 and over 6,000 children were now benefiting from family-type alternative care. The remaining 18 placement centres would be closed soon.

In closing remarks, Rinchen Chophel, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, reiterated the Committee’s appreciation for the Government of Romania’s support to Ukrainian refugees, particularly children. Significant progress had been made from the last reporting period to the current one, with many looking forward beyond the dialogue.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Omna-Raicu, expressed deep gratitude for the dialogue. The Committee’s concerns regarding urban disparities were noted. Romania would treat the Committee’s recommendations as an opportunity for deeper transformation.

The delegation of Romania was comprised of representatives from the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption; the Ministry of Education and Research; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Security; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police; the General Inspectorate for Immigration; the National Administration of Penitentiaries; the Prosecutor’s Office; the National Health Insurance Authority; and the Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-ninth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 21 May to begin its consideration of the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Qatar (CRC/C/QAT/5-6).

Report

The Committee has before it the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Romania (CRC/C/ROU/6-7).

Presentation of Report

HELENA OMNA-RAICU, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, said Romania’s path in recent years had been shaped by profound changes and emerging pressures, including the war in Ukraine and the arrival of thousands of children and families fleeing conflict. As a neighbouring country, Romania had mobilised rapidly to provide emergency care, protection, psychosocial support, and schooling to children regardless of their nationality. The State was proud to have established the first Blue Dot in the region at the border crossing with Ukraine and launched the use of the Child Protection Information Management System Primero in only a couple of months after the onset of the refugee crisis, ensuring registration and case management for almost 40,000 refugee children.

Several new national strategies had been developed for 2021-2027 which aimed to address child poverty and wellbeing, including the national strategy for the protection and promotion of children’s rights “protected children, safe Romania” 2023-2027, and the national strategy on social inclusion and poverty reduction 2022-2027, among others. Romania had also adopted and begun the implementation of the child guarantee national action plan 2023-2030, which aimed to reduce the number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 500,000 by 2030. Romania had seen a measurable decline in the proportion of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion from 41.5 per cent in 2022 to 33.8 per cent in 2024.

In April 2024, law 100/2024 was approved which included specific amendments to several laws relevant for social assistance. The new emergency ordinance no. 96/2024, approved in June 2024 regarding the provision of humanitarian support and assistance by the Romanian State to foreign citizens or stateless persons in special situations coming from the area of the armed conflict in Ukraine, established the legal framework providing refugees with access to a wide range of key national statutory services. Another significant legislative change was enacted by amending law 272/2004 in December 2024, which now mandated the participation of children in public decision-making processes.

There had also been several significant programmes launched, including modernising the unique national number 119 for reporting cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation and any other form of violence against children; the development of community services for children and families to prevent separation and support the family reintegration of children from the special protection system; and the development of 200 integrated community centres and 150 daycare centres for children, among others. Despite these advances, challenges remained, including disparities between rural and urban areas.

However, Romania had made significant progress in certain areas, including in the deinstitutionalisation process. Of the 167 residential placement centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed by the end of March 2025 and over 6,000 children were now benefiting from family-type alternative care. The remaining 18 placement centres would be closed soon. The use of European Union structural funds had also supported the training of over 11,000 foster carers. A new programme had also been introduced, aimed to scale-up integrated community-services in 2,000 marginalised rural communities, combining social assistance, health, education, and other types of social support. Over 800 million euros of European Social Funds were planned for enhancing access to social services for the most vulnerable, including children and their families.

The State had also expanded support for children at risk of early school leaving by using the early warning mechanism in education, of which around 50,000 participants from 6,950 institutions had completed the training programme. Targeted policies had been developed that supported the reintegration of children who dropped out during the pandemic, and more resources were reaching schools in deprived communities. In health, the role of community nurses and Roma health mediators had grown, and work continued to improve access to services for vulnerable groups.

Pilot projects on mental health for children had laid the groundwork for more systemic change, with mental health services for children and adolescents being expanded. However, challenges remained in ensuring equitable access to quality services in rural and marginalised areas, addressing shortages of specialised personnel, and improving early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays or disabilities.

Romania was committed to reducing the number of children affected by poverty and social exclusion by at least 500,000. The State would also pursue the complete closure of old-type residential centres, with every child in alternative care placed in family-based or community settings. Romania was committed to translating the pledges made during the first-ever global ministerial conference on ending violence against children held at the end of 2024 in Bogota, Columbia, into realities for children.

In education, the State aimed to increase the early childhood education enrolment rate by at least 22 per cent for children aged zero to three and at least 95 per cent for children aged four to six. There would be a focus on improving mental health services for children and linking schools, families, and health providers more effectively, aiming to reduce preventable mortality by 20 per cent compared to 2021 levels for children of all ages. Finally, Romania would ensure that children had a role in shaping systems through participatory budgeting, monitoring, and children and youth-led policy platforms. Romania remained committed to fully implementing the Convention and to contributing to the global effort to advance child rights everywhere.

Questions by Committee Experts

RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said Romania had achieved a lot since the last report, which the Committee was happy about. Romania’s assistance to the Ukrainian refugees and children should be noted. There had been significant legislative achievements, particularly the amendments to law 272. What measures were in place to ensure effective implementation of the law? The national strategy on social inclusion and poverty reduction 2022-2027, and the child guarantee national action plan 2023-2030 were very welcome developments. How had these impacted on measures to promote and protect children? Had an assessment been undertaken to evaluate the impact of the national strategy.

While welcoming increased allocations to certain sectors, the Coordinator asked what measures were in place to develop a child-friendly budgeting process? What was the current status of the complaints mechanism in the country for reporting all forms of abuse and violence for children? What had been done to inform children of their right to file a complaint? Had professionals working with children been trained on receiving complaints concerning children and the Convention?

The establishment of the child Ombudsman in 2018 was a crucial step in the right direction, and the Government should be congratulated for that. What was the current status of the institution? How did it connect with children? The Committee noted the State party’s awareness raising activities on the Convention with appreciation, including the translation of the Committee’s general comments into Romanian. How did these efforts extend to rural children?

JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked if the national strategy for school de-segregation been adopted? If not, then when would this occur? What measures had been taken to address hate speech? Did the permanent committee set up in every education unit offer a complaints mechanism to children? If not, how could children complain in schools?

What had been done to decrease discrimination against the Roma population? What efforts had been made to promote the inclusion of Roma in mainstream schooling? How was discrimination against children with disabilities tackled in education? There was concern that Romanian law did not define valid reasons on which minor marriages could be authorised and this was left to the discretion of the authorities. What training was provided to apply the best interests of the child? What approaches had been taken to reduce the preventable mortality of children under five years old? What was the position of the Romanian Government on the proposed amendment to law 272 regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children?

There seemed to be a lack of parental education programmes around corporal punishment. How could the views of the child be respected if violence was accepted as a disciplinary measure? Could the Romanian Government take clear steps to train staff and promote child education? How were child labour laws enforced? How would the Romanian Government establish a child participation mechanism? Were refugee and asylum-seeking children involved in decisions which affected them? Were children provided information on their rights?

What measures were being taken to strengthen the capacity of the social welfare services? How were children with disabilities prioritised in reform measures? What was being done to combat the illicit transfer of children abroad? Had bilateral agreements been conducted in this regard? Was the Romanian Government carrying out measures to understand the impact of prison on children? How were they supported when their parents were incarcerated? What support was available for young people leaving institutional care?

SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said the adoption of law 105/22 providing for automatic birth registration should be considered as positive. Could more information be provided about how the law worked in practice? Were there any plans to introduce a statelessness determination procedure? Was data on statelessness which concerned children disaggregated? What measures were in place to protect children from excessive screen use? How did Romania deal with artificial intelligence as a European Union member? Romania had one of the lowest levels of digital skills in the European Union; what measures were being undertaken to promote digital literacy among children, as well as parents?

PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said it was wonderful that strong pledges had been made at the global ministerial conference on ending violence against children in Bogota. How was Romania implementing its mission as a pathfinding global alliance country? It seemed Romanian children were in need of protection against high levels of physical and sexual violence. One of the pledges made in Bogota was to conduct a prevalence study on sexual abuse; had the State moved forward with this study? Were there dedicated teams drawing up the comprehensive framework and strategy which had been promised? One pledge had been to enhance children’s participation regarding issues of violence. What efforts had the Government made to ensure that there was a clear public understanding that all forms of violence against children needed to be reported?

Corporal punishment appeared to remain quite widespread despite being banned in 2004. What efforts were made to lower the prevalence and change attitudes among parents and adults? It was encouraging that Romania had been one of 40 countries to recently join a statement of the Human Rights Council, expressing children’s right to protection from corporal punishment. How was bullying and cyber bullying being addressed at all levels of legislative policy? Could more information about the child helplines be provided?

Was it true that around seven to eight per cent of girls in Romania were married before the age of 18, with that percentage rising to around 20 per cent in the Roma community? What was being done in response to this? Was it true that charges had been dropped against a 17-year-old boy who entered into a non-formal marriage with an 11-year-old girl? What policy was in practice in the health sector regarding surgical interventions and intersex children? What were the guidelines to protect their bodily integrity until these children were capable of providing consent?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the law on child protection now included clear provisions which made it compulsory for public administrative bodies to involve children in consultations regarding issues which concerned them. The national strategy on children’s rights was recently adopted and another national action plan was elaborated; these plans were complimentary. This was a comprehensive package which would help the Government to better implement all necessary measures. An assessment of the national strategy had been undertaken. The State was now piloting a system which would indicate how to establish a model of financing where children would be considered as a different group that would benefit from a different budget.

The national programme for schooling in Romania ensured children received food support at schools to increase the enrolment rate and participation. School supplies were also provided for all school grades. Two hundred euros were provided for the purchase of technology, and remedial lessons were provided to students coming from disadvantaged communities. Recently, the scholarship system had been extended to encompass more disadvantaged groups.

Funds allocated to primary medical care had registered a continuous annual increase. Just last year, the fund allocated to primary care increased by 24 per cent. The national observatory was a big achievement for Romania and aimed to identify the children most at risk of being separated from their families, based on indicators. Training was being conducted on the use of the observatory to ensure the data provided was reliable.

The hearing of minors in justice proceedings took place in special rooms, and a psychologist was always required to be present. The new national strategy for the development of the judicial system provided for another 10 hearing rooms across the country. There were specially designated prosecutors to handle cases involving minors. The child Ombudsman was fully operational and cooperated with all institutions. It had a functioning complaints mechanism. If an incident was notified to the Ombudsman, an investigation started, which concluded with a set of recommendations sent to the institution responsible to correct the situation.

Civil society representatives were part of the consultative groups established at the national level. A methodology had been issued and piloted regarding identifying and banning segregation within the educational sector. The measures focused on ensuring an inclusive education. Any kind of discrimination on criteria such as ethnicity, religion or sex was completely forbidden within the educational system. Specific places in high schools were allocated for Roma students and students with disabilities. To ensure access to high quality education, educational services had been developed starting from early education to prevent early dropout and absenteeism.

A set of programmes had been introduced, including a monthly allowance for children up to the age of 18, as well as parental leave. There was also a minimum income support which supported families with children. Emergency ordinance no.96 was developed specifically for children from Ukraine and their families.

There was a dedicated intergovernmental group which addressed the subject of forced marriage, with the aim of drafting legislative projects in this regard. Concerning infant mortality and the number of deaths under one year of age, a regionalised system of care had been introduced to ensure each neonate was born in a medical unit which could provide the services necessary for their care, thereby reducing infant mortality. An important national programme was in place which contained around 15 interventions, established in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund. Another programme provided 900 neonatal incubators around the country.

A significant number of services had been established to help families in vulnerable situations. A special programme was launched last year on the minimum inclusion income, which focused on how to assist parents within the labour market. The State was aware of a lack of social assistance in rural areas, which was where the most vulnerable communities lived. Interventions were directed, including food packages, and local administrative capacities would be developed.

A programme had been developed which aimed to establish hearing rooms for children in courts, and 29 hearing rooms were completed in April 2024. The rooms were used by the Prosecutors and police officers when they had victims who were minors. The rooms were child-friendly and specially designed with toys. The child did not see the other people participating in the hearing. A new strategy adopted in 2025 provided for the need for an additional 10 hearing rooms in the near future.

All social services were functioning based on a set of minimum quality standards, which were verified by the national agency for social inspection. With the United Nations Children’s Fund, Romania was piloting a project which would identify and train foster families to care specifically for children with disabilities. A child entering the special protection system was prioritised to be reintegrated in a family environment. Adoption was considered the best solution in this regard, and this could only be decided by a court. Priority was offered to domestic adoption, but international adoption could be considered after one year.

Amendments had been made to allow special spaces for visits in prison with children. Such spaces were now available in all prison facilities within the Romanian penitentiary system. There were cooperation protocols in place with the United Nations Children’s Fund and Save the Children which supported parents to develop their parental skills and improve their relationship with their children. The State was aware of the need to develop programmes which addressed the needs of children and adults and improved the relationship within the family.

The Ministry of Education aimed to develop digital competencies among students and parents. During the pandemic, all students were provided with laptops and digital devices to keep up with the educational process. In a new initiative launched in partnership with Microsoft, the Ministry of Education had announced the development of a project concerning artificial intelligence for increasing the school performance of students. A project was also being implemented aimed at improving the digital skills of civil servants.

Romania had a dedicated national child help line. It was toll-free and operational 24/7. Those operating the calls were specialised counsellors who could refer the cases to the relevant authorities. Another helpline just referred cases to social services. The 119 helpline was a recent development, operational from any place in Romania and accessible to children and adults. After the first year, it had been well received and was being regularly used to inform on any situation concerning a child.

Rape of a minor and sexual assault against a minor had been introduced as acts within the Criminal Code. Rape committed by an adult against a minor under the age of 18 was punished by a prison sentence of between seven to 12 years.

Questions by Committee Experts

PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said one in 20 people in Romania held a disability certificate, with around 80,000 being children. What were the difficulties faced by certain groups of children to receive this certificate, including rural children? Were there any awareness-raising campaigns for rural minorities and poor families regarding their entitlement to services? Could more information be provided about Romania’s strategy for persons with disabilities? How were the number and expertise of professionals being scaled up? To what degree had the State embraced a human-rights approach to disability, as opposed to a medical model of disability? How many children were still left in institutions? When would such institutions all be closed?

There were two recent laws on pre-university education and higher education; could more information be provided about the implementation of these laws? What was the level of gross domestic product dedicated to education in Romania? Was there a direct pipeline to hear about the concerns of children within the education system and were these concerns taken seriously? What was being done to combat school segregation based on disability, special education needs, and family economic status? Figures suggested that 40 per cent of children with disabilities had limited access to education. What steps were being made to improve education for children under the age of three? What improvements were being made to increase the improvement of vocational training for older children who may be leaving the school system? Were there any programmes which specifically targeted economically disadvantaged children? What was the mission of the Ministry of Youth?

SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, asked if sufficient resources were dedicated to the capacity building of medical personnel? Did all children have access to health care, including health insurance? How were vaccinations promoted in the country? How was breast feeding promoted? Child obesity was an issue of concern; how was this combatted? Was there a hot meals programme?

Mental health was a very important issue. Was data on mental health being disaggregated, including on suicide? Was there a comprehensive strategy and action plan regarding the issue of mental health? Were quality mental health services available in rural and remote areas? According to alarming information, the country had the highest number of adolescent mothers across the European Union. What steps would the State undertake to prevent adolescent pregnancies and subsequent abortions? Would Romania make reproductive education part of the curriculum?

