WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named his deputy, Jim O&#8217;Neill, as acting director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after ousting the former director less than a month into her tenure.
President Donald Trump fired on Wednesday CDC Director Susan Monarez after she resisted changes to vaccine policy advanced by Kennedy that she believed contradicted scientific evidence, further destabilizing the already embattled agency.
&#8220;Together, we will rebuild this institution into what it was always meant to be: a guardian of America&#8217;s health and security,&#8221; Kennedy wrote on Thursday in a memo to CDC staff seen by Reuters. &#8220;To help advance this mission, I am pleased to announce that Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O&#8217;Neill is now also serving as Acting Director of the CDC.&#8221;
Monarez&#8217;s firing triggered the resignations of four senior CDC officials who cited anti-vaccine policies and misinformation pushed by Kennedy and his team.
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The CDC has faced mounting challenges under Kennedy&#8217;s leadership, including a shooting at its Atlanta headquarters earlier this month. The union representing CDC workers said the incident &#8220;compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured.&#8221;
The White House sought to cut the agency&#8217;s budget by almost $3.6 billion, leaving it with a $4 billion 2026 budget, and Kennedy announced a layoff plan earlier this year that cut 2,400 CDC employees, though some 700 were rehired.
O&#8217;Neill, prior to his confirmation as Kennedy&#8217;s second in command, served as a health policy adviser with ties to several healthcare companies.
He also managed one of tech billionaire and Trump-backer Peter Thiel&#8217;s venture capital firms, Mithril Capital Management, from 2012 to 2019. O&#8217;Neill also served as chief executive of his philanthropic Thiel Foundation and as a managing director at Thiel Capital.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Diane Craft)

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

RFK Jr. Appoints Deputy Jim O’Neill As Interim CDC Director After Monarez Ouster

Health

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday started to publicly report adverse events to drugs and some vaccines in real time, a change FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said promotes &#8220;radical transparency.&#8221;
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, known as FAERS, is what the FDA uses as its primary database for collecting adverse event reports related to medication errors, prescription drugs, and some vaccines &#8212; though the main database for vaccine adverse event reports is known as VAERS. The reports are collected from health care professionals, manufacturers, and consumers.
The FAERS public dashboard is available to <a href="https://fis.fda.gov/sense/app/95239e26-e0be-42d9-a960-9a5f7f1c25ee/sheet/7a47a261-d58b-4203-a8aa-6d3021737452/state/analysis">access online</a>.
“Adverse event reporting should be fast, seamless and transparent,” Makary said in a statement. “People who navigate the government’s clunky adverse event reporting websites should not have to wait months for that information to become public. We’re closing that waiting period and will continue to streamline the process from start to finish.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Starting today, the FDA will disclose adverse events publicly in real time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/radicaltransparency?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#radicaltransparency</a> <a href="https://t.co/WLN38ivs1m">https://t.co/WLN38ivs1m</a>
— Dr. Marty Makary (@DrMakaryFDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA/status/1959010367432020013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
In a press release, the FDA, which is a branch of Health and Human Services (HHS), said the change &#8220;represents a significant step forward in modernizing the agency’s safety monitoring infrastructure and demonstrates our commitment to real-time protection of public health.&#8221;
&#8220;The shift is one of many steps in the FDA&#8217;s broader data modernization strategy to streamline all of its adverse event reporting systems and increase reporting frequency across all systems to identify safety signals faster,&#8221; the press release added.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who leads HHS, has made a number of changes concerning therapeutics and vaccinations. Most notably, the secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jr-names-new-members-to-vax-board-including-critics-of-covid-measures?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=RFK+Jr.+Names+New+Members+To+Vax+Board%2C+Including+Critics+Of+COVID+Measures">gutted</a> the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, known as ACIP, back in June. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rfk-jr-guts-cdc-vaccine-panel-retiring-all-17-members?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=RFK+Jr.+Guts+CDC+Vaccine+Panel%2C+%E2%80%98Retiring%E2%80%99+All+17+Members" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highly influential vaccine panel</a>, Kennedy argued, was plagued with conflicts of interest before he took action.
New members on ACIP include Dr. Robert Malone, who worked on early research for mRNA vaccine technology and is a vocal critic of the mRNA COVID vaccines, as well as other medical experts who took dissenting positions from the medical establishment during the COVID pandemic.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Monday, I took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). I retired the 17 current members of the committee. I’m now repopulating ACIP with the eight new members who will attend ACIP’s…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1932899858920120692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takes-on-new-york-over-vax-mandate-and-wins?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Teen+Takes+On+New+York+Over+Vax+Mandate+—+And+Wins">Teen Takes On New York Over Vax Mandate — And Wins</a>

HHS Secretary Kennedy Holds News Conference On Synthetic Dyes In Food Supply

RFK Jr Makes Another Major Change To Boost ‘Radical Transparency’

Department of Health and Human Services

U.S.

