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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260507T221224Z
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UID:63590-1778677200-1778680800@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Maternal Tdap vaccine: The evidence behind it and how to tell the story
DESCRIPTION:Pertussis (whooping cough) cases are on the rise\, and infants remain the most vulnerable population. Tdap vaccination during pregnancy is one of the most effective tools we have to protect newborns before they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves. In this webinar\, you will hear from two expert groups working at the forefront of vaccine communication and evidence translation.  \n\n\n\nThe Vaccine Integrity Project will present their evidence review of the current data on Tdap safety and efficacy in pregnancy\, and The Evidence Collective will share the most common questions they hear from communities both on- and offline and discuss practical strategies for addressing them effectively. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases and Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBertha A. Hidalgo\, Ph.D.\, MPH\, FACE\n\n\n\nSteering committee\, The Evidence CollectiveDr. Bertha Hidalgo an Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Epidemiology and Associate Dean for the Office of Access and Engagement at the UAB School of Public Health. She holds degrees from Stanford University\, the University of Southern California and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She leads research programs in genetic epidemiology and dissemination science.  \n\n\n\nDr. Hidalgo has a highly productive record of peer-reviewed research in relevant research areas with publications as lead or co-lead author in high-impact journals including Nature\, Scientific Reports\, Diabetes\, American Journal of Public Health\, with over 100 publications in total as lead\, co-author or senior author. She has attained research funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation\, National Institutes of Health\, the American Heart Association\, and internal funding from UAB.  \n\n\n\nDr. Hidalgo is the past chair of the Minority Affairs committee and current President of theAmerican College of Epidemiology\, as well as a long-standing member on the NHLBI Board of External Experts. Dr. Hidalgo is also a recipient of the 2019 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Early Career Achievement Award. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nElisabeth Marnik\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nExecutive director\, The Evidence CollectiveDr. Elisabeth Adkins Marnik is a science communicator and immunologist working at the intersection of public trust\, science\, and public health. She earned her PhD in genetics and immunology from Tufts University. \n\n\n\nRaised in a family that distrusted science and vaccines\, Liz brings a personal understanding of hesitancy to her work. During the COVID-19 pandemic\, she launched Science Whiz Liz to help the public navigate emerging health information\, combining lived experience with scientific expertise. Liz now leads national efforts to translate evidence into clear\, responsible\, and empathetic public communication. She is an inaugural member of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Building Trust in Health Science Through Community Partnership and Lived Experience and was named to Mainebiz’s 2025 40 Under 40 for her leadership in science education and public engagement. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEmily Senerth\, M.S.\, MPH\n\n\n\nConsultant researcher\, Evidence FoundationEmily Senerth\, M.S.\, MPH\, is a Consultant Researcher for Evidence Foundation\, a registered nonprofit organization based in Cleveland\, Ohio whose mission is to support evidence-based health care through training\, mentorship\, education\, and collaboration. Emily managed the development of a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of Tdap vaccination during pregnancy commissioned by the Vaccine Integrity Project. \n\n\n\nShe has also led methodological reviews to investigate systematic review approaches and decision-making frameworks in environmental and occupational health\, systematic reviews on the health effects of noise annoyance and the impact of socioeconomic status on faltering weight\, and technical reviews to support the development of guideline recommendations on left atrial appendage occlusion\, management of chronic venous disease\, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric urinary tract infection\, and lung cancer screening. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRochelle Walensky\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nProfessor of medicine\, Harvard Medical SchoolMedical affairs adviser\, Vaccine Integrity ProjectDr. Rochelle Walensky is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the medical affairs adviser for the Vaccine Integrity Project. \n\n\n\nDr. Walensky served as the 19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021-23)\, Professor of Medicine\, Harvard Medical School (2012-2021)\, and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases\, Massachusetts General Hospital (2017-2021). Dr. Walensky is a board-certified infectious disease clinician whose research and over 300 peer-reviewed publications has focused on infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS policy\, including cost-effective strategies for HIV screening\, treatment\, and prevention\, both in the U.S. and around the globe. \n\n\n\nDr. Walensky is a member of the American Academy of Physicians\, National Academy of Medicine\, and Council on Foreign Relations. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees at the Doris Duke Foundation and The Carter Center. She is also a founding member and Medical Affairs Advisor at the Vaccine Integrity Project\, which is dedicated to providing trusted\, science-based information for informed vaccine choices. \n\n\n\nDr. Walensky received her BA (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology\, 1991) from Washington University in St. Louis; her MD from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (1995) and her MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health (Clinical Effectiveness\, 2001). She completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (1995-1998) and her Infectious Disease fellowship at the Massachusetts General/Brigham and Women’s Hospital combined program (1998-2001).