What measures were in place to address drugs or substance abuse? Were there treatments available for children? Romania had made substantial efforts for Ukrainian children and other groups of refugees. How would the State integrate these children long-term? Were there delays in the enrolment of refugee children and their families into the social services system? Would amendments be considered in the asylum law to end the detention of families at the legislative level? Did unaccompanied migrant children have access to services, including psychosocial support and disability services? Were there any barriers which could hinder access to education?

What measures were being undertaken to end child labour, including begging? What was being done to assist children in street situations? How were perpetrators investigated and brought to justice? Were there quality services for child victims of trafficking in place? Was the system of child justice established across the country? Were adequate financial resources allocated to it? Was free legal aid available to children in conflict with the law? Was the detention of children used only as a last resort? If yes, did it comply with international standards?

RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said one in five children were affected by severe material and social deprivation, which was concerning. What was the reality on the ground? The minimum social assistance package had been introduced; could more information be provided on it? Romania was increasingly vulnerable to droughts, heatwaves, floods and landslides, and it was also grappling with water pollution. How had the national strategies pertaining to climate change helped to address the challenges of the environment and climate change in the country? What measures were being adopted to take into account children’s needs and views in the development of specific policies, including disaster-preparedness plans? Were child rights impact assessments carried out when dealing with the business sector?

A Committee Expert asked what the national coverage of vaccinations was in the country? Romania had an epidemic of measles; how did the population react to vaccinations? How was confidence being built in vaccines? Were people familiar with the law on rape? What happened once the 30-day limit for registering births had elapsed?

Responses by the Delegation

Romanian legislation completely prohibited violence against children, regardless of the environment. However, despite the legislation, which was fully aligned with United Nations Conventions, the State needed to fight against mentalities and traditions and to practically change the minds of parents and caregivers, who believed corporal punishment would discipline children better. Awareness-raising campaigns were being conducted for parents, and mechanisms including hotlines had been developed to support children, including the helpline 119.

Authorities were obligated to launch investigations immediately concerning any allegations of violence against children. Romania was committed to continuing these efforts and to changing social norms and mentalities. The numbers of cases of violence against children was increasing, which meant people were becoming more aware of the issue and reporting it.

Since 2016, the methodology applied in Romania clearly distinguished between the concept of disability and special education needs. In Romania, the deinstitutionalisation process was one of the most important commitments of the Government, and the process was now concluding. Currently, out of the 167 residential centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed, and more than 6,000 children were benefiting from alternative care. The legal framework stated that no placement centre could operate without the approved closure plan. The deinstitutionalisation process also involved finding better alternative and family-based care for children. Only 18 placement centres remained in the process of being closed, and by 2026 no such centre would be operating in Romania. The State was still aiming to find family-style solutions for children with disabilities, and a project was being developed with the United Nations Children’s Fund to this end.

If a birth was declared after the 30-day deadline but less than one year after the birth, the birth certificate could be issued based on approval from the mayor. If the birth declaration was made more than one year after the birth, the certificate needed to be approved by the mayor and other administrative bodies.

More than 2.8 million students were enrolled in the 2023/2024 school year in Romania. For high school, there had been a significant decrease in dropouts from 2.5 per cent in 2017 to 0.8 per cent in 2024. Around 4.5 per cent of the budget was allocated to education. The Ministry of Education had taken steps to assist children with special educational needs, with the creation of frameworks offering them different kinds of support, based on the type of disability. For students with temporary special needs, the law of education presented special measures, including the implementation of schooling hospitals, or schooling at home for those who were required to be in hospital or at home for medical reasons.

Adaptive measures had been taken for Roma children, including stimulating their participation in early education and in summer kindergartens, supporting education in their current language, and translating schoolbooks in their mother tongue, among others. More than 66,000 teachers had been trained in digital and multimedia use. An increasing number of contracts between schools and the business sector had been recorded, around 6,000 contracts in the school year 2023/2024. Most teachers had been trained to create open educational resources. Significant funds had been allocated to modernising rest room facilities in schools.

Any student could submit complaints of discrimination via an established framework. Students benefitted from representation in the school system through several platforms. The national strategy for sustainable development issued the methodology of the “green week programme”, which contributed to preschoolers and students’ competence in understanding basic concepts of climate change, to initiate individual and protective action to protect the environment. Teachers were obliged to obtain 90 transferrable professional credits every five years, through attending courses offered by Romanian training houses.

In recent years, infant mortality had remained relatively stable in Romania. From 2023 to 2024, the number of doctors treating children increased by five per cent. Regarding children’s access to medical services, all children were insured in Romania and benefitted from basic medical services across all sectors of health care. The national health insurance fund also reimbursed certain services. The Ministry of Health had launched a vaccination campaign in partnership with the Red Cross, to raise awareness of parents; this had been accompanied by a “catch-up” vaccination schedule, resulting in 1,500 children being vaccinated. A protocol had been signed with the Orthodox Church to establish an active partnership to create a framework for anyone facing a possible cancer diagnosis, offering support.

World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated in August each year, as breastfeeding remained one of the most effective ways to provide children with the best start in life. Breast feeding recommendations had been developed with partners, including the World Health Organization, and were relayed to medical practitioners at the local level. Around 200 integrated community centres would be restructured, elevated and equipped. A television broadcast had been created to promote the importance of breastfeeding in the first six months of a child’s life.

Information and education campaigns had been carried out for children, parents and teachers about the benefits of a healthy diet and the consequences of unhealthy eating. Around 1,000 people had benefited from the campaign. Substance abuse could be detected by family doctors and psychological services could be recommended. The national health insurance house implemented the national mental health programme, providing treatment for persons with substance abuses, and ensuring specific treatment for patients with depressive disorders.

Questions by Committee Experts

RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said the Government had approved a social assistance programme in 2011 which targeted all communes, but was underfinanced; could more information be provided? The Environment Week presented was an excellent initiative; how was it being utilised?

JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked if there were any supervision orders, where children remained with their family but were supervised? Were there age assessment procedures during the asylum procedure? What rights did children applying for asylum have? Could they appeal any decisions?

PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said according to research by the United Nations Children’s Fund, Romanian girls felt much lonelier than Romanian boys. Was there a reason for this gap?

SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, asked for clarification on case management coordination?

A Committee Expert noted the prevalence of women among the large delegation and asked if women generally had an important and high-profile position in Romania, or if this only occurred when discussing children? Had there been any programmes to prevent violence? Had the concept of gender been fully institutionalised? Were teachers trained in detecting signs of violence? What was the prevalence of child marriage in the country? What about figures for marriages which were not officially recorded? Had there been any programmes to prevent the phenomenon or sanctions?

Was there any mapping of the at-risk populations in the country of female genital mutilation? Was female genital mutilation prohibited in law? What was the most updated action on sexual exploitation? Was there any cross-border cooperation between Romania and neighbouring countries? Did Ukrainian children born in Romania have access to Romanian citizenship? Did rape victims have access to emergency contraception?

Another Expert asked about vaccinations from children aged zero to 12; was there distrust in the population when it came to vaccines? It seemed that tuberculosis was a public health issue. What was being done in the field of treatment? Were there children whose births had not been declared, particularly among refugees, Roma and migrants?

A Committee Expert asked about the new concept introduced by the Parliament on parental alienation. How had this concept been consulted on, particularly with children? How would the best interests of the child be ensured? What specific measures were being taken to reduce school dropout and improve access to quality education for Roma children? What mechanisms were in place to monitor and support Roma children who were at risk of dropping out?

Another Committee Expert said she was happy to hear about the programme for the deinstitutionalisation of alternative care centres; this was something Romania should be proud of, as well as all the foster arrangements being made, especially for children with disabilities. What was the State doing to support the families of children with disabilities, particularly those with severe disabilities?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said emergency contraception was available to those who had experienced sexual assault and could be obtained without a prescription. Adolescent pregnancies were a major concern for the Romanian public health system. Contraceptives and medical devices were provided free of charge through family centres and through gynaecological departments, where abortions were performed upon request. Romania was one of the first European countries to offer non-discriminatory HIV/AIDS treatment.

Refugees were granted a monthly allowance, one-month’s accommodation, and access to education for minors. Legislation in the field of asylum provided for beneficiaries to apply for family reunification when family members were not in Romania. Identity documents needed to be provided to prove family links. Family reunification of unaccompanied minors was carried out with the best interest of the child in mind. Minors from immigrant backgrounds benefitted from the same rights as minors who were Romanian citizens. Romanian language courses provided teaching support, textbooks and workbooks developed on linguistic levels according to the European Union framework. Priority for asylum applications was given to unaccompanied minors.

Medical forensic expertise was used when an asylum applicant could not prove their age and there were serious doubts about their ethnicity. The declared age of the asylum applicant was accepted if their refusal to undergo the medical expertise was based on compelling reasons. The assessment was performed with full respect for the minor’s dignity and in as least invasive way as possible.

Investigations in child and human trafficking were undertaken by specialists with supervision from specialised prosecutors. Through law 229/2024, the Romanian Parliament aimed to discourage sex tourism and the pimping of minors. More than 1,200 criminal cases had been identified regarding child trafficking. The General Inspectorate of Romanian Police organised regular sessions for border police and

non-governmental organizations, with the purpose of identifying victims. More than 125 trainings had been carried out to over 4,000 workers who may encounter trafficking victims through their work. The National Agency against Trafficking in Persons and the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime had implemented a national action plan in the fight against human trafficking to improve the awareness of at-risk groups.

In 2024, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime took part in 35 seminars regarding identifying child victims, compensation for victims, international cooperation, and online sexual exploitation of children, among other topics. A public awareness campaign had been launched relating to sexual acts between adults and minors. The message stated that a sexual act committed against a minor of 16 years or under constituted rape, if the age gap was more than five years, and punishments applied.

According to Romanian legislation, minors benefited from free legal aid, whether they committed a crime, or if they were victims of a crime. The Romanian penal system limited sanctions in regard to minors, and measures for deprivation of liberty were only given as a last resort and could only be ordered by a court.

The integrated social services project aimed to develop the academic knowledge of professionals working in the social assistance field, and to develop concrete measures for vulnerable groups of people.

During “green week”, schools organised activities around several topics relating to the environment. These were uploaded on a specialised platform dedicated to education on climate change and varied from one educational cycle to another. The Ministry of Education had developed a programme, the mechanism of early-living alert, which focused on early education for Roma children.

In Romania, social services were obligated to identify children in a risk situation. Children could remain within families and be monitored by social services until the risks were removed. The parental alienation provision was introduced in all cases relating to violence and neglect. It was recommended that this provision be removed, as these measures should only be applied by the courts. There were many trainings offered to judges on methods relating to children’s rights. Social workers were also trained to provide necessary assistance to visiting parents. Social services could only assist; they could not intervene and solve disputes between parents.

Closing Remarks

RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, reiterated the Committee’s appreciation for the Government of Romania’s support to Ukrainian refugees, particularly children. The State was encouraged to continue to undertake these activities which were important for solidarity for children. Significant progress had been made from the last reporting period to the current one, with many looking forward beyond the dialogue. This was an indication of the Government’s commitment towards children. As the country moved forward, it was important to put emphasis on implementation and ensure vulnerable children did not miss out.

HELENA OMNA-RAICU, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, expressed deep gratitude for the dialogue. The delegation welcomed the Committee’s emphasis on equality, accountability and sustainability, and would underpin the next stage of the State’s deinstitutionalisation journey. The Committee’s concerns regarding urban disparities were noted. It was recognised that rights delayed were rights denied, and the State was committed to accelerating affirmative action. Romania would treat the Committee’s recommendations as an opportunity for deeper transformation.

SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the fruitful dialogue and commended its members for their clear and comprehensive answers. Ms. Kiladze extended her best regards to the children of Romania.

___________

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

CRC25.013E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Universal vaccines could reshape how we fight future outbreaks – but a broad approach is needed

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Antony Black, Lecturer, Life Sciences, University of Westminster

raker/Shutterstock.com

Every year, the race begins anew. Scientists scramble to track mutating viruses, pharmaceutical companies reformulate vaccines and public health systems brace for another season of jabs and logistics.

This relentless cycle is our frontline defence against threats like flu and COVID – but it comes at a steep price. Globally, billions are poured into strain and variant surveillance, vaccine development and distribution, leaving already-stretched health systems — particularly in lower-income countries – struggling to keep pace.

That’s why scientists have long aimed to develop universal vaccines – ones that protect against all major forms of a virus, including both seasonal and pandemic types. But designing these vaccines has proved to be tricky.

The difficulty lies in the way viruses mutate. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) change rapidly, allowing them to escape the immune system’s memory responses triggered by past infections or vaccinations. To make a universal vaccine, researchers must identify parts of the virus that stay the same across different strains and variants – known as “conserved regions”.

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

These conserved regions are harder for the immune system to recognise, so scientists are developing strategies to enhance the body’s response to them. One approach removes the rapidly mutating parts of the virus from the vaccine entirely, helping the immune system focus on the parts that don’t change.

Another strategy involves “mosaic” vaccines, which combine elements from many virus strains to trigger a broad, protective immune response.

Several technologies used to deliver these vaccines are at various stages of development. For example, mRNA vaccines use lab-made strands of messenger RNA (a type of genetic material) to instruct cells to produce viral proteins to trigger an immune response.

Another type relies on “viral vectors” – harmless viruses that deliver genetic material into human cells to stimulate immunity. Both types of vaccines were gamechangers during the COVID pandemic.

Other technologies include nanoparticles, which use synthetic biological particles to improve delivery and immune response. And “virus-like particles”, which trigger immune responses by imitating the structure of viruses, but don’t contain any genetic material.

Researchers are also using powerful computational tools to design vaccines that could work across multiple strains.

These platforms aren’t just being explored for flu and COVID – similar efforts are underway for other fast-evolving viruses, such as HIV.

Cash injection

Earlier this month, the US government announced a US$500 million (£377 million) investment to accelerate research into universal vaccines. After years of underfunding, experts say this backing is long overdue – especially following the COVID pandemic, which temporarily shifted focus to emergency vaccine production.

The rapid development of COVID vaccines showed how targeted funding and global collaboration can lead to scientific breakthroughs. A similar approach could now help bring universal vaccines closer to reality by supporting early research, funding clinical trials and improving manufacturing and distribution systems.

However, the investment has not been without controversy. Some scientists have raised concerns that the funding may be overly directed toward a narrow set of researchers or outdated methods, rather than being open to the most promising technologies.

Critics argue that a broad, flexible portfolio of vaccine strategies – rather than a single approach – is the key to success.

Ultimately, the goal of a universal vaccine is not just scientific. It’s also practical and global: reducing the burden on health systems, lowering costs and transforming how the world responds to future outbreaks.

Antony Black does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Universal vaccines could reshape how we fight future outbreaks – but a broad approach is needed – https://theconversation.com/universal-vaccines-could-reshape-how-we-fight-future-outbreaks-but-a-broad-approach-is-needed-256656

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Launches New Vaccine Provider Map
Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: NCDHHS Launches New Vaccine Provider Map

NCDHHS Launches New Vaccine Provider Map
jawerner
Wed, 05/21/2025 – 12:22
As families across North Carolina prepare for summer camps and back-to-school requirements, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is making it easier for those who are eligible to find free childhood vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program by launching a new VFC provider map.

The VFC program provides free vaccines for eligible children and teens, covering all those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including those required for child care and school in North Carolina. Families could save hundreds of dollars per child compared to out-of-pocket vaccine costs.

To make accessing these vaccines easier, NCDHHS launched a new interactive map on VaccinesForKids.nc.gov (English) and VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov (Spanish).

The new interactive map makes it easier for families and community health workers to find local VFC providers who offer free vaccines. Users can search by city or ZIP code and connect with nearby providers.