Vaccines

In another example of Israeli scientists changing the world for the better, experts at Tel Aviv University (TAU) are preparing to perform the world’s first spinal cord implant.
Unlike most other bodily injuries, spinal cord injuries do not allow for cell regeneration. But the TAU scientists took blood cells and reprogrammed them through genetic engineering so they acted like embryonic stem cells. They took the cells and inserted them into a gel formed from collagen and sugars derived from fat tissue to “mimic the embryonic development of the spinal cord,” Prof. Tal Dvir, of TAU’s Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, head of the Nanotechnology Center, and Chief Scientist of the biotech company Matricelf, <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/research/engineered-spinal-cord">explained</a>.
He continued:
<blockquote>
The spinal cord is made up of nerve cells that transmit electrical signals from the brain to every part of the body. When the spinal cord is torn due to trauma — from a car accident, a fall, or a battlefield injury — this chain is broken. Think of it like an electrical cable that’s been cut: if the two parts don’t touch, the electrical signal can’t pass. The cable won’t carry electricity, and in the same way, the person can’t transmit the signal beyond the site of the injury.
Neurons are cells that do not divide and do not renew themselves. They are not like skin cells, which can repair themselves after injury. They are more similar to heart cells: once damage occurs, the body cannot restore them.
</blockquote>
“At the end of the process, we don’t just turn the cells into motor neurons — because cells alone won’t help us — but into three-dimensional tissue: neuronal networks of the spinal cord,” he said. “After about a month, we obtain a 3D implant with many neurons that transmit electrical signals. These 3D tissues are then implanted into the damaged area.”
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“About six months ago we received preliminary approval to begin compassionate-use trials with eight patients,” Dvir recalled. “We decided, of course, that the first patient would be Israeli. This is undoubtedly a matter of national pride. The technology was developed here in Israel, at Tel Aviv University and at Matricelf, and from the very beginning it was clear to us that the first-ever surgery would be performed in Israel, with an Israeli patient.”
The first implant should happen within a year. “Once we prove that the treatment works — everything is open, and we’ll be able to treat any injury,” says Prof. Dvir.
“Our goal is to help paralyzed patients rise from their wheelchairs. The animal model trials showed extraordinary success, and we are hopeful that the results in humans will be just as promising,” Dvir <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-864808">concluded</a>.
The list of Israel’s contributions to medicine is a strong reminder of the cutting-edge nature of Israeli science. Here are some noteworthy examples:
<blockquote>
Copaxone, a drug for multiple sclerosis developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Rasagiline (Azilect): developed at Israel’s Technion to treat Parkinson&#8217;s disease.
Doxil: The first FDA-approved nanotechnology-based cancer drug, developed at the Hebrew University. It delivers chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.
Exelon: A medication for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.
PillCam (Given Imaging) – A swallowable capsule camera that takes images of the digestive tract, revolutionizing endoscopy.
BrainsGate – A device that uses electrical stimulation to enhance drug delivery to the brain, helping stroke patients.
IceSense3 (IceCure Medical) – A cryoablation device used to freeze and destroy tumors, particularly in breast cancer treatment.
ElMindA – a brain-mapping system using EEG and machine learning to diagnose brain-related conditions (e.g., ADHD, concussion).
MeMed – a diagnostic platform that distinguishes between viral and bacterial infections within minutes, helping reduce antibiotic misuse.
V-Wave – A heart failure treatment device that regulates pressure inside the heart.
</blockquote>

