Apoorva Mandavilli’s 2025 reporting focused on the upheaval at the CDC under RFK Jr., documenting efforts to undermine medical science and reshape public health policy. Through prolific, deeply sourced stories, she exposed actions such as funding cuts, data purges, layoffs, and an anti-vaccine agenda, even as officials became increasingly hostile to the press. Her coverage—ranging from breaking news to big-picture analysis—played a key role in informing the national conversation and illuminating what she portrayed as an unprecedented breakdown of public health infrastructure.
Judges’ comments:
Apoorva clearly set the tone for CDC coverage in a tumultuous year for the agency. She managed to consistently cover all the influence RFK Jr. had over the agency, pinning his actions to consequences felt both inside the agency and public health.