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2026/05/maternal-tdap-vaccine-webinar/
CATEGORIES:Event,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260317T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260317T130000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260311T172847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T170827Z
UID:62836-1773748800-1773752400@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:ACIP meeting countdown: COVID vaccine and what else is at stake
DESCRIPTION:Don’t miss this opportunity to get up to speed before the March 18-19 CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. This webinar\, co-hosted by the Expert Vaccine Analysis Team and the Association of Health Care Journalists\, will provide independent\, evidence-based discussion of topics expected to come up during the meeting. \n\n\n\nThese items include vaccine safety and quality monitoring\, data on COVID vaccine safety\, possible recommendation votes related to COVID vaccine injuries\, and other issues\, such as the evidence framework the CDC uses to assess vaccine data and the risk/benefit analysis of vaccines. We will also discuss other emerging topics that may arise before the meeting. \n\n\n\nWhether you’re a journalist covering immunization policy\, a public health professional navigating a rapidly shifting vaccine landscape\, or a researcher tracking the latest safety data\, this webinar will help equip you with the scientific context you need to understand what’s at stake. The panel of senior vaccine scientists — including Norman Baylor\, Ph.D.\, Miles Braun\, M.D.\, Fiona Havers\, M.D.\, and Paul Offit\, M.D. — will cut through the noise and offer clear\, unbiased analysis. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases and Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others.  \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNorman W. Baylor\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nPresident and CEO\, Biologics Consulting GroupDr. Norman W. Baylor is an expert in the development and licensure of new vaccines\, evaluating numerous vaccines throughout his career including vaccines for acellular pertussis\, varicella\, pneumococcal conjugate\, human papillomavirus (HPV)\, influenza and shingles. He is currently the president and CEO of Biologics Consulting Group\, Inc\, where he is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the company. \n\n\n\nPrior to this\, he spent 20 years at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)\, most recently as Director of the Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). In this role\, he oversaw all facets of the clinical and product regulatory review activity\, including quality assurance and oversight of review functions in addition to planning\, developing and administering CBER’s broad national and international programs and operational activities for vaccines and related products. Dr. Baylor served as FDA’s liaison to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices\, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Vaccine Advisory Committee\, and the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines. He served on the board of the Infectious Disease Research Institute and continues to serve as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization on several global vaccine initiatives. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFiona P. Havers\, M.D.\n\n\n\nAdjunct associate professor\, Emory University School of MedicineFiona Havers\, MD\, MHS\, FIDSA\, is an infectious diseases physician and former medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Havers is a senior subject matter expert on vaccine-preventable respiratory diseases and vaccine policy. She was the CDC lead of the Respiratory Virus Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) Team in the Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division within the U.S. CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Dr. Havers oversaw the COVID-19 and RSV platforms within RESP-NET\, a population-based surveillance platform that covers ~9% of the US population and collects data on COVID-19\, RSV\, and influenza-associated hospitalizations. Dr. Havers left CDC in June 2025.  \n\n\n\nThe author of >100 publications while at CDC\, Dr. Havers’ research interests have focused on the epidemiology\, prevention\, treatment and vaccine policy for vaccine-preventable respiratory pathogens\, including influenza\, pertussis\, RSV and SARS-CoV-2. She was previously the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Work Group lead for the Pertussis Vaccines Work Group and has worked extensively on COVID-19 and adult RSV vaccine policy\, including as senior author on the initial adult RSV vaccine ACIP policy recommendations published in 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education CenterPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\, is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well as the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Offit is currently a voting member on the FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and has previously served on the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices to the CDC. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine\, RotaTeq\, recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC in 2006 and by the WHO in 2013. This vaccine was estimated recently to save about 165\,000 lives a year. He is also the author of 11 books written for the public about science\, medicine\, and vaccines. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nM. Miles Braun\, M.D.\n\n\n\nAdjunct professor\, Georgetown University School of MedicineIn April 2018\, M. Miles Braun MD MPH\, was appointed Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Braun directs a new educational initiative to bring integrative approaches to optimize health and quality of life of adolescent and young adult cancer patients\, survivors and caregivers. Integrative approaches include mind and body practices\, natural products and lifestyle modifications.  \n\n\n\nDr. Braun is board-certified in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine. He served for 20 years as a medical officer in the US Public Health Service (USPHS)\, including at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)\, National Institutes of Health (NIH)\, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) where he was for more than 8 years Director of the Division of Epidemiology in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. He has received more than 20 USPHS awards and authored or co-authored well over 100 scientfic-medical publications\, including multiple studies with important clinical impact and epidemiological studies on the causes of various cancers. Dr. Braun has practiced yoga (including meditation) for 25 years\, is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance (RYT200)\, has completed multiple trainings and has extensive personal experience with integrative approaches.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/acip-meeting-countdown-on-demand-webinar/
CATEGORIES:Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260226T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260226T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260217T205130Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T205132Z
UID:62598-1772110800-1772114400@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Vaccine trends and misinformation among older adults
DESCRIPTION:Vaccine uptake for influenza\, COVID-19\, RSV and shingles among adults over age 60 remains low\, according to data from the University of Michigan and the CDC. Older adults with multiple chronic conditions are especially vulnerable to these diseases. Meanwhile\, emergency department visits and hospitalizations for some of these viruses are increasing\, CDC tracking data points to high respiratory virus activity in Alabama and trending upwards  in the Pacific Northwest\, California\, and parts of the south\, including Florida\, Louisiana and Arkansas.  Misinformation\, cost and fear of side effects are just a few of the rationales given for not staying up-to-date on these important preventive measures.  \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, experts in epidemiology and infectious disease will review the latest data and immunization trends. We’ll also discuss how these vaccines may provide additional protective benefits beyond preventing severe disease and how journalists can help counter misinformation. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nLiz Seegert\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for AgingLiz Seegert is AHCJ’s health beat leader on aging. She’s an award-winning\, independent health journalist based in New York’s Hudson Valley\, who writes about caregiving\, dementia\, access to care\, nursing homes and policy. Seegert is also a contributing writer for Fortune.com\, the American Journal of Nursing\, and PBS/NextAvenue.org\, reporting on myriad health topics\, including social determinants of health and women’s health.  \n\n\n\nShe has written for TIME Health\, The Wirecutter\, Money.com\, Medscape\, Consumer Reports\, The Guardian and Medical Economics\, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com\, the Los Angeles Times\, the Hartford Courant\, The Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJennifer Dowd\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nProfessor of demography and population health and deputy director\, Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science\, University of OxfordDr. Jenn Dowd has training in Demography\, Economics\, and Epidemiology\, earning a PhD from Princeton University and a postdoctoral fellowship as a Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar at the University of Michigan. \n\n\n\nJenn’s academic work focuses on statistical analysis of large datasets to better understand population health and mortality. She is interested in how the economic and social world “gets under the skin” to impact our biology. This has included deep dives into the biology of stress\, infections and immune function\, and the human microbiome. In a currently funded 5-year project from the European Research Council (ERC)\, she explores reasons underlying stalling life expectancy in the U.S. and Europe. \n\n\n\nSubscribe to Jenn’s Substack Newsletter: Data for Health \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPreeti Malani\, M.D.\, MSJ\n\n\n\nProfessor of medicine\, division of infectious diseases\, Michigan MedicineMalani’s research interests focus on at the intersection of infections and aging. She is deputy editor and director of editorial equity for JAMA and the JAMA Network and previously served as the University of Michigan’s chief health officer and as a member of Michigan’s COVID-19 Nursing Home Task Force during the height of the pandemic.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/vaccine-trends-and-misinformation-among-older-adults/