Inflamed spine, illustration

Hope For Paraplegics As Israel Plans First Spinal Cord Implant

Israel

Medical Research

medicine

In a show of grit and camaraderie, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the &#8220;Pete and Bobby Challenge&#8221; on Monday with a Pentagon gym showdown.
The duo released a high-energy video urging Americans to test themselves with 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups against the clock—a fitness feat that saw Hegseth, 45, narrowly edge out the 71-year-old Kennedy, while military personnel in the room crushed the same routine.
&#8220;We had our Pete and Bobby challenge today, 50 pull-ups. 100 push-ups. You try to get under five minutes,&#8221; Kennedy explained, calling the five-minute goal the top standard. “Pete and I are going to do our part and encourage America’s youth to do this challenge&#8230;in any order you want in less than 10 minutes.”
Hegseth, a battle-tested veteran, completed the challenge in 5:25, while Kennedy, who wore blue jeans, finished in 5:48.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump set the example by putting forth efforts to make America healthy again.
That’s why we are introducing the Pete and Bobby challenge.
100 push-ups. 50 pull-ups. 10 minutes. <a href="https://t.co/ppRrwqSUm0">pic.twitter.com/ppRrwqSUm0</a>
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1957557737073557664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;It&#8217;s all about making America healthy again. We&#8217;re going to be fit, not fat,&#8221; said Hegseth. &#8220;We want recruits that are ready to go.&#8221;
Shot in the Pentagon Athletic Center, the video shows various service members participating in the challenge, with Hegseth exhorting one contender. Turning to the camera, declaring, “The Secretary of Defense shark attack,” then leans down to him, yelling, “You can do better! &#8230; Let’s go!”
After celebrating one participant completing the routine in just 2:43, Hegseth joked, “Maybe we should send the challenge to [Transportation Secretary] Sean Duffy! &#8230; I’m going to throw it on the military side, too. Let’s challenge the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, &#8216;Razin&#8217; Caine! And then my friend on TV, [Fox News journalist] Will Cain. How about the Pete and Bobby challenge, 100 push-ups, 50 pull-ups?”
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“We hope Americans will take this challenge and you’ll pass it along so that we’re fit the way we need to and be healthy and have a healthy fighting force,” Hegseth enthused.
“Let’s make America healthy again,” Kennedy concludes.
“Amen,” Hegseth, a devoutly religious Christian, agrees.
In March, Hegseth issued a <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4118161/rapid-force-wide-review-of-military-standards/">memo</a> ordering a department-wide review of existing standards set by U.S. military branches pertaining to physical fitness. He declared, “We must remain vigilant in maintaining the standards that enable the men and women of our military to protect the American people and our homeland as the world&#8217;s most lethal and effective fighting force. Our adversaries are not growing weaker, and our tasks are not growing less challenging.”
In April, Hegseth gave a speech at the Army War College in which he <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/4164715/remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-pete-hegseth-at-the-army-war-college-as-deliver/">stated</a>, “To be lethal, you have to trust that the warrior alongside you in battle or the troops fighting in the unit that many of you will lead are capable, truly physically capable of doing what is necessary under fire. You need to be fit, not fat, sharp, not shabby.”

MixCollage-19-Aug-2025-07-42-AM-5614

Hegseth And RFK Jr. Launch ‘Pete And Bobby Challenge’ With High-Energy Gym Showdown

MAHA

Pentagon

Pete Hegseth

A London restaurant has closed over alleged frozen dog meat and multiple health code violations.
Vietnamese restaurant Pho Na shut down after inspectors found suspicious meat labeled &#8220;goat wrapped in leaves,&#8221; Metro <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2025/08/14/london-vietnamese-restaurant-shut-down-after-dog-meat-found-in-freezer-23911343/">reported</a>. An analysis confirmed the meat was dog, not goat.
The health inspectors also found cockroaches and mice droppings in the restaurant, the outlet said.
The owner, Vuong Quoc Nguyen, denied the health code violations in court Tuesday. His defense attorney said Nguyen was unaware that the product was dog meat, because it had been given to him by someone else. The attorney also said Nguyen never intended to sell the meat and had hired pest control to deal with the cockroaches.
The Lewisham Council said it did not order Nguyen to close Pho Na and said the store was &#8220;sold independently.&#8221;
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About 40% of people in Vietnam eat dog meat, <a href="https://www.humaneworld.org/en/campaign/ending-viet-nams-dog-cat-meat-trades">according</a> to the Humane World for Animals. The dog meat trade kills about five million dogs a year.
It is illegal to sell dog meat in the United Kingdom, but it is legal to kill and eat dogs if the animals are killed humanely.
The U.K. almost banned the consumption of dog meat in 2019, but the Ministry of Justice blocked the move over concerns that it was &#8220;culturally insensitive,&#8221; The Sun <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9934112/legal-ban-eating-dogs-blocked-far-east/">reported</a> at the time.
Former Member of Parliament Giles Watling told the outlet he was &#8220;surprised&#8221; by the decision.
&#8220;We do not eat [dogs], and that is a very important message to send to the rest of the world,&#8221; Watling said at the time. &#8220;It’s not culturally insensitive because we’re not telling them what to do – we’re just telling them what we do.&#8221;
The United States <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6720?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22dog+meat%22%5D%7D&amp;s=2&amp;r=2">banned</a> &#8220;knowingly slaughtering a dog or cat for human consumption&#8221; in 2018.

