Osterholm Update Episode 198: Gaps in the Safety Net
Dec 18, 2025
The discussion highlights the complexities of comparing vaccine schedules between the US and other nations. Concerns arise over recent infant botulism cases linked to baby formula. There’s a critical overview of the FDA's handling of RSV medications and ongoing respiratory virus trends. The episode also touches on the resurgence of measles in communities with low vaccination rates. Finally, new antibiotics for gonorrhea signal hope in public health advancements.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Don’t Compare Vaccine Schedules Across Countries
- You cannot validly compare U.S. vaccine schedules to peer nations because health systems and social safety nets differ drastically.
- Michael Osterholm warns the U.S. lacks Denmark's universal care, record-sharing, and parental leave that make their schedule feasible.
Push Back On Unsound Advisory Decisions
- Recognize that the current ACIP decisions may discourage vaccination and reduce access for children.
- Advocate and push back when advisory panels promote policies unsupported by safety or benefit data.
Revoking Vaccines Requires Strong Evidence
- FDA can revoke vaccine licenses but must follow formal legal processes and present concrete evidence of harm.
- Osterholm emphasizes weighing rare adverse events against vaccines' prevention of hospitalizations and deaths.