CATEGORIES:Aging,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260212T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260212T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260204T173220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T214422Z
UID:62460-1770901200-1770904800@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Vaccine injury compensation in the U.S.: Current practices and future prospects
DESCRIPTION:The U.S. has relied on the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program since 1986 to ensure that individuals who have experienced a verified injury related to a vaccine have an opportunity to receive compensation without the difficulties and legal fees of pursuing individual litigation against companies or healthcare institutions that likely would not succeed with the high burden of proof needed in such cases.  \n\n\n\nRecent announcements from the HHS and statements by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.\, however\, suggest he may try to make substantial changes to the program that may threaten petitioners’ ability to receive appropriate compensation or threaten vaccine production and supply in ways similar to those that led to the program’s development. Hear from experts how the U.S. vaccine court came about\, how the program works from both the petitioner’s and the government’s sides\, how changes might affect vaccine supply and access\, and what might result from different potential changes to the program.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases and Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnna Kirkland\, J.D.\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nKim Lane Scheppele Collegiate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies\, University of Michigan \n\n\n\nAnna Kirkland\, J.D.\, Ph.D.\, is the Kim Lane Scheppele Collegiate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Michigan. She is also an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor. She received her law degree (2001) and Ph.D in Jurisprudence and Social Policy (2003) from the University of California\, Berkeley. She holds courtesy appointments with the School of Law\, Sociology\, Political Science\, and Health Management and Policy at Michigan. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Prof. Kirkland is a member of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and served as a committee member on the 2018 National Academies panel charged with studying sexual harassment in the STEM fields of academia. Prof. Kirkland is the author of several books including Vaccine Court: The Law and Politics of Injury (New York University Press\, 2016)\, along with multiple journal articles about vaccine injury compensation.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMichael Milmoe\, J.D.\n\n\n\nPartner\, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & AssociatesMichael P. Milmoe currently represents vaccine-injured petitioners at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant\, LLC\, in Washington\, D.C. where he has been a Senior Partner since 2017. Prior to becoming a petitioner’s attorney\, he worked at the Department of Justice for 31 years\, 28 of which were spent as an attorney in the Vaccine Litigation Section of the Civil Division where he defended Vaccine Program cases. Upon graduation from law school\, Mr. Milmoe came to the Department of Justice as an Honors Program Attorney in 1986. He was the first attorney hired into the Civil Division’s then newly created Office of Vaccine Litigation in 1988\, the same year the Vaccine Act became effective. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWalter Orenstein\, M.D.\n\n\n\nProfessor Emeritus of Medicine\, Pediatrics\, Epidemiology and Global Health\, Emory UniversityWalter A Orenstein\, MD\, DSc (Hon) is Professor Emeritus of Medicine\, Pediatrics\, Epidemiology\, and Global Health at Emory University. He is also the Director of OrensteinVax\, LLC\, a consulting firm. Dr. Orenstein worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 26 years and was the Director of the United States Immunization Program for 16 years (1988-2004). He has co-edited the standard textbook in Vaccinology\, Plotkin’s Vaccines for the last 6 editions. His work has focused on developing and implementing vaccination policies especially with regard to polio eradication and measles elimination.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/vaccine-injury-compensation-in-the-u-s-current-practices-and-future-prospects/
CATEGORIES:Event,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260128T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260128T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260120T231745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T225117Z
UID:62275-1769605200-1769608800@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:A conversation on 'The Cure for Everything': Where American public health is and where it's headed