VIETNAM-DOG MEAT-CYCLISTS

London Vietnamese Restaurant Shut Down After Inspectors Find Frozen Dog Meat

Animals

Food

U.K.

World

A 16-year-old girl won in court on Tuesday after the public school system in New York denied her medical vaccine exemption.
A federal court sided with a girl, who is named only by the pseudonym <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-school-bans-student-for-following-doctors-vaccine-advice-now-shes-fighting-back">Sarah Doe</a>, after the public school system in New York repeatedly denied her a medical exemption, which she received from six different doctors and a nurse practitioner. 
The court granted her medical exemption and said Sarah must be allowed to attend school, starting in September.
“I’m just happy to go to school and be given this opportunity,” Sarah said following the win. “Thank you everyone for coming, I appreciate all the support – it feels unreal.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
HISTORIC FEDERAL COURT RULING IN NY!
Sarah Doe WINS!!!
16-year-old Sarah Doe must be allowed back to school this September.
Her medical exemption to vaccination is granted in federal court today.
Case backed by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChildrensHD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChildrensHD</a>
Here is Sarah in front of the courthouse <a href="https://t.co/qcMintC9i0">pic.twitter.com/qcMintC9i0</a>
— Teachers for Choice (@teacher_choice) <a href="https://twitter.com/teacher_choice/status/1955362186064482351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
New York is one of five states in the U.S. that do not allow religious exemptions for its vaccine mandates. The other states are California, Connecticut, Maine, and West Virginia — though West Virginia&#8217;s governor authorized religious and personal belief exemptions via executive action in 2025, effectively removing it from this list.
Since these remaining states have cracked down on religious exemptions, there have been an increasing number of reports of families saying they&#8217;ve been denied medical exemptions, too. In Sarah&#8217;s case, the court said the school was wrong, and the teen&#8217;s medical exemption is valid.
Sarah, who spoke to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-school-bans-student-for-following-doctors-vaccine-advice-now-shes-fighting-back">The Daily Wire</a> back in May about her lawsuit, was advised by a number of medical professionals to skip her final dose of the Hepatitis B vaccination. This was after she developed severe autoimmune conditions, kidney issues, debilitating migraines, continuous rashes, and a diagnosis of a bleeding disorder where blood does not clot properly. All of the conditions started back in 2019, when New York stopped allowing religious exemptions, and Sarah got 18 vaccine doses over the span of two months so she could attend school.
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“Her back started hurting her, her whole spine,” Jane Doe, Sarah’s mother, told The Daily Wire. “We went for MRIs, she did cat scans – that’s where our life started with the doctors, all of a sudden the new norm was seeing doctors.” 
“At one point, she did become septic, they had to put a stent in her to her kidney through her urethra and she was in the hospital, we had to pack her in ice one night because her temps just wouldn’t come down,” Jane continued. “It’s just her body responding to all those vaccines at once that just shut her down almost.”
Jane felt very strongly that she couldn’t give the last dose of the vaccine to her daughter and said she had no choice but to take legal action. In April, the family filed suit. 
The family’s attorney, Sujata Gibson, said this case was about Sarah and her safety, but also about other children in states like New York that don’t allow religious exemptions. Further, while New York is supposed to allow medical exemptions, Gibson said that’s not what’s happening.
“The problem really is these New York State Department of Health regulations that were issued in 2019, that led to hundreds of children who had longstanding medical exemptions suddenly getting them revoked,” Gibson told The Daily Wire. “Many, many families have had to move out of town, get vaccinated against medical advice — some children have been severely harmed by that.”
Gibson said there’s legislation pending in New York that could fix this issue, called the <a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S686#:~:text=2025%2DS686%20(ACTIVE)%20%2D%20Summary,accept%20a%20medical%20immunization%20exemption.">Education for All Act</a>. This would “reiterate the state’s existing law that says school districts aren’t allowed to overrule treating physicians,” the attorney said.
Gibson also floated the idea that the federal government could take action to remedy the problem. “If the state won’t fix this, we are just hoping that the federal government will intervene,” she said. “There are a lot of things the federal government could do. This is a square violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Children with disabilities are required to be accommodated and allowed to attend school. And what these school districts are doing is flat-out discriminatory and dangerous to their health.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally supports exemptions and actually <a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2019/07/10/rfk-jr--and-sussman-file-lawsuit-challenging-end-to-religious-exemption-for-vaccinations?utm_source=chatgpt.com">filed suit in 2019</a> to challenge New York’s decision to rid religious exemptions. It’s unclear if HHS will put out any guidance on the matter.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-york-school-bans-student-for-following-doctors-vaccine-advice-now-shes-fighting-back">She Listened To Doctors About Which Vaccines To Get. Her School Kicked Her Out.</a>