In addition to the map, families can also:
- Check eligibility for free vaccines
- Access clear, up-to-date information on required and recommended vaccines
- Find answers to common questions about vaccine safety and more
“Vaccines protect what matters most – your child’s health,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We know parents want to make the best choices for their children and encourage them to talk to their child’s doctor if they have questions. As we continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our youngest North Carolinians, vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools we have to protect children from serious, preventable diseases.”

NCDHHS understands that families may have questions and encourages everyone to have conversations with their health care providers. To support these important conversations, the Department will continue to provide clinics with new bilingual toolkits, training materials and resources to help guide families through their vaccine decisions.

Why It Matters:

The ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. reminds us that vaccine-preventable diseases still pose serious risks. Vaccines protect children from illnesses that can be severe or even life-threatening. Delaying or skipping vaccines leaves kids vulnerable.

“We understand that parents want to feel confident and informed,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Interim State Health Director/Chief Medical Officer and Acting Director of the Division of Public Health. “The VFC program is about giving parents the tools and support they need to protect their children — at no cost to them.”

Learn more or find a provider near you at VaccinesForKids.nc.gov.

Mientras las familias de Carolina del Norte se preparan para los campamentos de verano y los requisitos de inscripción escolar, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) está facilitando a aquellas familias que son elegibles a encontrar vacunas gratuitas para sus niños. Estas vacunas están disponibles por medio del programa Vacunas para Niños (“Vaccines for Children”, o VFC, por sus siglas en inglés) con el lanzamiento de un nuevo mapa de proveedores de este programa.

El programa VFC proporciona vacunas gratuitas para niños y adolescentes que son elegibles, incluyendo todas las vacunas recomendadas por los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés), incluso las que son obligatorias para asistir a centros de cuidado infantil y escuelas en Carolina del Norte. Las familias pueden ahorrar cientos de dólares por cada niño en comparación con pagar de su bolsillo.

Para facilitar el acceso a estas vacunas, el NCDHHS lanzó un nuevo mapa interactivo en el sitio web VaccinesForKids.nc.gov (en inglés) y VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov (en español).

El nuevo mapa interactivo facilita a las familias y trabajadores de salud comunitarios a encontrar proveedores locales del programa VFC que ofrecen vacunas gratuitas. Los usuarios pueden buscar por ciudad o código postal y conectar con proveedores cerca de ellos.

Además del mapa, las familias también pueden:
- Chequear su elegibilidad para recibir vacunas gratuitas
- Acceder a información actualizada y fácil de entender sobre las vacunas que son necesarias y recomendadas
- Encontrar respuestas a preguntas frecuentes sobre la seguridad de las vacunas y más
“Las vacunas protegen lo que más importa: la salud de sus niños”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Sabemos que las familias quieren tomar las mejores decisiones para sus niños y los animamos a hablar con su pediatra si tienen preguntas. A medida que continuamos priorizando la salud y el bienestar de nuestros habitantes más jóvenes de Carolina del Norte, las vacunas siguen siendo una de las herramientas más poderosas que tenemos para proteger a los niños de enfermedades graves y prevenibles.”

El NCDHHS entiende que las familias podrían tener preguntas y motiva a todas las personas a hablar con su proveedor de salud. Para apoyar estas conversaciones importantes, el Departamento seguirá ofreciendo a las clínicas nuevos recursos bilingües, materiales de capacitación y herramientas para guiar a las familias en sus decisiones sobre las vacunas.

¿Por qué es importante?

El brote de sarampión que continúa en Estados Unidos nos recuerda que las enfermedades prevenibles con vacunas siguen siendo un riesgo serio. Las vacunas protegen a los niños de enfermedades que pueden ser graves o incluso mortales. Retrasar o saltarse vacunas deja a los niños vulnerables.

“Entendemos que las familias quieran sentirse seguras y bien informadas,” dijo la Dra. Kelly Kimple, directora interina de Salud Estatal, jefa médica y directora interina de la División de Salud Pública. “El programa VFC existe para darles a las familias las herramientas y el apoyo que ellos necesitan para proteger a sus niños — sin costo alguno.”

Para aprender más o encontrar un proveedor cercano, visite VacunasParaNinos.nc.gov.
May 21, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –
May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: FDA takes steps to enhance state importation programs to help lower prescription drug prices

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

For Immediate Release:
May 21, 2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is continuing to take steps to help state importation programs provide safe, effective and more affordable drugs for American patients, as part of its efforts to implement Executive Order Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First. Today, the agency is announcing enhancements to the pathway under section 804 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that allows states and Indian tribes to import certain prescription drugs from Canada to significantly reduce the cost of these drugs to the American consumer, without imposing additional risk to public health and safety.
“For too long, Americans have been getting taken advantage of. Drug prices in the U.S. are sometimes 5-10 times higher than in wealthy European countries. “ said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Today’s actions will support the ability to import drugs at much lower prices while also maintaining the high quality and safety of medicines that Americans expect and deserve.”
The agency will offer individual states and tribes the opportunity to submit a draft proposal for pre-review and meet with the agency to obtain initial feedback from FDA prior to formally submitting their section 804 importation program (SIP) proposal. Meetings between individual states and the FDA will be optional and informal with the goal of reducing the burden on the state or tribe and helping it develop a robust SIP proposal. The agency also will develop a user-friendly tool that will assist states in developing their proposals. These actions will further clarify requirements and enhance the quality of proposals submitted to the agency, shortening the review timeline.
Additionally, the agency is working to assist states with options to streamline the required cost savings analysis, and to provide input regarding the information states may rely on as they estimate cost savings for American consumers.
This fall, the agency anticipates meeting with states that have expressed interest in the program to discuss these enhancements and gather feedback. This meeting will provide a forum to exchange information that will make it easier for states to obtain authorization while protecting public safety.
Related Information

Related Information

Consumer:888-INFO-FDA

###

Boilerplate

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation and for regulating tobacco products.

Content current as of:
05/21/2025

Regulated Product(s)

Follow FDA

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin opened the Yuzhnoye electric depot of the Zamoskvoretskaya metro line

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Sergei Sobyanin opened a new electric depot “Yuzhnoye” of the Zamoskvoretskaya line. Its commissioning became the final stage of the formation of the largest in Russia and one of the largest in Europe complexes for the repair, maintenance and operation of metro cars.

On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin presented the Moscow Metro with the Order “For Valiant Labor”, which recognized the great merits of the metro workforce in strengthening and developing the capital’s transport complex. The award was timed to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the metro.

In addition, 10 new “Moscow-2024” trains ceremoniously entered the Zamoskvoretskaya line. Together with metro employees and invited guests, Sergei Sobyanin rode on the lead train from the depot to the Krasnogvardeyskaya station.

“This year, the Moscow Metro turns 90. It is a respectable age, but the Moscow Metro demonstrates a very young, energetic life, developing, adding new lines, new stations, first-class trains, electric depots, developing in a way that probably no other metro in the world is developing. Today, a new electric depot “Yuzhnoye” is being opened, the largest and most modern in Russia. The Zamoskvoretskaya line of the metro is being replenished with 10 new trains, the most modern. This year, in honor of the metro’s anniversary, in honor of its merits, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree on awarding the Moscow Metro team with the Order for Labor Valor. This is a well-deserved award. The Moscow Metro is the most intensive in the world, the most accurate, the most reliable, the safest, the cleanest and the most beautiful. And the most beloved by Muscovite passengers,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

The Mayor of Moscow congratulated the entire staff of the capital’s metro, metro builders and everyone who is related to the metro on the award and anniversary.

The head of the Moscow Metro, Viktor Kozlovsky, in turn, thanked the President of Russia for the award and Sergei Sobyanin for his assistance and constant participation in the development of the metro.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to the President of our country, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, for the high assessment of our work, our many thousands of people, and personally to you, Sergey Semenovich, for your constant participation, for the development of the Moscow Metro. For the work that you do. The Moscow Metro is ready to continue to fulfill any tasks at a high level,” said Viktor Kozlovsky.

Thanks to the unprecedented construction of new lines and stations, more than 90 percent of Muscovites now live in the service area of the rail frame stations. For comparison: in 2010, this figure was 70 percent. On weekdays, the metro carries more than 8.2 million passengers. The Moscow metro has become a world leader in important indicators. Thus, the accuracy of the schedule is 99.9 percent, the traffic intensity reaches 90-second intervals during rush hours on the most popular lines, a variety of payment methods and customer services are available, which leads to a high level of passenger loyalty.

Development of the capital’s metro

In 2010, city residents built most of the routes through the center. As a result, transfer stations here were overloaded almost all day long, and at peak times, passengers managed to get on far from the first train.

Thanks to the development of the Moscow Metro infrastructure – the opening of new stations and the renewal of rolling stock – every year the trips become faster and more comfortable, many additional transfers and route options appear, the carriages become noticeably freer even during rush hours. There are no more overloaded sections in the metro.

The first stage of the Moscow metro opened on May 15, 1935. It included 11.2 kilometers of lines and 13 stations – from Sokolniki to Park Kultury with a branch to Smolenskaya. Shortly before that, on November 10, 1934, the Severnoye electric depot began operating.

Today, together with the Moscow Central Circle (MCC), the metro has 302 stations (271 metro stations and 31 MCC stations), as well as 23 electric depots, including the Brateevo car repair complex.

Since 2011, 123 stations have been built and reconstructed in Moscow — their total number has increased by almost 1.7 times. New lines have started operating: Nekrasovskaya, Solntsevskaya and Troitskaya. Sokolnicheskaya, Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya, Zamoskvoretskaya and a number of other metro lines have been extended. Two new rings (MCC and Big Circle Line) provide convenient transfers and transit along routes without entering the center. In Soviet times, it took almost 40 years to build a network of such a scale.

More than 130 kilometers of the capital’s metro tunnels were laid in five years Sergei Sobyanin opened full service on the Troitskaya metro line

The Moscow Metro employs over 65,000 workers (almost a third of whom are women), with an average age of 43. The company is represented by more than 200 professions and specialties. The metro workforce includes more than 100 dynasties with a total work experience of over 15 thousand years.

In recent years, the city has been paying special attention to the renewal of its rolling stock. Moscow is the leader among European and American megacities in terms of the rate of renewal of its metro cars. Today, the Moscow Metro fleet has over 6.7 thousand cars of various models, with over 77 percent of them being of the current generation. Since 2010, the average age of metro cars has decreased almost twofold — from 20 to 12 years. By the end of 2025, another 272 Moscow-2024 cars are to be added to the fleet, and in 2030, the share of new trains will be about 90 percent, meaning that modern trains will serve passengers on all metro lines. In addition, the share of domestic components in Moscow-2024 trains has reached almost 95 percent.

Trains created according to the technical specifications of the Moscow Metro are a standard for the metros of other cities and countries. In addition to the capital of Russia, trains based on the Moscow train are supplied to the metros of four cities – Kazan (Russia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and Minsk (Belarus).

Most trains in the Moscow metro are serviced under a life cycle contract. These are the Oka, Moskva, Moskva-2020 and Moskva-2024 type trains. The manufacturer’s service company is responsible for timely and high-quality maintenance, train diagnostics, washing and daily cleaning, as well as the readiness of the trains to go on the line.

Electric depot as part of the metro

In addition to performing their main function – parking, scheduled maintenance and washing of rolling stock, electric depots are the basic enterprises of the Moscow Metro for the repair of electric trains and auxiliary production, and also serve to accommodate personnel and equipment of various services. In fact, the electric depot is the technological heart of the metro.

Without the construction of new electric depots, the development of the metro is impossible; they are as important a part of the infrastructure as stations and tunnels.

Since 2011, 13 electric depots have been built and reconstructed as part of the Moscow Metro development program. Thus, eight new ones appeared: Aminyevskoye, Brateevo, Likhobory, Mitino, Nizhegorodskoye, Rudnevo, Solntsevo and Yuzhnoye (Brateevo-2). They service trains on six lines, are equipped with all the necessary equipment and are ready for technical maintenance, periodic and unscheduled repairs of cars. Another five electric depots have been reconstructed. These are Vladykino, Vykhino, Pechatniki, Planernoye and Sokol.

This year, the city plans to complete construction of the Stolbovo (Salaryevo) depot on the Sokolnicheskaya Line. Three more depots are to appear by 2030: Ilyinskoye for the Rublevo-Arkhangelskaya Line, Biryulevskoye for the Biryulevskaya Line, and Troitskoye for the Troitskaya Line.

Sergei Sobyanin: The first metro train arrived at the Stolbovo electric depot under construction Where trains spend the night: how metro cars are serviced and repaired at the Krasnaya Presnya depot

Electric depot “Yuzhnoye”

The Yuzhnoye electric depot is the largest in Russia and one of the largest complexes in Europe for the repair, maintenance and operation of wagons.

The Zamoskvoretskaya Line is one of the longest and most popular in the Moscow metro. From 24 stations on the green line, you can make 19 transfers to other metro lines, the Moscow Central Circle (MCC) and the Moscow Central Diameters (MCD). More than 880 thousand trips are made on the line every day. At the most popular times, trains run at intervals of 1.6 minutes.

The last 10 years have been a time of dynamic development of the Zamoskvoretskaya line. From 2015 to 2018, new stations “Tekhnopark”, “Khovrino” and “Belomorskaya” were opened, which improved transport accessibility of five districts of the capital: Khovrino, Levoberezhny, Zapadnoye Degunino, Nagatinsky Zaton and Danilovsky.

In 2023, new tunnels were built in record time on the Kantemirovskaya-Tsaritsyno section. Last year, the first Moskva-2024 train entered service on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line, which marked the beginning of the rolling stock renewal process.

Passengers on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line are transported by 78 trains (624 cars), including 30 trains (240 cars) “Moscow-2024”. On May 21, 2025, another 10 of these most modern trains in the world entered service. Thus, more than 50 percent of the rolling stock on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line has been updated. The process on the green line is planned to be completed in 2025-2026. Both modern Russian “Moscow-2024” trains and the newest “Moscow-2026” trains will run on it. More than 1.8 million residents of 21 districts through which the Zamoskvoretskaya Line passes will receive new and modern rolling stock – their trips will become much more comfortable.

Until 2021, the trains of the Zamoskvoretskaya line were serviced by the Sokol (since 1938), Zamoskvoretskoye (since 1969) and Brateevo (since 2014) electric depots.

However, in 2021, the Zamoskvoretskoye depot was transferred to service the rolling stock of the Big Circle Line of the metro, and now it fully serves the needs of the BCL, and also temporarily accepts trains of the Troitskaya Line.

To replace the decommissioned capacities in the south of Moscow, a new electric depot, Yuzhnoye (Brateevo-2), was built next to the existing depot. As a result, the largest in Russia and one of the largest in Europe infrastructure complexes for the maintenance, repair and operation of metro cars was formed.

“Together with the wagon repair plant, the Yuzhnoye electric depot has surpassed the previous record holder, the Mitino depot, in terms of scale. 46 buildings and structures have been built in Yuzhnoye, and the most modern and technologically advanced equipment has been installed: servicing of trains on the Zamoskvoretskaya line will be fast and high-quality. At the same time, the neighboring wagon repair plant will focus on major and medium repairs of wagons from all over the metro,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote in his

telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

In the new Yuzhnoye depot, on a site of 13.6 hectares, buildings and structures with a total area of 77.3 thousand square meters were constructed, including a storage and repair building, a motor depot and an electrical centralization post, a compressor station, a warehouse, an administrative and household building and other structures – a total of 46 buildings for various purposes.

The total length of the tracks at the Yuzhnoye depot is about 6.2 kilometers, which can be compared with the section between the Krylatskoye and Strogino stations, the longest in the Moscow Metro.

After reaching its design capacity, the enterprise will create approximately 1.3 thousand jobs.

Along with the modern carriages, a service company from the manufacturer arrived at the Yuzhnoye depot, which will service the new rolling stock (trains Moscow-2024 and Moscow-2026) under a life cycle contract for 30 years of operation.

