#public-health-leadership

#public-health-leadership

Under a Make America Healthy Again (Maha) agenda, Kennedy has accelerated vaccine policy changes despite opposition from scientists, including narrowing eligibility for Covid-19 vaccine shots and dismissing members of a vaccine advisory panel. He has cut federal funding for mRNA vaccine research for respiratory illnesses and instituted a review of vaccine recommendations. Kennedy also sought the dismissal of Dr Susan Monarez, former head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

So over the last 50 years, vaccines are estimated to have saved 154 million lives worldwide. I support vaccines. I'm a doctor. Vaccines work. Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines. Since then, I've grown deeply concerned. The public has seen measles outbreaks; leadership of the National Institute of Health questioning the use of mRNA vaccines; the recently confirmed director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fired. Americans don't know who to rely on.

Ocean photographer Andrey Shpatak snapped this colourful pea crab (Pinnotheres pisum) in Rudnaya Bay, just off the southeastern coast of Russia. His timing was a stroke of luck, he says. Pea crabs live most of their lives hidden inside the shells of mussels. "I can only assume that this pea crab was looking for a home when I managed to photograph it," says Shpatak. The lucky shot was a finalist in Oceanographic magazine's 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.