Sarah and Jane Doe

Teen Takes On New York Over Vax Mandate — And Wins

Lawsuit

Medical

New York

Dr. Jordan B. Peterson is taking time off from his podcasts and public appearances to recover from a genetic “immune system dysfunction” that flared up recently.
Peterson’s daughter, Mikhaila, gave an update on Peterson’s heath in an X post on Wednesday. Mikhaila revealed that her father had recently been diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, or CIRS, although he has suffered from it much longer.
CIRS “causes the immune system to have an inability to identify and detoxify mold/bacteria in indoor air (the genetic predisposition is not that rare, it’s in about 25% of people but he has a severe version),” Mikhaila explained.
“Over the last year or so he’s been feeling the impact of CIRS more and more. Recently he was exposed to a particularly moldy environment while helping clean out my grandfather’s house after he passed away which severely flared symptoms,” she said.
The Daily Wire responded to Mikhaila Peterson&#8217;s post about her father: &#8220;Dr. Peterson has helped millions of people across the globe navigate the toughest of circumstances, this is our opportunity to return the favor. Please join the Daily Wire team in sending prayers and well wishes as he takes the necessary time to rest and recover. Like the rest of you, we eagerly await his return to bringing you his wisdom and guidance when he has made a full recovery.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dr. Peterson has helped millions of people across the globe navigate the toughest of circumstances, this is our opportunity to return the favor. Please join the Daily Wire team in sending prayers and well wishes as he takes the necessary time to rest and recover. Like the rest of… <a href="https://t.co/0M9IxTgB0H">https://t.co/0M9IxTgB0H</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1955801892635681039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro also offered prayers:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dr. Peterson is not just a mentor and colleague, he is a dear friend. I am praying for his speedy recovery and sending my best to his family. Refuah shelaima! <a href="https://t.co/cln1WlXnQn">https://t.co/cln1WlXnQn</a>
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1955803670911836526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Peterson’s flareup with CIRS has been behind a slate of canceled appearances and his recent “run-down” look and “general weepiness” from pain. The popular psychologist is undergoing treatment for the disorder, and while he is responding well, recovery has been “pretty rough,” Mikhaila said.
On Peterson’s behalf, Mikhaila apologized to people who bought tickets to Peterson’s event in Brazil that he had to cancel and to fans in Europe for having to move the date of his European tour.
While he is in recovery, new episodes of Peterson’s latest series with The Daily Wire, &#8220;Answer the Call,&#8221; will be available on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@JordanBPeterson">YouTube</a>.
Peterson has suffered with CIRS badly since 2017, though doctors for years could not accurately diagnose his chronic health problems.
“The fact that doctors don’t generally recognize that mold exposure in indoor air is causing chronic health issues is insane. The fact that this is the cause behind our food sensitivities and inability to tolerate anything other than meat (for 8 years now), multiple disorders and diseases in my family, and is virtually unrecognized by the medical community, is absurd,” Mikhaila said.
“This indoor air quality problem that causes Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome will be commonly diagnosed in the next 5-10 years. I am positive about that,” she added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hey guys, <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanbpeterson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jordanbpeterson</a> is taking some time off of everything.
He was diagnosed with CIRS (chronic inflammatory response syndrome) due to a genetic predisposition that causes the immune system to have an inability to identify and detoxify mold/bacteria in indoor air (the…
— Mikhaila Peterson (@MikhailaFuller) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikhailaFuller/status/1955777019712819287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</a></blockquote>

Jordan Peterson

Jordan Peterson Taking Time Off To Recover From ‘Immune System Dysfunction’