The staff was provided with the most favorable conditions for efficient work and good rest.

The administrative building has a canteen for 160 people. The locomotive crews’ rest rooms are organized like hotel rooms, and the blocks are equipped with bathrooms. Separate comfortable rooms are provided for female drivers.

There are currently 130 female drivers and assistant drivers working in the Moscow Metro. In addition, about 50 women are undergoing training in the profession. It is planned that female drivers will soon begin working on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line.

The medical service includes pre-trip examination rooms, a doctor, a medical psychologist, a treatment room, a vaccination room, and a recovery room.

There are also a sports hall and a gym with a physical education instructor’s office, an assembly hall and utility rooms (laundry, ironing, storage rooms for special clothing).

After the commissioning of the Yuzhnoye depot, it took over the functions of servicing the Zamoskvoretskaya line, including the new Moscow-2024 series trains, which began carrying passengers in March 2024.

At the same time, the Brateevo depot will become the main car repair complex of the Moscow Metro. Its capacity allows repairing the rolling stock of the Zamoskvoretskaya line, as well as carrying out technically complex repairs of cars of the Nomernoy and Rusich types from other metro lines. In total, up to 850 cars, 8.5 thousand wheels and more than 6.4 thousand engines per year – a record for similar facilities in Russia.

The wagon repair complex will not only be the largest, but also the most modern, with a high level of automation – a conveyor for moving wheel pairs, electric bogies, and CNC machines.

In terms of its scale, the new infrastructure complex, consisting of the Yuzhnoye depot and a wagon repair plant, has surpassed the previous record holder, the Mitino electric depot, which until now was the largest in Russia in terms of capacity. The total area of the complex is 32.2 hectares. The capacity of the complex allows servicing up to 2.4 thousand wagons per year.

Main characteristics of the new infrastructure complex

Depot “Yuzhnoye”:

— capacity — 34 seats for trains;

— night storage — 25 places;

— washing — 12 compositions per day;

— operational maintenance — 30 trains per day;

— technical maintenance — four trains per day;

— turning of wheel pairs — three cars per day;

— current repairs — three trains per month;

— jobs — about 1.3 thousand;

— the total length of the tracks is 6.2 kilometers.

Wagon repair complex “Brateevo”:

— capacity — 11 seats for trains;

— the total length of the tracks is 7.1 kilometers;

— major repairs — 300 cars per year;

— average repairs — 550 cars per year;

— repair of traction electric motors — 6.4 thousand units per year;

— wheel sets — 8.5 thousand pieces per year;

— motor-compressors — two thousand pieces per year.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12781050/

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 21 May 2025 Departmental update Message by the Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO – May 2025
Source: World Health Organisation

Kate O’Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO

In a time when vaccine preventable disease outbreaks are surging and the health of millions is in jeopardy, World Immunization Week 2025 served as a powerful reminder of what is “Humanly Possible”. Vaccines stand as proof that less disease, more life, is achievable through collaboration. Decades of collective efforts between governments, aid agencies, scientists, healthcare workers, communities and parents got us to where we are today –– a world where vaccines save at least 6 lives every minute and protect people of all ages against more than 30 life-threatening diseases.

Despite incredible progress, we must confront a painful reality: trust in vaccines is under threat, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are rising, and funding reductions, may leave millions without vital immunizations.

There is a growing issue of misinformation and misrepresentation about vaccines. False claims, distortion of scientific evidence, and vaccine revisionism are undermining decades of progress. This is not just wrong — it’s dangerous. It threatens public trust, puts lives at risk, and jeopardizes the immunization programmes that have protected millions for decades.

WHO is a scientific organization, committed to using high-quality scientific evidence to inform vaccine development and recommendations. High-quality clinical trials and rigorous safety assessments are at the core of vaccine development and authorization for use. We call on the global immunization community – including world leaders, national governments and medical providers – to stand firm in following the evidence to inform policies and decisions. It is vital that parents and people who are due for vaccination have accurate information about disease vaccines are designed to prevent and about the safety, performance and impact of vaccinations.

WHO is actively supporting countries and partners on vaccine confidence by developing tools to counter misinformation, promoting the proven safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and strengthening the bridge between science and public trust. But this is not a task for WHO alone. Leaders across sectors — from ministries of health to faith leaders and community influencers — should speak clearly and consistently about why vaccines matter and how they are safe.

This week, WHO Member States are gathering for the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA), where the progress report on the Global Road Map for Defeating Meningitis by 2030, will be discussed by all Member States. This marks an important moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to eliminating meningitis as a public health threat, with a focus on equitable vaccine access, rapid diagnostics, early detection, and outbreak prevention.

On May 20, Member States at the 78th WHA formally adopted the world’s first Pandemic Agreement—a milestone after three years of negotiations prompted by the global impacts of COVID-19. The agreement aims to strengthen global cooperation, equity, and preparedness, including fair access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments. But its success depends on more than commitments—it must reinforce what already works: public trust, science, strong immunization systems, and timely, accurate information. As recent outbreaks of measles, cholera, and polio remind us, no agreement can protect us if confidence in vaccines falters or health systems are too fragile to respond.

Over 100 side events are being held on the remits of the WHA including:
- “Outsmarting Outbreaks: Innovation, Integration, and Investment” – Tuesday, 20 May 2025, will explore how smarter systems, better surveillance, and collective action can stop outbreaks before they start.
- “Integrating Solutions to Defeat Malaria, Meningitis, and Polio” – Tuesday, 20 May 2025, will highlight how disease programs can work together to maximize efficiency and reach vulnerable communities.
- “New perspectives for the world without tuberculosis” – Wednesday, 21 May 2025, will review progress toward the End TB Strategy, highlight national innovations in TB care, and emphasize the need for integration, funding, and political commitment to eliminate TB by 2030.
- “Tuberculosis in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations” – Thursday, 22 May 2025, will spotlight the challenges of TB programming in crisis settings and explore innovative, integrated approaches to strengthen TB responses in fragile contexts.
- “The Power of Prevention: Immunizing for a Safer, Healthier World” – Friday, 23 May 2025, will emphasize the urgent opportunity to eliminate measles and rubella through system strengthening and the introduction of universal rubella vaccination.
A common thread connects these critical issues: sustained progress relies on strong, equitable, and trusted immunization systems. The stakes are high. Misinformation is on the rise. WHO is undergoing reform. And the immunization community is being asked to do more with fewer resources.

But we are prepared. We have the knowledge. We have the tools. Now, we need unity — to act together, grounded in evidence — to safeguard vaccines and the future they enable.

Let’s use this World Health Assembly as a moment to double down on what works, confront the threats that risk reversing our hard-won gains, and reaffirm the promise of immunization for all.

It is humanly possible to ensure even more children, adolescents, adults – and their communities – are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Click here for the full list of official side events, and here for other side events and convenings occurring around the 78th World Health Assembly.

Click here to subscribe to the Global Immunization Newsletter.

“,”datePublished”:”2025-05-21T11:25:40.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/headquarters/initiatives/gap-f/highland-children-in-viet-nam.jpg?sfvrsn=9edc81d1_4″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-05-21T11:25:40.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/21-05-2025-message-by-the-director-of-the-department-of-immunization–vaccines-and-biologicals-at-who—may-2025″,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
]]>

MIL OSI United Nations News –
May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Blasts Republicans’ Callous Attacks Against California’s Clean Air, Underscores Consequences of Overruling Senate Parliamentarian to Bypass Filibuster

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

WATCH: Padilla Blasts Republicans’ Callous Attacks Against California’s Clean Air, Underscores Consequences of Overruling Senate Parliamentarian to Bypass Filibuster

WATCH: Padilla defends California’s waivers from Republican attempts to overrule Senate Parliamentarian and avoid Senate’s 60-vote thresholdWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, spoke on the Senate Floor to demand Republicans stop their shortsighted attempts to overrule the nonpartisan Senate Parliamentarian’s decision and break the rules in order to rescind California’s clean air waivers. Senator Padilla, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, held the floor after Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said today that he would move forward this week with a cynical attempt to rescind California’s Clean Air Act waivers with a 50-vote threshold under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), bypassing the filibuster and its 60-vote requirement by overruling the Senate Parliamentarian.
The Trump-led Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently submitted three California waivers as “rules” to Congress — despite knowing full well that these waivers were not rules under the law. The Senate Parliamentarian determined that any resolutions aimed at overturning California waivers would not be entitled to the CRA’s expedited procedures and would therefore require 60 votes to secure Senate passage.
Prior to his remarks, Senator Padilla posed two parliamentary inquiries to the Chair, making clear that Senate Republicans’ planned actions would not abide by the rules of the Senate.
Padilla began his remarks by underscoring the immense importance of California’s clean air waivers for cleaning up the state’s uniquely severe air quality challenges. He highlighted his own experience growing up in the San Fernando Valley, where he was frequently sent home from school because of dangerous air quality.
Padilla warned that Republicans’ attempt to throw out the Senate rulebook and revoke California’s waivers would significantly harm the public health of millions of people. He also called out Republicans for undermining the work members of their party like Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon did to protect California’s air quality.
“I wonder if any other member in this chamber grew up like I did, where on a pretty regular basis, we would be sent home from grade school because of the intensity and dangers of smog that settled over the San Fernando Valley, the City of Los Angeles. How many of you grew up to more reports of “unhealthy” air quality in the air quality index? … But that’s the case for far too many Californians still to this day.”
“Congress recognized, rightfully so, that air quality in West Virginia or Wyoming is different than it is in Southern California. That there’s fewer cars on the road in Salt Lake City than there are in Los Angeles. And because California was and still is the center of innovation in the United States.”
“Yet in 2025, it appears that Republicans want to overturn half a century of precedent in order to undermine California’s ability to protect the health of our residents. By using the Congressional Review Act to revoke California’s waivers that allow us to set our own vehicle emissions standards, Republicans seem to be putting the wealth of the Big Oil industry over the health of our constituents.”
“As parents, we have some level of control certain things like the food we give our kids or the medications that we provide. But some things that we can’t control as parents include the quality of the air that they breathe outside. … Unless industry were to somehow decide to suddenly just do the right thing, it’s incumbent upon government to act. And that’s what California has done.”
Padilla emphasized that California’s leading emission standards are important not only for public health, but to combat the climate crisis. He stressed that despite Republicans’ false and misleading claims to the contrary, California cannot impose its emission standards on any other state. Instead, other states have chosen voluntarily to follow California’s example.
“California’s emission standards also represent ambitious but achievable steps to cut carbon emissions and fight the climate crisis. We’ve taken a stand because we know transportation is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. And California has been proud to set the example for other states who may choose to follow suit.”
“I want to be clear: California has not and cannot force our emission standards on any other state in the nation. As much as I may love that authority, that does not exist. But yes, over a dozen other states have voluntarily followed in California’s footsteps — not because they were forced to, but because they chose to in order to protect their constituents, their residents, and protect our planet.”
Padilla highlighted that California’s clean emissions programs have propelled California to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world and the biggest contributor to the federal treasury. He emphasized that the costs of inaction against the climate crisis cost Americans an average of $2,500 a year in medical bills and over $820 billion in total, according to estimates by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“California didn’t get there by sticking our head in the sand as the clean energy transition blossomed elsewhere. We leaned in. And we proved that what’s good for the air is good for business. What’s good for the planet and public health is good for the economy.”
“Meanwhile, the costs of inaction continue to hit Americans where it hurts the most: in our wallets.”
Padilla further stressed the extreme consequences if Republicans ignore the Parliamentarian, effectively blowing up the filibuster. He highlighted that while he and other Democrats supported lowering the threshold to pass a bill in 2022, Republicans defended the filibuster relentlessly — a dramatic contrast from their current attempts to revoke California’s waivers under a simple majority vote. He noted that Republicans must know they don’t have enough votes to amend the Clean Air Act under regular order, instead opting to ignore the independent, nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Senate Parliamentarian to pursue this “nuclear option.”
“It’s not just why Republicans are trying to undermine California’s climate leadership. It’s how they’re trying to do it.”
“Yes, I do support lowering the threshold to move to pass a bill from a super majority to a simple majority — but only after there has been an opportunity for amendments and debate — in an effort to stop the endless partisan gridlock that prevents so much more progress that the American people deserve. I voted to make that rule change — and codify it in the Senate rules. But in 2022 when we did so, Republicans opposed it, and they defended the filibuster and the 60-vote threshold as sacred.”
“Now, Republicans are trying to pass these bills — that strike at the heart of the Clean Air Act’s provision for California — on a simple majority, 50-vote threshold, bypassing the filibuster.”
“Republicans are effectively saying that whenever the Parliamentarian rules against them, they can simply disregard her to bypass the filibuster and pass legislation on a simple majority vote. So no, this isn’t some one-off change to the rules — this is throwing out the rulebook entirely.”
“Because if they can ignore the Parliamentarian here, then why not on an upcoming tax bill? Or on their efforts to gut health care for many Americans? Or whatever the latest overreach is called for by President Trump?”
Padilla underlined a list of non-rule actions the Trump Administration could take in bogging down Congress with reviews from the past 30 years on items including vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, merger approvals, and more, enabling President Trump’s political retribution. He detailed Republican priorities a future Democratic Administration could try to undermine, including mining permits, fossil fuel projects, foreign policy, tax policies, and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disruptions. He concluded with a final push urging his colleagues not to abuse the CRA to rescind California’s Clean Air Act waivers.
“So to my Republican colleagues, I should also say this: the old adage says, ‘what goes around comes around.’ And it won’t be long before Democrats are once again in the driver’s seat here, in the majority once again. And when that happens, all bets would be off because of the precedent you could be setting here at this moment.”
“I would urge my colleagues, all my colleagues, to join me not just in defending California’s right to protect the health of our residents, not just in combating the existential threat of climate change, but in maintaining order in this chamber.”
Senator Padilla has been outspoken in pushing back against Republican attacks on California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Earlier today, Padilla placed a hold on the four pending EPA nominees until Republicans stop their reckless attempts to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian. Earlier this month, Senators Padilla, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Whitehouse took to the Senate floor to sound the alarm on Senate Republicans’ consideration of moving forward with their plan to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Padilla, Whitehouse, and Schumer also led Democratic Ranking Members in strongly warning Majority Leader Thune and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the dangerous and irreparable consequences if Senate Republicans overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision on California’s waivers.
Last month, Senators Padilla, Whitehouse, and Schiff welcomed the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision that the waivers are not subject to the CRA. Padilla also joined Whitehouse and Schiff in blasting Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA after the GAO’s similar finding. Padilla and Schiff previously slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.
Video of Senator Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 21, 2025
WHO members adopt global pandemic accord, but US absence casts doubts

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Members of the World Health Organization adopted an agreement on Tuesday intended to improve preparedness for future pandemics following the disjointed global response to COVID-19, but the absence of the U.S. cast doubt on the treaty’s effectiveness.

After three years of negotiations, the legally binding pact was adopted by the World Health Assembly in Geneva. WHO member countries welcomed its passing with applause.

The pact was touted as a victory for members of the global health agency at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sharp cuts in U.S. foreign funding.

“The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The pact aims to ensure that drugs, therapeutics and vaccines are globally accessible when the next pandemic hits. It requires participating manufacturers to allocate a target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access.

However, U.S. negotiators left discussions about the accord after President Donald Trump began a 12-month process of withdrawing the U.S. – by far the WHO’s largest financial backer – from the agency when he took office in January.

Given this, the U.S., which poured billions of dollars into vaccine development during the COVID pandemic, would not be bound by the pact. And WHO member states would not face penalties if they failed to implement it.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed the World Health Organization in a video address to the Assembly, saying it had failed to learn from the lessons of the pandemic with the new agreement.