The Daily Wire

Multiple antiseptics, cleansers, and hand soaps have been voluntarily recalled over bacteria that could cause &#8220;life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
DermaRite Industries is recalling DermaKleen antiseptic lotion with Vitamin E in 1,000- and 800- milliliter sizes, KleenFoam antimicrobial foam soap in 1,000-milliliter sizes, DermaSerra external analgesic in 7.5-ounce sizes, and PeriGiene antiseptic cleanser in 7.5-ounce sizes.
The products have expiration dates ranging from July 2025 to February 2027, the company <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dermarite-industries-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-dermakleen-dermasarra-kleenfoam-and">said</a> in a press release. They were distributed in the United States and in Puerto Rico.
The company recalled the products, which were intended to &#8220;decrease bacteria,&#8221; because of a bacterial &#8220;contamination identified as Burkholderia cepacia.&#8221;
&#8220;The contaminated products may be used by immunosuppressed individuals or by people attending to immunosuppressed individuals,&#8221; the press realease said. &#8220;In healthy individuals with minor skin lesions the use of the product will more likely result in local infections, whereas in immunocompromised individuals the infection is more likely to spread into blood stream leading to life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
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The company told distributors and customers &#8220;to immediately examine available inventory and destroy all affected products.&#8221;
DermaRite said it &#8220;has not received any reports of adverse events.&#8221;
Burkholderia cepacia complex, also called B. cepacia or Bcc, is a bacteria group often found in soil and water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is dangerous for people with compromised immune systems or chronic lung diseases, especially cystic fibrosis. It poses little risk to healthy individuals.
The CDC said B. cepacia can cause serious respiratory infections, as well as fever and fatigue. Individuals may also experience no symptoms. The bacteria&#8217;s resistance to antibiotics can make it difficult to treat.

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Hand Soaps, Antiseptics Recalled Over Bacteria That Could Cause ‘Life-Threatening Sepsis’

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Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday that his department is canceling 22 mRNA vaccine development contracts, totaling about $500 million.
Kennedy said mRNA vaccines, including the most widely used COVID-19 immunizations, have been ineffective, so his department is instead shifting this funding toward &#8220;safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”
&#8220;After reviewing the science, and consulting top experts at [National Institutes of Health] and [Food and Drug Administration], HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses,&#8221; RFK said in a video posted to X.
Kennedy said that mRNA vaccines used during the pandemic &#8220;only code for a small part of the viral protein, usually a single antigen.&#8221;
&#8220;One mutation, and the vaccine becomes ineffective,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This dynamic drives a phenomenon called antigenic shift, meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine.&#8221;
Millions of people, RFK noted, caught the Omicron variant, despite being vaccinated. This is due to the nature of the mRNA vaccines. &#8220;A single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective,&#8221; the secretary emphasized.
“Let me be absolutely clear: HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them,&#8221; Kennedy told the public. &#8220;That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions.&#8221;
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), an HHS agency, is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments &#8220;because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu,&#8221; a press release from HHS reiterates.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward… <a href="https://t.co/GPKbuU7ywN">pic.twitter.com/GPKbuU7ywN</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1952851097019633766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
BARDA will now focus on &#8220;platforms with stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices,&#8221; HHS said. &#8220;Technologies that were funded during the emergency phase but failed to meet current scientific standards will be phased out in favor of evidence-based, ethically grounded solutions – like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-maha-wins-12-states-cutting-soda-candy-from-food-stamps?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=More+MAHA+Wins%3A+12+States+Cutting+Soda%2C+Candy+From+Food+Stamps">More MAHA Wins: 12 States Cutting Soda, Candy From Food Stamps</a>

RFK Jr

RFK Jr. Shuts Down $500M In mRNA Vaccine Research: ‘More Risks Than Benefits’

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A pre-born life frozen since 1994 has finally been welcomed into the world, in what is believed to be the oldest embryo ever brought to birth.
Tim and Lindsey Pierce utilized embryo adoption to grow their family, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-embryo-30-year-birth-ohio-129926d4456dcba4781f155898aca7d8">Associated Press</a>. The Ohio-based couple is part of a small movement of people who focus on frozen embryos currently suspended in time.
For many Christians who believe life begins at conception, it is unthinkable to “dispose of” these fully unique human persons even at their very early stages of development. But embryo adoption remains an underutilized option, especially considering estimates that more than 1.5 million frozen embryos are currently being stored in the United States today.
The Pierces adopted the frozen embryo from Linda Archerd, 62. 
She said she had four frozen embryos after undergoing an IVF procedure more than 30 years ago and gave birth to one daughter. But then she and her husband divorced, stalling her plans to expand her family further. Still, Archerd thought about her embryos and believed they deserved a chance at life, too.
“I felt all along that these three little hopes, these little embryos, deserved to live just like my daughter did,” Archerd told AP.
She found the Pierces through an embryo adoption agency. One embryo did not survive the thaw, Archerd told the outlet. Two embryos were transferred, but only one implanted, resulting in the live birth of one little boy on Saturday.
The biological mother of the donated embryos said she looks forward to meeting her son, named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, which was one of the stipulations she put forth for the adoption.
Archerd said she already sees the family resemblance. “The first thing that I noticed when Lindsey sent me his pictures is how much he looks like my daughter when she was a baby,” Archerd said. “I pulled out my baby book and compared them side by side and there is no doubt that they are siblings.”
“I’d love to meet them some day,” she said. “That would be a dream come true to meet — meet them and the baby.”
Lindsey Pierce told <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/07/29/1120769/exclusive-record-breaking-baby-born-embryo-over-30-years-old/#:~:text=The%20embryos%20were%20created%20in,Christian%20%E2%80%9Cembryo%20adoption%E2%80%9D%20agency.&amp;text=A%20baby%20boy%20born%20over,for%20the%20%E2%80%9Coldest%20baby.%E2%80%9D">MIT Technology Review</a> that she and her family are doing fine. “We had a rough birth but we are both doing well now,” the new mom told the outlet. “He is so chill. We are in awe that we have this precious baby!”
“The baby has a 30-year-old sister,” she said. The outlet also noted that she and her husband, Tim, who are 34 and 35 respectively, were only toddlers when their future son was conceived.
“We thought it was wild,” Lindsey said. “We didn’t know they froze embryos that long ago.”
“We didn’t go into it thinking we would break any records. We just wanted to have a baby,” she added, noting how her family thinks the whole thing is “like something from a sci-fi movie.”

Three Decades Later, Life Begins: Ohio Baby Boy Born From 1994 Frozen Embryo

Ohio Baby Conceived, Frozen In 1994 Becomes 'Oldest' Embryo Ever Born

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The White House is not planning to force insurance companies to cover in vitro fertilization treatments, according to a report over the weekend.
The Trump administration is not planning to follow through on a campaign pledge to ensure either the government or insurance companies pay for couples to undergo IVF, The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/03/trump-administration-ivf-care/">reported</a> Sunday, citing two people with knowledge of internal discussions.
Last August, Trump announced his IVF promise during a campaign rally in Michigan.
“I’m announcing today in a major statement that under the Trump administration, your government will pay for — or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for — all costs associated with IVF treatment,” Trump <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/29/trump-ivf-proposals-costs/">said</a> in his speech.
“We want to produce babies in this country, right?” Trump said.
IVF is a fertility treatment that involves doctors taking eggs from a woman and sperm from a man and creating embryos in a lab, then attempting to implant them in the woman&#8217;s uterus. One round of IVF can cost couples $20,000 or more, and it is not usually covered by insurance.
IVF sprang into the national conversation in the thick of campaign season last year when the Alabama Supreme Court <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-ivf-storage-questions-1adbc349e0f99851973a609e360c242c">ruled</a> that a couple who lost frozen embryos in a clinic accident could file a wrongful death lawsuit over their child&#8217;s demise.
Expanding IVF access remains a &#8220;huge priority&#8221; for Trump, but the administration is not currently considering requiring insurance companies to cover it, the insiders told the Post.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said Trump is still working to expand IVF.
“President Trump pledged to expand access to fertility treatments for Americans who are struggling to start families,” the spokeswoman said. “The Administration is committed like none before it to using its authorities to deliver on this pledge.”
One of the Washington Post reporters who authored the IVF story called it an &#8220;apparent L&#8221; for conservatives who promote having children.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
New: Trump admin is NOT planning to require health insurers to cover IVF, sources say, in retreat from 2024 campaign pledge
Another apparent L from this admin for the conservative natalists <a href="https://t.co/hJSP3OQ4mG">pic.twitter.com/hJSP3OQ4mG</a>
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) <a href="https://twitter.com/JStein_WaPo/status/1951976844024074252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Another apparent L from this admin for the conservative natalists,&#8221; chief economics reporter Jeff Stein posted on X.
However, while about 63% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/05/13/americans-overwhelmingly-say-access-to-ivf-is-a-good-thing/">say</a> IVF access is a good thing, IVF remains controversial among conservatives, including those who promote big families.
The Catholic Church forbids IVF in part because very <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/257066/more-human-embryos-destroyed-through-ivf-than-abortion-every-year">often</a>, many embryos are created in the IVF process only to be destroyed or frozen indefinitely.
Last year, the Southern Baptist Convention approved a resolution expressing alarm about the way IVF is currently done, including the “destruction of embryonic human life.”
Many pro-life conservatives who believe life begins at conception oppose IVF as well.