“It has doubled down with the pandemic agreement which will lock in all of the dysfunction of the WHO pandemic response… We’re not going to participate in that,” he said.

LATE CHALLENGE

The deal was reached after Slovakia called for a vote on Monday, as its COVID-19 vaccine–sceptic prime minister demanded that his country challenge the adoption of the agreement.

One hundred and twenty-four countries voted in favour, no countries voted against, while 11 countries, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran, abstained.

Some health experts welcomed the treaty as a step towards greater fairness in global health after poorer nations were left short of vaccines and diagnostics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It contains critical provisions, especially in research and development, that — if implemented — could shift the global pandemic response toward greater equity,” Michelle Childs, Policy Advocacy Director at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, told Reuters.

Others said the agreement did not meet initial ambitions and that, without strong implementation frameworks, it risked falling short in a future pandemic.

“It is an empty shell… It’s difficult to say that it’s a treaty with firm obligation where there is a strong commitment… It’s a good starting point. But it will have to be developed,” said Gian Luca Burci, an academic adviser at the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, an independent research and education organisation.

Helen Clark the co-Chair of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, described the accord as a foundation to build from.

“Many gaps remain in finance, equitable access to medical countermeasures and in understanding evolving risks,” she added.

The pact will not go into effect until an annex on sharing of pathogenic information is agreed. Negotiations on this would start in July with the aim of delivering the annex to the World Health Assembly for adoption, WHO said. A Western diplomatic source suggested it may take up to two years to be agreed.

(Reuters)

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Biotechnology and all living things: two natural science museums of VDNKh celebrate their third anniversary

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

On May 21, VDNKh will celebrate three years since the opening of the modern biotechnology center “Biotech Museum” and the K.A. Timiryazev State Biological Museum in pavilions No. 30 and 31. Both exhibitions are located within the walls of restored cultural heritage sites of federal significance.

Pavilion No. 30 “Microbiological Industry” was built in 1939. Initially, it was dedicated to oil crops, as evidenced by the surviving wooden carved pediment with images of oil plant flowers, including sunflowers. In 1954, the pavilion housed the “Cotton” exposition. In the mid-1960s, the pavilion was repurposed again and received its current name. The exposition told about the study and widespread use of microorganisms in the national economy and healthcare.

In 2019–2022, a comprehensive restoration of the historic building was carried out. The fountain next to the pavilion, which had not worked for over 40 years and was almost completely destroyed, was also restored. During the restoration, specialists laid new utility lines and replaced the fountain equipment.

The restored pavilion No. 30 “Microbiological Industry” now houses the center of modern biotechnology “Museum “Biotech”. Its exhibition is a visual story about biotechnology and its practical application in everyday life.

Here you can get acquainted with the history of the development of the domestic microbiological industry, modern biotechnologies that are used in the food industry, medicine, agriculture, waste recycling and other industries that are no less important for humanity. Visitors can learn about the creation of vaccines, genetics, city farms, bioreactors, as well as other innovative and familiar technologies. Seminars, master classes, lectures, conferences and other educational events are regularly held for them. Since its opening, the museum has been visited by more than 62 thousand people.

Pavilion No. 31 “Geology”, built in 1954, was called “Flax, Hemp and Other Bast Crops” until 1956. In 1956-1957, its name was “Bast and Wool Industry”, in 1958 – “Linen and Wool Industry” and only since 1959 – “Geology”. The author of the pavilion is one of the most versatile Soviet architects Leonid Pavlov. He also designed several stations of the Moscow metro and the V.I. Lenin Museum in Gorki Leninskiye.

In 2017, during restoration work in the pavilion, archival films from the 1950s-1980s were discovered, telling about the achievements of Soviet science, technology and agriculture. At one time, these films were used as a support by local guides: after the end of the tour, they showed thematic films to guests in small cinema halls that were opened in many VDNKh pavilions.

Three years ago, the K.A. Timiryazev State Biological Museum was opened in the restored pavilion. In May 2022, a permanent exhibition “12 Signs of Living Things” opened here, the creation of which was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the museum’s founding. Its exposition tells about what life is from a scientific point of view. The exhibition presents 12 sections that correspond to the 12 main signs of a living being. These are the unity of chemical composition, diversity of life, metabolism and energy, movement, reproduction and others. Here you can see works of contemporary art made specifically for the exhibition. Since the opening of the museum, it has been visited by more than 133 thousand people.

The opening of new entertainment and museum facilities corresponds to the objectives of the national project “Tourism and Hospitality”. The development of the Museum City at VDNKh is a key part of the strategy for promoting the capital’s hospitality industry and the strategy for developing VDNKh until 2030.

Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channelthe city of Moscow.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154119073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Health continues to attend 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, continued to attend the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday (May 20, Geneva time). He also took the chance to meet with other participants and WHO officials to tell the world good stories of Hong Kong and the country.

As members of the Chinese delegation, Professor Lo and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, continued to attend the plenary session on the second day of the WHA.

In the morning, Professor Lo and Dr Ronald Lam listened to the remarks made by Vice Premier of the State Council Mr Liu Guozhong at the High Level Segment.

Professor Lo said, “Following the presentation of national positions by the Minister of the National Health Commission, Mr Lei Haichao, and the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, Mr Chen Xu, on Taiwan-related proposal, COVID-19 origins tracing and China’s promotion of co-operation and exchange on global health on the first day of the Assembly, Vice Premier of the State Council Mr Liu Guozhong also delivered remarks at the High Level Segment today. As our country has been actively involving in global health cooperation and exchanges, including deploying healthcare rescue teams to many countries and regions over the years, as well as providing over 500 billions of personal protection items and 2.3 billion doses of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemics, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spares no efforts to complement the nation’s strategies to contribute to the building of a global community of health for all.”

Professor Lo and Dr Lam also attended a thematic side event hosted by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) and cohosted by the health authorities of Malaysia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia and Seychelles. The side event, themed “Improving Universal Health Coverage through the implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034”, was moderated by the Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health of Tsinghua University, Professor Margaret Chan, and the Director of the Institute for Global Health of Peking University, Professor Ren Minghui. The Commissioner of the NATCM, Professor Yu Yanhong, also delivered a keynote speech at the side event.

During the panel discussion, Professor Lo shared the implementation experiences in promoting high-quality and high-standard development of Chinese medicine (CM) in Hong Kong on all fronts. He said, “The HKSAR Government will leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in its healthcare system, regulatory framework, standard-setting, clinical research, trade, and more to develop the city into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of CM. In terms of CM practice, the Hospital Authority has accumulated extensive experience through its integrated Chinese-Western medicine (ICWM) services over the years. The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong will further develop the ‘Hong Kong model’ for pure CM, CM-predominant, and ICWM clinical services, with a view to promoting CM service, management standards and system development at the international level. As regards CM drugs, the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute is actively advancing the work on scientific research, education and promoting international exchanges on CM drug testing, including developing a series of internationally recognised reference standards and testing methods for CM drugs and their products, and promoting the commercial application of these methods in the sectors through training and technology transfer programmes, with a view to developing Hong Kong into an international hub for CM testing and quality control.”

During their visit to Geneva, Professor Lo and Dr Lam also met with the Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety of the WHO, Dr Luz María De Regil, to discuss the strategies and interventions for obesity and weight management. Professor Lo emphasised, “Like many other regions and countries, Hong Kong is facing the challenges posed by the increasing prevalence of obesity. The HKSAR Government has long been attaching great importance to the prevention and control of obesity and will strive to halt the rise of obesity by adopting life-course interventions.”

The delegation will depart for Hong Kong today (May 21, Geneva time) and arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow (May 22, Hong Kong time).

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Responds to RFK Jr.’s Continued Lies About NIH Staffing Cuts Delaying Clinical Care

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
READ MORE — CNN: After NIH staffing cuts, cancer patient in clinical trial worries she may lose crucial time; Washington Post: NIH scientists have a cancer breakthrough. Layoffs are delaying it.
Senator Murray: “If RFK Jr.’s mass firings weren’t having an impact on clinical care at NIH, he would provide those details and tell us which positions he’s eliminated. He’s not—because he knows that if he did, he would be caught lying. This isn’t just about Natalie, this is about the millions of Americans like her who are already being harmed by the destruction Secretary Kennedy is causing at HHS, or will be soon.”
****FROM TODAY – WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s exchange with RFK Jr.***
***FROM LAST WEEK –WATCH: Senator Murray rebuts Secretary Kennedy’s claims about her constituent, Natalie***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s outburst during today’s Senate Appropriations hearing, where Secretary Kennedy repeatedly lied, dodged Senator Murray’s questions, and made a number of totally unfounded allegations, in particular relating to Senator Murray’s constituent, Natalie, who is suffering from Stage Four colorectal cancer and whose care was delayed as a direct result of the Trump administration’s staffing cuts across HHS. Senator Murray brought up Natalie’s story to Secretary Kennedy at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing last week; additional background on that exchange is below.
At the appropriations hearing today, Secretary Kennedy claimed to Senator Murray: “You told me two or three days ago, four days ago that we had cut a clinical trial in your state and it turned out what you said turned out to be completely untrue and you knew it was not true because you corresponded.” This was not at all what Senator Murray suggested or what happened. At the HELP hearing on May 14th, Senator Murray laid out how Natalie’s treatment in a trial at the NIH Clinical Center had been delayed by the staffing cuts, according to her doctors at NIH, and then she asked Secretary Kennedy directly how many staff were cut from the NIH’s Clinical Center. Video and transcript of their initial exchange on May 14th is HERE. A full transcript of their exchange today is available HERE.
“RFK Jr. is a shameless liar and a dangerous conspiracy theorist—he should have never been confirmed. As much as he lies and deflects, I’m not going to stop holding him accountable for the real harm he is inflicting on people in this country.
“Natalie’s care has been complicated, but here’s what’s not: her NIH doctor told her twice that her care was explicitly delayed due to NIH staffing cuts—specifically, that she would have to wait eight weeks rather than four to have her cells re-infused. On the question of credibility, I will trust an NIH doctor over an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist every day.
“After an initial contact with RFK Jr.’s office last Wednesday, it was complete radio silence with no answers until about an hour before today’s hearing. It should not take me raising this issue with RFK Jr. face-to-face to make sure NIH is working the way it’s supposed to.
“I still have no answer about how many NIH clinical staff have been fired. I still have no answer why Natalie was told by her NIH doctor that her care was being delayed due to staffing cuts. For weeks, my staff has been demanding answers about agency staffing cuts.
“Meanwhile, my staff has been in constant touch over the past three weeks with dedicated career staff at NIH and FDA—the same people the Trump administration is trying to push out the door—to address Natalie’s case. But it has been no thanks to RFK Jr. or HHS political leadership.”
“If RFK Jr.’s mass firings weren’t having an impact on clinical care at NIH, he would provide those details and tell us which positions he’s eliminated. He’s not—because he knows that if he did, he would be caught lying. This isn’t just about Natalie, this is about the millions of Americans like her who are already being harmed by the destruction Secretary Kennedy is causing at HHS, or will be soon.”
__________________________________
At last week’s HELP Committee hearing with Secretary Kennedy, Murray grilled Kennedy on the Trump administration’s moves to slash staff and block funding at the National Institute of Health (NIH), and laid out how is affecting one of her constituents, Natalie Phelps of Washington state: “One of my constituents, Natalie Phelps—a mom of two from Bainbridge Island in Washington state. She has been fighting aggressive Stage Four colorectal cancer for nearly five years now. Her best hope now is a clinical trial at the NIH Clinical Center. She flew out to the NIH just a few weeks ago for her first appointment, and her care team wanted her to come back in four weeks to start treatment. But because of the thoughtless, mass firing of thousands of critical employees across NIH and HHS that you have carried out, Natalie’s doctors at that clinical center have told her that they have no choice but to delay her treatment by an additional four weeks. Now, an extra four weeks may not sound like a long time but, I will tell you, for Stage Four cancer patients like Natalie, this could mean the difference between life and death.” Video of the full exchange between Senator Murray and Secretary Kennedy is available HERE.
Later in the hearing, Secretary Kennedy asserted that Natalie was ineligible for her clinical trial and called her story a “canard,” saying: “Senator Murray had raised the issue of a constituent of hers who she said had been denied a place in a clinical trial in Washington due to the RIF. We’ve been able to run down that case. The patient was medically ineligible for that trial. It had nothing to do with the RIF. And NIH has been trying to get her into another clinical trial, but none of our clinical trials have been shut down because of the RIF. That was a canard.”
Senator Murray returned to the hearing to respond directly to Secretary Kennedy: “Secretary Kennedy came back and said my constituent, who I spoke about earlier, [her care] was not delayed by staffing cuts. First off, she is already enrolled in that clinical trial. It’s not a question of eligibility—the issue, as I stated clearly, was the delay in care that she got. And what you stated, Secretary Kennedy, is not true.”
“I spoke with Natalie, actually, last night. She asked her NIH doctor directly why, when she was informed of the delay, and her doctor at NIH said very plainly TWICE: her care was delayed because of staffing cuts. And Mr. Chairman, I think it’s important for the record to show, my staff has put in inquiries with HHS leadership and they’ve been unresponsive so far.And, just to make clear, this is just one case of many. But those are the facts,” Senator Murray said.
Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.
In particular, Senator Murray has been leading the charge against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut lifesaving research at NIH and pushed out nearly 5,000 NIH skilled scientists, grants administrators, and other employees at the agency. When the Trump administration attempted to illegally cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent, Senator Murray immediately and forcefully condemned the move, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in a letter decrying the proposed change, and introduced amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget resolution to reverse it, which Republicans blocked. Murray has led Congressional efforts to boost biomedical research. Previously, over her years as Chair of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at NIH, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments.
Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.
Senator Murray’s opening remarks at today’s hearing, as delivered, are below:
“Secretary Kennedy—things are not going well. It is clear what you are doing across HHS is devastating to children, families, seniors, and the millions of Americans HHS programs support.
“You were required to send us an operating plan detailing how you’re spending funds that Congress provided for programs families rely on. You sent us what you titled the ‘Hill Version,’ which had over 530 asterisks in place of funding levels.
“Mr. Secretary, we need the real version with actual funding levels. This committee needs to know how you are spending taxpayer dollars right now—and what programs you’re cutting and eliminating.
“You are blocking billions in funding that Congress appropriated from going out the door, including $3 billion at NIH, and $1 billion in Head Start and $3 billion in child care funding alone.
“And that’s on top of all of the other funding you’ve illegally ripped away: $11 billion from state and local health departments, $1 billion supporting local substance use and mental health programs, and $66 million in Title X funds for cancer screenings, birth control, and preventive care.
“You are dismantling HHS, throwing away generations of investments in our health care system and firing critical employees. We’re talking about the people who administer Head Start, LIHEAP, and Meals on Wheels. Or entire teams working on preventing chronic disease and Alzheimer’s, tracking IVF success rates and safety, maternal health, and much more.
“On top of all of this, you propose a budget with truly devastating cuts that would leave America sicker and weaker.
“But you’re not waiting to see whether Congress approves that budget proposal. This administration is starting to unilaterally implement it right now—in defiance of Congress and the laws we have passed. If you aren’t already, you are sprinting down the road of illegally impounding billions in funding, through intentional action and through incompetence.
“To my colleagues on this dais: We heard several weeks ago, what we risk by ceding American leadership on biomedical research. If we bless these staffing and funding cuts across HHS, that means deciding we are comfortable with China leading the future development of every drug, device, and vaccine. The supply chain challenges we faced during the pandemic will be the new normal. Our access to the latest treatments and cures will depend on other countries.
“It’s time to stand up and assert Congress’ authority. This Committee has dedicated itself in a bipartisan manner over decades to make sure we are the global leader in research and development. And now all of us know this administration is setting us back where it may take decades to regain that position.
“If we don’t, decades of scientific breakthroughs and medical discovery—and the bipartisan work to support them—risks being burned to the ground, and it will be very hard to rebuild.”

MIL OSI USA News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Protect Children’s Innocence Act
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA, 14)

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has reintroduced her landmark legislation, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, a bold step to end the barbaric practice of so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors. This legislation, now designated as H.R. 3492, criminalizes genital mutilation, chemical castration, and all sex-change procedures performed on children.

The Protect Children’s Innocence Act strengthens and codifies President Donald J. Trump’s executive order banning gender transition procedures for minors. Together, this legislation and the President’s action send a clear message: the federal government will no longer tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children by the radical gender ideology of the Left.

“Left-wing activists and medical institutions are targeting America’s children with dangerous drugs, disfiguring surgeries, and permanent sterilization,” said Congresswoman Greene. “My bill stops the mutilation of kids and holds those responsible for performing or facilitating these barbaric procedures accountable.”

The bill is scheduled to be marked up in the House Judiciary Committee at 10 AM tomorrow, a critical step toward bringing it to the House floor for a vote.

When Congresswoman Greene first introduced this bill in 2022, she was joined by Chloe Cole, a courageous young woman who began “gender-affirming care” at age 13 and underwent a double mastectomy at 15. Chloe detransitioned at 16 and is now a vocal advocate for protecting vulnerable youth from irreversible harm. Watch Chloe’s powerful testimony here.

What the Protect Children’s Innocence Act Does:
- Criminalizes any attempt to perform or facilitate genital or bodily mutilation or chemical castration on a minor, with up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a significant fine.
- Bans all puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments for children.
- Provides no exemption for mental health disorders as justification for these procedures.
- Defines “chemical castration” and “genital or bodily mutilation” with detailed legal clarity.
- Exempts children born with certain rare genetic conditions, or who are experiencing medical emergencies as certified by a physician.
Cosponsors in the 119th Congress include: Crane, Finstad, Luna, Bice, Mary Miller, Crenshaw, McGuire, Kustoff, Biggs, Burlison, Tenney, Higgins, Brecheen, Nehls, Weber, Harris, Grothman, Hern, Collins, Ogles, Babin, Clyde, De La Cruz, Hageman, Owens, Palmer, Timmons, Norman, Max Miller, Steube, Jackson, Riley Moore, Comer, Gill, Baird, McDowell, Harshbarger, and Gooden.

Supporting organizations include the American Principles Project, Citizens for Renewing America, CPAC, Gays Against Groomers, Independent Women, and Moms for Liberty.

Read the full bill text here.

Watch Chloe Cole’s testimony here.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study of the cold sore virus herpes simplex 1 and risk of Alzheimer’s

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

May 20, 2025

A study published in BMJ Open looks at the association between herpes simplex virus type 1 and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Sheona Scales, Director of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK:

“There’s an increasing amount of evidence that suggests our body’s response to certain viruses could put us at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

“These recent findings from a large study using US health records propose that infection with HSV-1 – a common virus that causes cold sores – may be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers also state that taking medicines to treat HSV-1 infections could reduce the risk, but this is still very early work and needs more investigation.

“Despite the large sample size, this research has limitations partly due to only using health records and administrative claims data. Most people infected with HSV-1 don’t have any symptoms so some infections might not have been recorded. Infections predating the information recorded are also not available. Although cases were matched with controls, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, especially in the early stages, remains a challenge.

“The study authors found that some people receiving medicines to treat HSV-1 infections had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, however a lot more work is needed to unpick this.

“We know there are 14 established risk factors for dementia, and there’s not enough evidence to include infections in this list. This study doesn’t tell us if infections are causing the risk, it only shows an association. Further research is needed to understand what the underlying biology around this is.”

Prof Cornelia van Duijn, Professor of Epidemiology at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, said:

“Again a carefully conducted study adding to the growing evidence that various common viruses may determine the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, in particular in the elderly (70+ years).

“Matching Alzheimer’s patients carefully with controls in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus claims database, the study further shows that treating those with an active herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1) infection with antiherpetic medication reduces the risk and postpones the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Smaller but significant effects are also seen for HSV-2 and varicella zoster virus (VZV). With many GPs and the population being unaware of the dementia related benefits of treating HSV infections and preventing VZV activation through vaccination, it is time to call for actions informing those working in primary care as well as the population at large.”

Dr David Vickers, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada, said:

“Declining HSV-1 rates in the U.S. since the late-70’s challenge the authors’ claim that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will surge without intervention. This pharma-funded research exaggerates the role of HSV-1, failing to appreciate its absence in 99.56% of AD cases. The observed 17% hazard reduction with antiherpetic drugs translates to a mere nine-month delay in AD onset, offering no meaningful relief to the US$305 billion costs for treatment.

“The study’s data source makes its findings ungeneralisable, and it overstates a minor infection as a ‘public health priority’ to justify unnecessary treatment.”

Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said:

“This study reports that diagnosis of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection is associated with increased risk of diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia. Scientists examined data from almost 700,000 people in a medical insurance claims database and found that in addition to an increased proportion of people with Alzheimer’s disease having a diagnosis of HSV-1, people with HSV-1 who were treated for the viral infection with “antiherpetic” medication were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who did not have treatment.

“This is a well-conducted study adding to strong data in the field linking HSV-1 and other viral infections to increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but it is important to note that HSV-1 infection, which is extremely common in the population, is by no means a guarantee that someone will develop Alzheimer’s.

“Why viral infections may increase risk of dementia is not fully understood, but the most likely explanation is that infections increase inflammation in the body and contribute to age-related brain inflammation. More research is needed to understand the best way to protect our brains from Alzheimer’s disease as we age, including a better understanding of links between viral infection and Alzheimer’s risk.”

Dr Richard Oakley, Director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“This study adds to the growing interest in a possible link between the virus that causes cold sores and Alzheimer’s disease. Results from this observational study suggested that people with recorded cold sore infections were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, and interestingly those prescribed antiviral drugs had a slightly lower risk.

“But this doesn’t prove that cold sores cause Alzheimer’s disease, or that antivirals prevent it. The data came from insurance records, often based on self-reported symptoms which may miss or misclassify infections, and didn’t track how often people had cold sores or how consistently they took medication.

“Much more research is needed to explore exactly how viruses might be involved and before we can draw firm conclusions. It is critical we explore every avenue to understand the complex causes of the diseases which cause dementia – infections are a growing area of interest.

“If you are worried about a cold sore or your general health, be sure to seek the appropriate help from a health professional.”

From the Spanish SMC:

Prof Alberto Ascherio, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (United States) and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, said:

“This is a high-quality study that stands out mainly for its sample size. The results confirm previous findings that people with a history of cold sores have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and that this risk appears to be reduced in people who receive antiviral treatment.

“This is an observational study based on electronic data of varying quality, so the conclusions cannot be considered definitive. For example, the vast majority of cold sore episodes are not reported in medical records, so the study’s conclusions apply to a highly selected subgroup of individuals with clinical episodes of cold sores, perhaps due to clinical severity or the presence of other factors. For this reason, it would be premature for people with cold sores to worry about having an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is growing evidence that viral infections may affect the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is important to initiate more definitive research.”

From the Australian SMC:

Prof Ashley Bush, Clinical Lead Mental Health Mission at The Florey, Australia, said:

“This is an important, large, case-control epidemiology study that shows that people suffering with Alzheimer’s disease or with other Alzheimer-like dementia (e.g. fronto-temporal dementia) are substantially (about 80%) more likely to have been infected with the viruses that cause cold sores, genital herpes, chicken pox or shingles. Further, people who were taking antivirals for cold sores were 17% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease over a 15 year period.

“These findings come in the wake of another recent report¹ that showed that shingles vaccination decreased the probability of a new dementia diagnosis during the follow-up period of 7 years by 2%. Some scientists like Prof Ruth Itzhaki in Manchester and the late Rob Moir at Harvard have proposed that dementias like Alzheimer’s are provoked by viral infection. Herpes virus lives dormant in nerve cells, and it is thought that the pathology of the dementia is brought about by a defence to these infection gone wrong.

“It is unlikely that viral infection can explain all causes of dementia, but these recent papers implicate the infections are playing a role in accelerating these diseases. It certainly encourages more research in this direction and as to whether lifelong antivirals should be considered as preventive therapy for people who have had one of these infections.”

¹ (Pomirchy M, Bommer C, Pradella F, Michalik F, Peters R, Geldsetzer P. Herpes Zoster Vaccination and Dementia Occurrence. JAMA. 2025 Apr 23; Epub 2025 Apr 23)

Prof Brenda Gannon, Professor of the Health Economics of Ageing at the University of Queensland, said:

“This research provides further evidence for the link between the common cold sores from HSV1 and Alzheimer’s Disease. The study now proposes that people with HSV who are treated with anti-viral medicine are less likely to develop AD. Using large scale administrative data from the US, the findings are suggestive of a protective effect of anti-viral treatment. This could be beneficial for Australians who suffer from the common cold sores and who would benefit from anti-viral treatment for their cold sores. It does not mean it could reduce the probability of AD.

“Further research would be required to ensure the study is more widely representative, since the authors note that not all populations are included in the data, e.g. those over 65 who receive free health care (Medicare). The study does not provide detail on who may benefit, for example does it help disadvantaged groups more, and who does it work together with other non-pharmacological treatments for lifestyle improvement.

“Overall, the study indicates some potential, but much more research would be required to determine if the anti-viral therapies for people with cold cores, is in fact going to reduce their probability of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

“As the authors state, it does not indicate cause and effect, but they do find it a potential avenue to explore further.

“The study did not include public involvement – but inclusion of the public, even on an advisory capacity would be useful, to help design the research questions and relevant factors included in the study.

“From a health economics perspective, it is unlikely that anti-viral therapy would be funded for the Australian population, until further evidence on effectiveness in prevention and then cost-effectiveness overall, including additional use of health care resources, is provided. More details on the health and socio-economics status of individuals are also warranted, to help determine who may benefit from the therapy.”

‘Association between herpes simplex virus type 1 and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease: a retrospective case control study’ by Yunhao Liu et al. was published in BMJ Open at 23.30 on Tuesday 20 May.

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-093946

Declared interests

Cornelia van Duijn: “I receive funding from GSK (related to VZV vaccination) and NovoNordisk (unrelated to virus treatment/prevention), and have received funding from JNJ/Jansen Pharmaceutics (unrelated to virus treatment/prevention).”

David Vickers: “I have no interests or conflicts, financial or otherwise, to declare.”

Tara Spires-Jones: “I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai. I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.”

Ashley Bush: “I have no relevant conflicts.”

Brenda Gannon: “No COI”

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Rosen Blasts Secretary Rubio for Complicity in Trump Administration’s Disastrous Foreign Policies

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
Watch the full exchange HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC – During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) blasted Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his complicity in the Trump Administration’s disastrous approach to U.S. foreign policy. Under Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the Administration has slashed development and humanitarian programs critical to our national security, including programs that then-Senator Rubio supported. In her line of questioning, Senator Rosen pressed Secretary Rubio about plans to eliminate the State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, the Office of the Security Coordinator in Israel, and international vaccines through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Below is an excerpt from Senator Rosen’s introduction:
Senator Rosen: Secretary Rubio, I’m going to embrace my Jewish mother instincts for a moment.
As a mother, a senator, and a fellow human being, I can tell you that I’m not even mad anymore about your complicity in this Administration’s destruction of U.S. global leadership. I’m simply disappointed.
And I wonder if you’re proud of yourself in this moment when you go home to your family because I have always found you, Senator Rubio, to be a bipartisan pragmatic partner, a true believer that the U.S. is stronger when we lead with diplomacy and development. You have a strong record on this.
But I don’t recognize Secretary Rubio. A stalwart supporter of Israel, you have watched this Administration abandon Saudi normalization with Israel in order to pursue business deals. You were once a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin but you sat idly by as the President berated the elected leader of Ukraine for not capitulating to Russia. And worst of all, you’ve kneecapped foreign assistance, including programs that you previously championed and made America less safe, less strong, less prosperous in doing so.
I know you know this in your heart and I can’t make this point any better than you did yourself in 2019 when you said “Anybody who tells you that we can slash foreign aid and that will bring us to balance is lying to you.”

MIL OSI USA News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The Queensland melioidosis outbreak is still growing. What’s keeping this deadly mud bug active?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University

ap-studio/Shutterstock

The outbreak of the deadly “mud bug” melioidosis in north Queensland has not yet abated since it began at the start of this year.

So far there have been 221 cases and 31 deaths from the disease in 2025. This encompasses a 400% increase in cases in Cairns and a 600% increase in Townsville compared to the average over previous years.

Fortunately, case numbers have begun to drop. Queensland Health reports new cases weekly, and in the most recent reporting period – up to May 6 – seven new cases were recorded, down from a peak of 29 cases in the week to February 16.

However, people are still contracting and dying from this disease. So what’s keeping it active in Queensland, and are there any promising vaccines on the horizon?

What is melioidosis?

Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei which lives in soil, mud and groundwater, usually not causing any harm. But B. pseudomallei can cause disease in humans and animals if it enters the skin via a cut. Or it can be inhaled in water droplets and enter the lungs.

The disease generally takes one to four weeks to establish itself, meaning people don’t develop symptoms immediately after they’ve been exposed.

Melioidosis most commonly presents as pneumonia. However chronic skin infections, called cutaneous infections, occur in 10–20% of cases. Melioidosis can also lead to blood infections.

Symptoms of the pneumonia form include fever, headache, difficulty breathing, muscle pain, chest pain and confusion.

We don’t understand cutaneous infections as well as we do lung infections with melioidosis. Cutaneous infections are also less responsive to standard antibiotic treatments due to the nature of the chronic wound. For example, the bacteria can form a slimy layer called a biofilm. This can help the bacteria produce proteins which can block the antibiotics from working.

Melioidosis occurs most commonly in tropical areas, such as Thailand. But it’s also regarded as endemic in northern Australia, occurring in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Nonetheless, the scale of the current outbreak in north Queensland is highly unusual.

Anyone can contract melioidosis, but certain medical conditions can increase a person’s risk. These include diabetes, liver, kidney or lung disease, cancer, or other conditions which might compromise the patient’s immune system.

During the current Queensland outbreak 95% of cases have been in people with risk factors such as diabetes or lung disease.

How is melioidosis spreading in Queensland?

Melioidosis increases during periods of high rainfall and flooding, and this has been the case in the current outbreak. However, patterns have begun to emerge suggesting the bacterium may now be spreading in other ways.

Experts have suggested that while the Townsville cases can be explained by flooding and correlate to high levels of rainfall, the Cairns cases do not match with this explanation.

One suggestion is that the construction of the Bruce Highway upgrade south of Cairns has caused an increase in cases due to clay soil particles becoming airborne during construction.

It’s not an entirely new idea. The movement of soil during highway construction and urban expansion has been investigated as a potential mode of transmission during previous spikes of melioidosis cases in far north Queensland.

The infrastructure body responsible for the upgrade has pledged to follow expert health advice as investigations continue.

Could B. pseudomallei be evolving and becoming more deadly?

This potential change in how the disease is spreading, and the increased number of cases and deaths, might indicate the organism is evolving to spread more easily and become more deadly. Genome analysis is ongoing to determine this.

Notably, bacteria found in the environment can acquire genes from other bacteria in soil and water. This may give them enhanced abilities to survive in unfavourable conditions and be more resilient to changes in their natural habitat, as well as potentially infect human hosts more effectively.

In a warming climate with increased rainfall, the bacterium behind melioidosis is likely to be a prime candidate for this kind of change.

Melioidosis is caused by the bacterium B. pseudomallei.
TheBlueHydrangea/Shutterstock

How about treatments and protection?