An embryologist, Oksana Lyzohub prepares reproductive cells

Conservatives Cheer As White House Has No Plans For IVF Coverage Mandate

White House Will Not Make Insurance Companies Cover IVF: Report

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Scientists at the University of Florida in Gainesville are developing a universal cancer vaccine designed to target cancer cells already forming in the body. The vaccine could be especially effective against some of the deadliest cancers, including pancreatic and ovarian cancer.
The problem in the past has been that because cancers tend to be specific to each person, a cancer vaccine would have to be tailored for that specific individual rather than a one-size-fits-all vaccine, and in the time spent to create a personal vaccine, the cancer could mutate.
“It can be months from the time you get a patient&#8217;s specimen to when they actually have a personalized therapy,” study senior author and pediatric oncologist Dr. Elias Sayour said, as Live Science <a href="https://www.livescience.com/health/cancer/universal-cancer-vaccine-heading-to-human-trials-could-be-useful-for-all-forms-of-cancer">reports</a>. “The idea that something could be available immediately, albeit in a nonspecific way … could be revolutionary for how we bridge therapy and how we manage patients.”
The experimental vaccine was discussed in the journal <a style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;" href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X1590019&amp;xcust=livescience_us_1632594187414033690&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41551-025-01380-1&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livescience.com%2Fhealth%2Fcancer%2Funiversal-cancer-vaccine-heading-to-human-trials-could-be-useful-for-all-forms-of-cancer" data-analytics-id="inline-link" data-url="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-025-01380-1" data-hl-processed="skimlinks" data-placeholder-url="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X1590019&amp;xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41551-025-01380-1&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livescience.com%2Fhealth%2Fcancer%2Funiversal-cancer-vaccine-heading-to-human-trials-could-be-useful-for-all-forms-of-cancer" data-google-interstitial="false" data-merchant-name="nature.com" data-merchant-network="SkimLinks" data-mrf-recirculation="[Livescience] Article - Inline Link" data-mrf-link="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=92X1590019&amp;xcust=livescience_us_4664427368791827916&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41551-025-01380-1&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livescience.com%2Fhealth%2Fcancer%2Funiversal-cancer-vaccine-heading-to-human-trials-could-be-useful-for-all-forms-of-cancer" data-custom-tracking-id="1632594187414033690" data-hawk-tracked="hawklinks" data-label="Nature Biomedical Engineering">Nature Biomedical Engineering</a>; the abstract stated, “Our findings show that the resistance of tumors to immunotherapy is dictated by the absence of a damage response, which can be restored by boosting early type-I interferon responses to enable epitope spreading and self-amplifying responses in treatment-refractory tumors.”
The experimental vaccine is built on mRNA that triggers cells to produce new proteins, and hopes to strengthen the body to create more type-I interferons, which can locate cancerous tumors.
Sayour explained that cancer can impede interferon signals and block anti-cancer immune responses, so the experimental vaccine could catalyze an immune “reset.”
“I personally think this can be used for all forms of cancer,” Sayour stated. “I believe this is a universal paradigm that can be used to treat cancer,” adding that the vaccine could stop a relapse of the cancer after remission.
“This exciting and novel paper shows promising evidence that giving the immune system a short, targeted boost at just the right time can help previously unresponsive tumors respond to immunotherapy,&#8221; Diana Azzam, from the Center for Advancing Personalized Cancer Treatments at Florida International University, said. “This approach could be especially helpful for ‘cold’ tumors — types of cancer that usually don&#8217;t trigger a strong immune response, like pancreatic, ovarian, and some types of breast cancer.”
“Sayour and his colleagues have <a style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;" href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05660408" data-analytics-id="inline-link" data-url="https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05660408" data-hl-processed="none" data-mrf-recirculation="[Livescience] Article - Inline Link" data-mrf-link="https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05660408" data-custom-tracking-id="3743527965317849267" data-hawk-tracked="hawklinks" data-google-interstitial="false" data-label="launched a human trial testing a two-hit approach">launched a human trial testing a two-hit approach</a>: an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine followed by a personalized one,” Live Science noted. “This approach saves valuable time needed for personalized vaccinations and may induce rapid immunity that can be further seized upon by personalized therapy,&#8221; Sayour asserted.

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