There’s currently only one way to treat melioidosis, which involves receiving intravenous antibiotics in hospital for several weeks, followed by up to six months of oral antibiotics.

Against a backdrop of urgent calls for more research and increased public awareness around melioidosis, there may be hope on the horizon.

Researchers at the University of California have developed a vaccine which produces a protein that mimics the proteins in B. pseudomallei, leading to an immune response against this bacterium. The vaccine has been successful in mouse models and will continue to a further animal trial, which, if successful, will lead to human trials.

It seems melioidosis is a problem that’s not going away.

If you live in an affected region such as tropical Queensland or the NT, limit exposure to mud and water as much as possible. If you’re spending time in muddy areas, use appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves and boots. You can also protect yourself by covering any open wounds and wearing a respirator if you’re working closely with water.

Monitor for symptoms and see a doctor if you feel unwell. More information is also available from Queensland Health.

Thomas Jeffries does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The Queensland melioidosis outbreak is still growing. What’s keeping this deadly mud bug active? – https://theconversation.com/the-queensland-melioidosis-outbreak-is-still-growing-whats-keeping-this-deadly-mud-bug-active-256794

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene Reintroduces the Protect Children’s Innocence Act in the 119th Congress
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA, 14)

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has reintroduced her landmark legislation, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, a bold step to end the barbaric practice of so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors. This legislation, now designated as H.R. 3492, criminalizes genital mutilation, chemical castration, and all sex-change procedures performed on children.

The Protect Children’s Innocence Act strengthens and codifies President Donald J. Trump’s executive order banning gender transition procedures for minors. Together, this legislation and the President’s action send a clear message: the federal government will no longer tolerate the abuse and exploitation of children by the radical gender ideology of the Left.

“Left-wing activists and medical institutions are targeting America’s children with dangerous drugs, disfiguring surgeries, and permanent sterilization,” said Congresswoman Greene. “My bill stops the mutilation of kids and holds those responsible for performing or facilitating these barbaric procedures accountable.”

The bill is scheduled to be marked up in the House Judiciary Committee at 10 AM tomorrow, a critical step toward bringing it to the House floor for a vote.

When Congresswoman Greene first introduced this bill in 2022, she was joined by Chloe Cole, a courageous young woman who began “gender-affirming care” at age 13 and underwent a double mastectomy at 15. Chloe detransitioned at 16 and is now a vocal advocate for protecting vulnerable youth from irreversible harm. Watch Chloe’s powerful testimony here.

What the Protect Children’s Innocence Act Does:
- Criminalizes any attempt to perform or facilitate genital or bodily mutilation or chemical castration on a minor, with up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a significant fine.
- Bans all puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments for children.
- Provides no exemption for mental health disorders as justification for these procedures.
- Defines “chemical castration” and “genital or bodily mutilation” with detailed legal clarity.
- Exempts children born with certain rare genetic conditions, or who are experiencing medical emergencies as certified by a physician.
Cosponsors in the 119th Congress include: Crane, Finstad, Luna, Bice, Mary Miller, Crenshaw, McGuire, Kustoff, Biggs, Burlison, Tenney, Higgins, Brecheen, Nehls, Weber, Harris, Grothman, Hern, Collins, Ogles, Babin, Clyde, De La Cruz, Hageman, Owens, Palmer, Timmons, Norman, Max Miller, Steube, Jackson, Riley Moore, Comer, Gill, Baird, McDowell, Harshbarger, and Gooden.

Supporting organizations include the American Principles Project, Citizens for Renewing America, CPAC, Gays Against Groomers, Independent Women, and Moms for Liberty.

Read the full bill text here.

Watch Chloe Cole’s testimony here.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI: Societe Generale_ Combined General Meeting and Board of Directors dated 20 May 2025
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

COMBINED GENERAL MEETING AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS DATED 20 MAY 2025

Press release

Paris, 20 May 2025

Combined General Meeting

The General Meeting of shareholders of Societe Generale was held on 20 May 2025 at CNIT Forest, 2, Place de la Défense, 92092 Puteaux and was chaired by Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi.

Quorum was established at 64,34% (vs 55.61% in 2024):
- 687 shareholders participated by attending the General Meeting in person at the place where it was held on 20 May 2025;
- 1,057 shareholders were represented at the General Meeting by a person other than the Chairman;
- 13,140 shareholders voted online;
- 2,400 shareholders voted by post;
- 8,767 shareholders, including 2,500 online, representing 1.07% of the share capital, gave proxy to the Chairman;
- A total of 26 051 shareholders were present or represented and participated in the vote.
The agenda item, with no vote, was an opportunity to present and discuss with shareholders the Group’s climate strategy and social and environmental responsibility.

In addition, 9 shareholders sent 56 written questions prior to the General Meeting. The answers were made public before the General Meeting on the institutional website.

All the resolutions put forward by the Board of Directors were adopted, in particular:
- The 2024 annual company accounts and annual consolidated accounts;
- The dividend per share was set at EUR 1.09. It shall traded ex-dividend on 26 May 2025 and will be paid from 28 May 2025;
- The renewal of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. William Connelly and Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge;
- The appointment of two independent directors for 4 years: Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold;
- The renewal of Mr. Sébastien Wetter’s mandate as Director representing the employee shareholders;
- The compensation policy for the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, the Deputy Chief Executive Officers and the Directors;
- The components composing the total compensation and the benefits of any kind paid or awarded for the 2024 financial year to the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officers;
- The authorisation granted to the Board of Directors to purchase ordinary shares of the Company was renewed for 18 months up to 10% of the share capital;
- The authorisation for capital increases, enabling the issue of shares in favour of employees under a company or group saving plan, was renewed for 26 months;
- The amendments to the Articles of Association to take account of the entry into force of the “Loi Attractivité” (no. 2024-537 dated 13 June 2024).
The detailed voting result is available this day on the Company’s website in the item “Annual General Meeting”.

Board of Directors

Following the renewals and appointments of directors, the Board of Directors is composed of 15 directors, including (i) 2 directors re-elected by the employees in March 2024 and (ii) 1 director representing employee shareholders appointed by the General Meeting and one non-voting director.

Accordingly, the Board of Directors is composed as follows:
- Mr. Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Chairman;
- Mr. Slawomir Krupa, Director;
- Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Director;
- Mr. William Connelly, Director;
- Mr. Jérôme Contamine, Director;
- Mrs. Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier, Director;
- Mrs. Diane Côté, Director;
- Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Director;
- Mrs. France Houssaye, Director elected by employees;
- Mr. Olivier Klein, Director;
- Mrs. Annette Messemer, Director;
- Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Director;
- Mr Johan Praud, Director elected by employees;
- Mr. Benoît de Ruffray, Director;
- Mr. Sébastien Wetter, Director representing employees shareholders;
- Mr. Jean-Bernard Lévy, Non-voting Director (“censeur”).
The Board of Directors is made up of 41,7% women (5/12) and 91,7% independent directors (11/12) if we exclude from the calculations the three directors representing the employees in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article L. 225-23 of the Commercial Code, paragraph 2 of Article L. 225-27 of the Commercial Code and the AFEP-MEDEF code. In order to ensure compliance with a forthcoming legislative change scheduled for mid-2026, the Board of Directors has already decided, for the General Meeting of May 2026, that shareholders will be invited to replace a man director, whose term of office will expire, by a woman director.

The Board of Directors held after the General Meeting has decided that, as of 20 May 2025, the Board committees will be composed as follows:
- Audit and Internal Control Committee: Mr. Jérôme Contamine (chairman), Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mr. Sébastien Wetter;
- Risk Committee: Mr. William Connelly (chairman), Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Mrs. Béatrice Cossa Dumurgier, Mrs. Diane Côté, Mrs. Ulrika Ekman, Mr. Olivier Klein and Mrs. Annette Messemer;
- Compensation Committee: Mrs. Annette Messemer (chairwoman), Mr. Jerome Contamine, Mr. Benoit de Ruffray and Mrs. France Houssaye;
- Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee: Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge (chairman), Mr. William Connelly, Mme Diane Côté and Mr. Benoit de Ruffray.
Biographies

Mr. William Connelly is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington (US). He began his career in 1980 at Chase Manhattan Bank, where he worked for 10 years, before joining Baring Brothers from 1990 to 1995. He then held various executive positions within ING Group NV from 1995 until he became a member of The Management Board, where he was responsible for Wholesale Banking from 2011 to 2016. He was also the CEO of ING Real Estate from 2009 to 2015. In addition to his mandate as an independent director of Societe Generale since 2017, he currently is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amadeus IT Group and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aegon until the second half of 2025. He also served as an independent director of Singular Bank from February 2019 to April 2023. During its session on 10 April 2025, the Societe Generale Board of Directors selected William Connelly for the Chairmanship as of the General Meeting which will be held on 27 May 2026. He will succeed Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who has been Chairman since 2015, and will have completed his third term.

Mr. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Graduate of École polytechnique, the École nationale des ponts et chaussées and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He began his career in 1992 at the World Bank in Washington D.C. before moving to the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance in 1994. He joined Alstom in 1998 as Head of Investor Relations and was in charge of Management Control. In 2000, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Transmission and Distribution at Alstom, a position he held until 2004. He was Chief Financial Officer of Alstom from 2004 until 2010 and became President of Alstom Grid from 2010 to 2011. On 4 July 2011, he became Chairman of Alstom Transport, before being appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in February 2016, a position he held until June 2024. Since then, he has been Chief Executive Officer and Director of Alstom.

Mr. Olivier Klein, Graduated from the Panthéon‑Sorbonne University in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, from the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE) in 1980, and from HEC’s graduate course in Finance in 1985. He began his career at the BFCE in 1985 and served as manager of the Foreign Exchange and Rate Risk Management Advisory Department, then as Director of the BFCE’s Investment Bank, and finally as Regional Director of its corporate bank. He joined the Caisse d’Epargne group in 1998 and was Chairman of the Executive Board of the Caisse d’Epargne Ile‑de‑France Ouest from 2000 to 2007 and then of the Caisse d’Epargne Rhône‑Alpes from 2007 to 2009. In January 2010, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Banking and Insurance of the BPCE group until September 2012. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the BRED group from October 2012 to May 2023. He was a Member of the Supervisory Board of BPCE and its Risk Committee between 2019 and May 2023. He is Chief Executive Officer of Lazard Frères Banque SA and Managing Partner since September 2023. Since 1986, He is teaching macroeconomics and monetary policy at HEC. He is a director of Rexécode since 2018.

Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold, Graduated from the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen in 1997 with a master’s degree in economics. She began her career at SAP SE in 1996, where she held various responsibilities related to innovation and digital transformation. In 2014, she was appointed Chief Information Officer and Business
Processes and extended Member of the SAPExecutiveCommittee. From 2016 to April 2021, she was President of SAP Business Data Network group in Palo Alto (United States) and SAP SE Walldorf (Germany). In 2021, she joined the Südzucker group as Chief Digital Officer and Information tehcnology and member of the Group’s Executive Committee. She is Chief Executive Officer of KAKO GmbH since June 2024. She was a member of the Supervisory Board and a member of the Heineken group Audit Committee from 2019 to 2023. She is a member of the TUI group Supervisory Board since 2020.

Mr. Sébastien Wetter holds a Master degree in Fundamental Physics and graduated from the Lyons Business School (EM Lyon). He began his career at Societe Generale in 1997 in the Strategy and Marketing Division of Societe Generale’s retail bank. Working in the Group’s Organisation Consulting Department from 2002, he performed a range of roles in the Corporate & Investment Banking arm and helped roll out the Group-wide participatory Innovation programme. As of the end of 2005, he joined the Commodities Market Department as Chief Operating Officer holding a global remit, before becoming Head of Business Development in 2008. From 2010 until 2014, he served as General Secretary in the Group’s General Inspection and Audit Division. In 2014, he joined the Sales Division of the Corporate & Investment Bank arm where he held a number of positions: Head of marketing for major French and international clients, then in 2016, Global Chief Operating Officer responsible for the sales teams covering financial institutions. From 2020 to December 2022, he has been a banker managing Societe Generale’s relationship with international financial institutions. He has been a member of the of the Supervisory Board of the Fonds Commun de Placement d’Entreprise (FCPE) since May 2024.

The regulatory declarations on the absence of conflicts of interest and the absence of convictions mentioned on page 140 of the Universal Registration Document filed by Societe Generale on 12 March 2025 with the French market authority (AMF) under number D.25-00088, relating notably to the three directors whose terms of office are renewed remain valid and the two new directors appointed with effect from the General Meeting of 20 May 2025 have made the same regulatory declarations.

Press contacts:
Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com
Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com

Societe Generale

Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with around 119,000 employees serving more than 26 million clients in 62 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective – to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders.

The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients:
- French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank.
- Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG.
- Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities.
Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe).

In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.com website where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the document’s legitimacy directly on the web page.

For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com.

Attachment
- Societe-Generale-Press-release-post-GM-2025_EN
The MIL Network –
May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hurricane Helene Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) Ending May 31
Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Hurricane Helene Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) Ending May 31

Hurricane Helene Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) Ending May 31
jawerner
Mon, 05/19/2025 – 11:01
The Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP), launched in response to Hurricane Helene, will officially end on May 31, 2025. The U.S. Health and Human Services program has provided temporary, no-cost access to prescription medications and vaccines as well as certain medical supplies and forms of equipment for uninsured individuals impacted by the storm.

“This federal emergency assistance program provided life-saving resources for our residents who needed it most,” said State Pharmacist Amanda Fuller Moore, PharmD. “While this program is temporary, our commitment to supporting western North Carolina in their continued recovery is not.”

Uninsured residents located in counties affected by Helene were able to request medications and medical supplies at any EPAP-participating pharmacy. Since its activation on October 4, 2024, more than 11,700 EPAP claims have been processed for more than 800 individuals residing in the 20 impacted counties across the western region. These claims covered prescription medications, medical equipment like crutches and walkers, and even diabetic supplies.

This no-cost resource assistance program was possible through partnership with HHS, FEMA, North Carolina Emergency Management, and local pharmacies and health care providers. A memo has been sent to all EPAP stakeholders to notify them of the program’s upcoming end date.

As western North Carolina continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, NCDHHS remains committed to providing the resources necessary to improve the health and safety of all North Carolinians. Residents who have relied on the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program and need continued prescription and medical supply assistance should consider the following resources:
- Apply for health care coverage through NC Medicaid
- Access free or low-cost medications at participating free and charitable clinics, community health centers, and rural health centers through the NC Medication Assistance Program
- Access the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program, which provides free prescription medications to North Carolina residents who are uninsured and fall at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Visit the federal Health Insurance Marketplace to apply for coverage
Additional Hurricane Helene recovery resources are available online at ncdhhs.gov/helene.

El Programa de asistencia de emergencia para medicamentos recetados (EPAP), lanzado en respuesta al huracán Helene, finalizará oficialmente el 31 de mayo de 2025. El programa del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos ha proporcionado acceso temporal sin costo a medicamentos recetados y a vacunas, así como a ciertos suministros médicos y aparatos para las personas sin seguro afectadas por la tormenta.

“Este programa federal de asistencia de emergencia proporcionó recursos para salvar vidas a nuestros residentes que más lo necesitaban”, dijo la farmacéutica estatal Amanda Fuller Moore, PharmD. “Si bien este programa es temporal, nuestro compromiso de apoyar al oeste de Carolina del Norte en su recuperación continua no lo es”.

Los residentes sin seguro ubicados en los condados afectados por Helene pudieron solicitar medicamentos y suministros médicos en cualquier farmacia participante en EPAP. Desde su activación el 4 de octubre de 2024, se han procesado más de 11,700 reembolsos de EPAP para más de 800 personas que residen en los 20 condados afectados de la región occidental. Estas reclamaciones cubrían medicamentos recetados, equipos médicos como muletas y andadores, e incluso suministros para diabéticos.

Este programa de asistencia de recursos sin costo fue posible a través de la colaboración con Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS), Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA, por sus siglas en inglés), Departamento de Gestión de Emergencias de Carolina del Norte (North Carolina Emergency Management), farmacias y proveedores de atención médica locales. Se ha enviado un memorando a todas las partes interesadas del EPAP para notificarles la próxima fecha de finalización del programa.

A medida que el oeste de Carolina del Norte continúa recuperándose de la devastación del huracán Helene, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) sigue comprometido a proporcionar los recursos necesarios para mejorar la salud y la seguridad de todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte. Los habitantes que han confiado en el Programa de Asistencia de Recetas de Emergencia y necesitan asistencia continua con recetas y suministros médicos deben considerar los siguientes recursos:
- Solicite cobertura de atención médica a través de NC Medicaid
- Acceda a medicamentos gratuitos o de bajo costo en clínicas gratuitas y caritativas participantes, centros de salud comunitarios y centros de salud rurales a través del Programa de Asistencia de Medicamentos de NC
- Acceda al Programa de Farmacia Gratuita NC MedAssist, que proporciona medicamentos recetados gratuitos a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte que no tienen seguro y se encuentran en o por debajo del 300% del Nivel Federal de Pobreza
- Visite el sitio web: Mercado de seguros médicos federal para solicitar cobertura
Los recursos adicionales de recuperación del huracán Helene están disponibles en línea en el sitio web: ncdhhs.gov/helene.
May 20, 2025

MIL OSI USA News –
May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 20 May 2025 News release Director-General’s Award for Global Health given to Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood

Source: World Health Organisation

In recognition of their lifetime achievements in global health, specifically in malaria elimination and beyond, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has given his Award for Global Health this year to Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood.

The Director-General’s Award for Global Health, established in 2019, was conferred during the High-Level segment on Tuesday, 20 May, at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly and this year included an honorary lifetime achievement award to each recipient.

“Their invaluable contributions have helped to alleviate the burden of malaria and other vaccine-preventable diseases and to build sustainable health system capacity in Africa,” said Dr Tedros.

Noting Professor Coll Seck’s achievements, Dr Tedros said, “While serving as Senegal’s Minister of Health, Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck led landmark reforms, expanded universal access to care and integrated disease control programmes.”

In addition to making significant contributions to scientific literature, Professor Coll Seck was, from 2004–2011, the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria (RMB) partnership, where she mobilized political will to accelerate malaria interventions in low-income countries.

She has also been active on several high-profile boards and advisory groups, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, PATH, and other international NGOs and initiatives working on health financing, vaccines, and health system strengthening. She is currently the President of Forum Galien Afrique.

Professor Coll Seck was born in Senegal and trained as a physician with a specialization in infectious diseases. She earned her medical degree from the University of Dakar and pursued further specialization in bacteriology and virology in France.

“I’ve had the privilege of contributing to notable progress but I’ve also borne witness to ongoing challenges and emerging emergencies whether they be in terms of climate, demography or technology. This prize is all the more important in that it symbolizes trust in the values that I defend: solidarity between peoples, science in the service of humanity and the leadership of women in the health system,” said Professor Coll Seck.

Professor Greenwood is best known for his pivotal work in malaria control. He has also played a central role in shaping global health policy and research strategies, serving on numerous advisory boards, including those of WHO.

“Over the last five decades, Professor Sir Greenwood performed pioneering research and made major contributions to infectious disease control. His work on malaria has been instrumental in shaping modern approaches to control this devastating disease. His contributions range from the introduction of insecticide-treated bed nets to groundbreaking trials for the RTS,S malaria vaccine, the first vaccine to be recommended for widespread use,” said Dr Tedros.

Professor Greenwood’s early career focused on infectious disease research in Nigeria and The Gambia, where he lived for decades and led a multidisciplinary programme targeting diseases like malaria, pneumonia, measles, and HIV2. In The Gambia, he demonstrated the effectiveness of insecticide-treated nets in reducing child mortality and morbidity and contributed to malaria control through seasonal antimalarial drug administration.

In 1996, Professor Greenwood returned to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, continuing his research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He contributed to the successful use of the MenAfriVac vaccine in the African meningitis belt, which helped stop epidemics in Chad. He also advocated for combining seasonal vaccination with seasonal malaria chemoprevention.

Reflecting on his career, which began in Nigeria as a young doctor about 60 years ago, Professor Greenwood said, “The pediatric wards were full of measles, meningitis, malaria, polio, there were still even occasions with smallpox coming to hospital. The under-5 child mortality was about 400 per thousand in parts of west Africa. So, how that’s changed in one person’s lifetime. Many of those diseases are not gone but are much reduced and there has been a dramatic improvement in under-5 child mortality. In The Gambia where I also worked, that’s now 40, a 10-fold drop.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK adopts historic Pandemic Agreement
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

UK adopts historic Pandemic Agreement

Better protections for British public and NHS thanks to deal adopted at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
New Agreement will protect British public and NHS from future global health threats while preserving UK sovereignty

Pandemic Agreement will safeguard lives and UK economy by improving world’s collective ability to prevent, prepare for, detect and respond to global disease threats

This follows long negotiation process to ensure agreement is firmly in UK’s national interest

The British people, our NHS and the economy will be better protected against future global health threats thanks to a new World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement adopted by the UK today.

The deal marks a significant step forward in stronger domestic and global prevention by improving the way countries around the world work together to detect and combat pandemic threats.

The UK government has been actively engaged in negotiations to ensure a strong final agreement. The Agreement adopted at the World Health Assembly in Geneva respects national sovereignty while encouraging nations to work together more effectively to address shared global health threats, in turn helping strengthen our national security which is a key part of this government’s Plan for Change. There are no provisions that would give the WHO powers to impose domestic public health decisions on the UK.

Minister of State for International Development Baroness Chapman said:

The Pandemic Agreement is a great example of the UK working with our partners to support countries combat disease and strengthen their health systems. Acting together will help us to prevent pandemics, and prepare for and respond to any future pandemic threats.

Diseases cross borders, and our diplomacy must too, if we are to prevent a repeat of the devastation caused by Covid-19. That’s why this agreement will make the world a healthier and safer place.

Health Minister Ashley Dalton said:

COVID-19 showed us the vital importance of international cooperation to save lives. This landmark agreement will help protect British people from future pandemic threats and safeguard our health system, supporting our mission to build an NHS fit for the future.

Our national interest and the safety and wellbeing of the British public will always be our first priority. This agreement maintains our sovereignty while ensuring the NHS and the UK as a whole will be better prepared for possible future global health emergencies, through stronger early warning systems and faster response capabilities.

Our world-class life sciences sector will also benefit from increased innovation in vaccines and treatments, boosting growth and improving care for patients across the UK.

UKHSA Chief Executive Dame Jenny Harries said:

It is gratifying to see the Pandemic Agreement adopted. It is clear that international co-operation and collaboration must be at the very heart of our pandemic preparedness strategy if it is to be effective, and this agreement is a welcome step towards making the world a safer place from pandemic threats.

UKHSA has consistently been committed to sharing data and analysis on pathogens with pandemic potential with our international partners, and we will continue to do so as we work to develop the global capacity to respond to emerging threats to public health.

This is also good news for scientific innovation and the UK’s world-leading life sciences industry, opening the door to enabling high quality vaccines to be delivered faster in the next pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an enduring impact on lives and livelihoods around the world. Thousands of families in the UK lost loved ones, children missed out on pivotal learning and development opportunities, and businesses were forced to close their doors. The estimated cost of the UK government’s COVID-19 measures was over £300 billion.

The new Pandemic Agreement will help avoid a repeat of this devastation by creating a framework for countries to take action together to better prevent pandemics – by improving disease surveillance so we can detect and respond to new health threats sooner, and by speeding up innovation of life-saving vaccines and treatments.

The aim is to prevent pandemic threats from emerging in the first place and stopping them in their tracks when they do.

It will facilitate swifter pathogen and pathogen data sharing so we can act quickly to prevent further spread. It will also enable the UK to develop vaccines, treatments and tests faster, which will help save lives and drive economic growth in our world-leading life sciences sector.

124 member states agreed to adopt the Pandemic Agreement today, demonstrating strong international commitment to multilateralism and collective action to strengthen global health security.

The final text represents a strong outcome for the UK. Key wins include:

Commitments on pandemic prevention, including for health, animal, and environmental sectors to collaborate through a “One Health” approach – a major step toward preventing disease spillover from animals to humans;

Provisions that will foster innovation, enhance global research and development, and strengthen supply chains;

The Pandemic Agreement paves the way for a new and voluntary Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system which should see pharmaceutical companies get faster access to the pathogens and genetic sequences that they need to create new vaccines, treatments and tests to respond to a pandemic. In return, manufacturers who voluntarily sign up to the system – not the government – will share a portion of their production with the WHO to allocate where it is most needed;

The PABS system is entirely voluntary for pharmaceutical companies, who may choose to join to gain faster access to pathogen data for innovation. There are no requirements placed on governments to share vaccines or treatments they have purchased.

The Pandemic Agreement does not include any provisions that would give the WHO powers to impose domestic public health decisions on the UK. The sovereignty of states is one of the guiding principles of the Agreement.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 20 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 20 Reasons Why Congress Must Unite Behind the One, Big, Beautiful Bill

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
Congressional Republicans MUST unite to pass President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill and take advantage of the once-in-a-generation opportunity they were given by voters.
Here are 20 reasons why Congress must unite behind the One, Big, Beautiful Bill:
It delivers the largest tax cut in American history. This means an extra $5,000 in Americans’ pockets with a DOUBLE-DIGIT percent DECREASE to their tax bills. Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay around 15% less in taxes.
It includes NO TAX ON TIPS and NO TAX ON OVERTIME. This makes good on two of President Trump’s cornerstone campaign promises and will benefit hardworking Americans where they need it the most — their paychecks.
It delivers Big, Beautiful Deportations. The bill permanently secures our borders by making the largest border security investment in history, funding at least one million annual removals of illegal immigrants and ramping up “mass deportation operations to a level never before seen in American history.”
It finishes President Trump’s border wall. As a result, 701 miles of primary wall, 900 miles of river barriers, 629 miles of secondary barriers, and 141 miles of vehicle and pedestrian barriers will be constructed — stopping deadly fentanyl from flowing into our communities and securing the border from dangerous illegal immigrant murderers and rapists.
It boosts Border Patrol and ICE agents on the frontlines. It empowers immigration authorities to carry out their mission by hiring 10,000 new ICE personnel, 5,000 new customs officers, and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents — and gives $10,000 bonuses in each of the next four years to agents on the frontlines.
It protects Medicaid for Americans by kicking 1.4 million illegals off the benefits. This bill eliminates waste, fraud, and abuse by ending benefits for at least 1.4 million illegal immigrants who are gaming the system.
It requires able-bodied Americans to work if they receive benefits. With 4.8 million able-bodied adults choosing not to work, The One, Big, Beautiful Bill puts work requirements in place and supports them as they find dignity through employment.
It reverses the spending curse plaguing Washington, D.C. The legislation delivers the largest deficit reduction in nearly 30 years, with $1.6 trillion in mandatory savings.
It ends taxpayer-funded sex change for minors. It reverses the Biden-era mandate that Medicaid cover so-called “gender transition” procedures for minors — ending the taxpayer-funded chemical castration and mutilation of American children.
It provides historic tax relief to Social Security recipients. It slashes taxes on seniors’ Social Security benefits.
It will give Americans PERMANENT tax relief through the Trump Tax Cuts. If the bill doesn’t pass, Americans will see the largest tax increase in history.
It finally modernizes air traffic control, fulfilling President Trump’s plan to completely overhaul the systems that keep Americans flying safely and efficiently. This will allow President Trump to update our air traffic control systems and act where the Biden Administration failed (despite repeated warnings).
It ends the taxpayer-funded Green New Scam. The legislation repeals or phases out every “green” corporate welfare subsidy in Democrats’ so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” immediately stops credits from flowing to China and saves taxpayers $500+ billion every year, and reverses electric vehicle mandates that let radical climate activists set the standards for American energy.
It incentivizes MADE IN AMERICA. It rewards companies that build their products in America with lower taxes — and allows Americans who buy an American-made vehicle to fully deduct their auto loan interest.
It is pro-family. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill increases the child tax credit, establishes MAGA Accounts for newborns to start saving, and strengthens paid family leave.
It repeals Democrats’ insane attack on the gig economy. It repeals the requirement that Venmo, PayPal, and other gig transactions over $600 be reported to the IRS.
It protects family farmers. The bill prevents the greedy death tax from hitting two million family-owned farms who would otherwise see their exemptions cut in half and cuts taxes on farmers by over $10 billion.
It’s a once-in-a-generation chance to revolutionize our nation’s defense capabilities and protect the homeland against new threats. It funds President Trump’s Golden Dome, invests in American shipbuilding, and modernizes our military.
It unleashes American energy dominance. The legislation increases onshore and offshore oil and gas leases, which provides certainty for energy producers, spurs job growth, and makes energy more affordable for American consumers.
It boosts American mineral development. This bill increases mining of domestic minerals and makes America less dependent on foreign adversaries for critical minerals.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Free Shingles Vaccine Available This Month
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Starting today, May 20, Nova Scotians aged 65 and older can book their free shingles vaccine appointment. The first appointments will be May 28.

“Across Canada, nearly one in three people develop shingles, despite the availability of the vaccine,” said Premier Tim Houston. “That’s why we are delivering on our promise of removing barriers to access and making the shingles vaccine free.”

The vaccine costs about $400 but will be free for seniors starting May 28. People can book an appointment by calling their primary health care provider or at https://novascotia.ca/routinevaccine

Shingles is a viral infection that causes an extremely painful, burning skin rash and nerve pain that can last 90 days or more. For many people, it is debilitating. Anyone who has had chickenpox or has been exposed to the virus is at risk of developing shingles later in life.

Quotes:

“We are committed to investing in things that matter and that make a real impact on the day-to-day lives of Nova Scotians. We know how severe the symptoms of shingles are, and the good news is that it can be easily prevented.”
— Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness

“The free shingles vaccine is life changing for older Nova Scotians. For many people, the high cost made the vaccine out of reach. By breaking down barriers to care, we are protecting more older Nova Scotians from the needless suffering that comes with this awful virus.”
— Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care

“CARP is extremely pleased to hear this announcement. The free shingles vaccine is great news for older Nova Scotians, who are at risk for developing this awful life-impacting disease. By removing the cost, this will open the door for more seniors to have access to the vaccine.”
— Bill VanGorder, Advocacy and Education Officer, Canadian Association of Retired Persons

“Seniors of Nova Scotia welcome the announcement of free shingles vaccine available to all people over 65. We recognize the impact of this debilitating and disabling virus, the effects of which can last weeks, months and can cause lifelong nerve pain. This vaccine will enable seniors to protect themselves from such serious life-altering effects and decrease their vulnerability to chronic problems, enabling seniors to enjoy a higher quality of life.”
— Alyson Hillier, co-Chair, Seniors Advisory Council of Nova Scotia

Quick Facts:
- the government is investing more than $26 million in fiscal 2025-2026 in the rollout of the free shingles vaccine
- people aged 65 and older are at highest risk for severe disease, and that age group has the highest hospitalization rates
- the vaccine, called Shingrix, prevents shingles complications, which can ease pressure on emergency departments, primary care and the overall health system
- two doses are needed for full protection
Additional Resources:

Information on shingles vaccine eligibility is available at: https://www.nshealth.ca/public-health/immunizations

MIL OSI Canada News –
May 21, 2025