DESCRIPTION:For the first time in a century\, American life expectancy is declining\, an unprecedented trend for a wealthy nation and one driven largely by preventable causes of early death. The foundations of public health reforms — sanitation\, clean water\, safe housing\, pollution control\, workplace safety\, and more — doubled America’s life expectancy between the mid-1800s and today. \n\n\n\nBut the nation has now spent a century shifting money and attention away from public health and toward clinical medicine. The pandemic exposed the cost of that shift\, including widening health inequities\, inadequate emergency response coordination\, and erosion of public trust.  \n\n\n\nIn her book “The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving\,” Michelle Williams tells the story of how the U.S. overcame a history of infectious disease\, poisonous environments\, and early death and how it’s still possible to rebalance clinical medicine and public health to prevent hundreds of thousands of annual avoidable premature deaths and improve all Americans’ quality of life. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, Williams will talk about key lessons from her book that could inspire lines of investigation for journalists. Linda Marsa\, a health journalist who helped Williams with the book\, will briefly address how that collaboration worked and how journalists can mine the book for story ideas in their communities.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases\, Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMichelle A. Williams\, ScD\n\n\n\nProfessor of epidemiology and population health\, Stanford University School of Medicine Michelle A. Williams\, ScD\, is a professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford University School of Medicine and former Dean of the Faculty at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health\, where she also served as the Angelopoulos Professor in Public Health and International Development and currently holds an adjunct professorship. An internationally renowned epidemiologist and award-winning educator\, Dr. Williams is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Epidemiological Society. She has authored more than 550 peer-reviewed research articles and is recognized as a leading voice in public health science and global health. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLinda Marsa\n\n\n\nInvestigative journalist and authorContributing editor\, DiscoverLinda Marsa is a former Los Angeles Times reporter and a Discover contributing editor who covers medicine\, health\, and the environment. Her latest book\, which she wrote with Dr. Michelle Williams\, “The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving\,” will be published in February 2026. Her work has been anthologized in “Best American Science Writing\,” and she has previously authored two books\, most recently: “Fevered: Why a Hotter Planet Will Harm Our Health and How We Can Save Ourselves.”
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/a-conversation-on-the-cure-for-everything-where-american-public-health-is-and-where-its-headed/
CATEGORIES:Event,Infectious Diseases,Medical Studies,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/The-cure-for-everything-webinar-featured-img.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260109T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260109T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20260105T223830Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260109T225213Z
UID:62134-1767963600-1767967200@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Big changes to the CDC's childhood vaccine schedule: What you need to know
DESCRIPTION:This week\, the CDC changed the agency’s recommended childhood immunization schedule to nearly match that of Denmark\, a country that bears little similarity to the U.S. in population\, health care system\, and public health approach. The move shifts six vaccines from “recommended” to “shared clinical decision-making.” \n\n\n\nHosted by Tara Haelle and offered in conjunction with the Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (E-VAT)\, this webinar will give you access to quotable experts on vaccine law\, the history of the childhood immunization schedule\, and the science supporting the longtime CDC schedule to help journalists report on this significant change. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases\, Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others.  \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nDirector\, Georgetown COMPASSAttending physician\, Georgetown UniversityJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases and an attending physician at Georgetown University and the previous chief of infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota. From 2003-09\, Goodman served as director of the federal Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)\, regulating vaccines\, blood and cell and gene therapies\, and then as Chief Scientist of the US FDA until 2014\, serving in US leadership for numerous public health responses. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has served on numerous WHO\, CDC\, NIH\, NAM and other advisory committees and previously served as a member of GlaxoSmithKline’s board\, chairing its science committee. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJohn D. Gräbenstein\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nPresident\, Vaccine DynamicsRetired director\, U.S. Dept. of Defense Vaccine Military AgencyJohn D. Gräbenstein\, Ph.D.\, is a global vaccinologist\, pharmacist\, and public-health leader. He served 27 years in the U.S. Army Medical Department and\, as a colonel\, directed Department of Defense’s Military Vaccine Agency. Gräbenstein served for 13 years as Global Executive Director of Medical Affairs for Merck Vaccines. He operates Vaccine Dynamics\, a consulting service on vaccinology and has no conflicts of interest. He is a Member of he National Academy of Medicine. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSean O’Leary\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nProfessor of pediatrics and infectious diseases\, University of Colorado Denver AnschutzDirector\, Colorado Pediatric Practice-Based Research NetworkSean T. O’Leary\, M.D.\, MPH\, is a professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. He is also an investigator at Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS) and director of the Colorado Children’s Outcomes Network (COCONet)\, a pediatric practice-based research network. \n\n\n\nHis research focuses on prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases through understanding clinical\, attitudinal\, and infrastructural barriers to vaccination\, and developing and testing interventions to address those barriers. O’Leary is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on School Health\, serves as chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases\, and served for many years as AAP liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)\, serving on many ACIP work groups. He also serves as co-chair of the Policy Committee for Immunize Colorado and has been a speaker at the NFID Clinical Vaccinology Course since 2015. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nProfessor of law & James Edgar Hervey ’50 Chair of Litigation\, UC San FranciscoDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, Ph.D.\, is a professor of law and the James Edgar Hervey ’50 Chair of Litigation at UC Law in San Francisco. Now a nationally recognized expert on vaccine law\, Reiss received her undergraduate degree in law and political science from the Faculty of Law in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem\, and her PhD from the Jurisprudence and Social Policy program at the University of California Berkeley. Her current research and activities focus on legal and policy issues related to vaccines. She writes about vaccines mandates\, policy responses to non-vaccinating\, tort issues and administrative issues related to vaccines\, and the anti-vaccine movement.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/big-changes-to-the-cdcs-childhood-vaccine-schedule-what-you-need-to-know/
CATEGORIES:Event,Infectious Diseases,Medical Studies,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AHCJ-E-Vat-CDC-childhood-vaccine-schedule-webinar-image-.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T140000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20251030T171007Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T214050Z
UID:61531-1763557200-1763560800@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Trust\, public health reporting and the CDC: Insider perspectives
DESCRIPTION:A lot has happened this year at the CDC with walkouts\, layoffs and the disappearance of data and reports\, presenting major challenges for journalists who report on public health. Especially when reporting on infectious disease\, the compromising of the CDC as a source of public health data and up-to-date information about outbreaks has huge implications for public health. But that’s not all that has been lost — not by a long shot. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has also undermined the CDC as a source of trustworthy information about drug use/harm reduction\, autism\, chronic disease and diet. \n\n\n\nAlthough the dismantling of the CDC has cost the country its oldest\, most stalwart resource for public health information\, the CDC diaspora has not vanished in silence. Join us for a conversation with former CDC officials Deb Houry\, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science; Demetre Daskalakis\, former Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and Daniel Jernigan\, former Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Moderated by AHCJ Health Beat Leader Tara Haelle\, the discussion will explore: \n\n\n\n\nWhere journalists should turn for the reliable\, evidence-based reporting resources that formerly had a home at the CDC’s web pages.\n\n\n\nWho\, if anyone\, has taken over data collection and communication about infectious disease.\n\n\n\nWhat is missing\, now\, from the national public health picture.\n\n\n\nTheir biggest worries about the potential consequences of the loss of this body of expertise and communication.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases & Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDemetre C. Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Director\, CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory DiseasesDr. Demetre C. Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\, is a nationally recognized physician and public health leader in infectious diseases and emergency response. He received his B.A. from Columbia\, M.D. from NYU\, and MPH from Harvard\, followed by advanced training at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess and Partners Healthcare. \n\n\n\nDr. Daskalakis has held major leadership roles at the New York City Department of Health\, overseeing HIV\, TB\, STD\, immunization\, and laboratory programs\, and managing responses to measles\, Legionella\, and New York City’s initial COVID-19 outbreak. At the CDC\, he directed the Division of HIV Prevention and later led the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases\, where he managed strategies for influenza\, COVID-19\, RSV\, and the transition of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine program to commercialization. He played a critical role in national responses to respiratory virus threats and managed high-profile outbreaks including measles and avian influenza\, demonstrating trauma-informed leadership during challenging events like the August 2025 CDC shooting. \n\n\n\nAs Deputy Coordinator of the White House National Mpox Response\, Dr. Daskalakis’s innovative approaches led to a dramatic reduction in daily cases. Throughout his career\, he has championed health equity\, LGBTQ+ health\, and evidence-based policy\, shaping national and global strategies in HIV prevention and vaccination. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDebra Houry\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science\, CDCDebra Houry M.D.\, MPH is a nationally recognized emergency physician and public health leader with more than two decades of experience guiding health care and public health strategy across federal government\, health systems\, and academia.  \n\n\n\nMost recently\, Dr. Houry served as Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\, where she oversaw nine national centers and the Office of Science with a combined budget of more than $6 billion. She also served as Acting Principal Deputy Director\, the agency’s most senior leader after the CDC Director\, where she co-led the Moving Forward initiative—restructuring CDC to strengthen preparedness\, data\, and laboratory systems. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDaniel Jernigan\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Director\, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases\, CDCDaniel B. Jernigan\, M.D.\, MPH\, recently resigned his position as Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Jernigan completed training at Duke University and Baylor College of Medicine and has completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine.  \n\n\n\nHe entered the CDC in 1994 as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer\, and has been studying respiratory and emerging diseases since that time. He is a retired Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and was the recipient of the 2019 Service to America Medal.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/11/trust-public-health-reporting-and-the-cdc-insider-perspectives/
CATEGORIES:Event,Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T120000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20250902T205926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T203133Z
UID:60891-1757588400-1757592000@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Preparing for reporting on autism\, vaccines and related science
DESCRIPTION:Join moderator Tara Haelle and an expert panel — including Paul Offit\, M.D. (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)\, and Jessica B. Steier\, DrPH\, PMP (Founder and CEO of Unbiased Science) — for a webinar that will help reporters navigate the science behind autism\, vaccines\, and the expected Health and Human Services report on autism causes. \n\n\n\nFacilitated by: Jesse Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH\, Chair of the E-VAT — Expert Vaccine Analysis Team. \n\n\n\nDon’t miss this opportunity to get the context and insights you need to report accurately and confidently. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases & Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education CenterMaurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology\, University of PennsylvaniaPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\, is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well as the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Offit is currently a voting member on the FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and has previously served on the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices to the CDC. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine\, RotaTeq\, recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC in 2006 and by the WHO in 2013. This vaccine was estimated recently to save about 165\,000 lives a year. He is also the author of 11 books written for the public about science\, medicine\, and vaccines.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJessica Steier\, DrPH\, PMP\n\n\n\nFounder and CEO\, Unbiased ScienceAn accomplished public health expert specializing in science communication\, Dr. Jessica Steier is committed to providing clients — and the general public — with accurate\, unbiased\, and methodologically sound information. Through her podcast and other public avenues\, she strives to connect citizens with accurate evidence about the forces that affect all of our lives. \n\n\n\nWhile working in both the private sector and academia\, she has built a career founded on providing data-driven solutions in real-world environments and communicating the importance of “old school” scientific values in contemporary education and public discourse. At her professional core\, Steier is dedicated to rigorous scientific inquiry and bettering the health and welfare of communities. \n\n\n\nShe is the CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting (VSC)\, which specializes in health program and policy evaluation using data science and advanced analytics. With a team of expert consultants\, VSC helps its clients improve healthcare outcomes while managing the cost challenges of this demanding sector. \n\n\n\nSteier is also the founder of “Unbiased Science.” It underpins a diverse social media platform dedicated to translating complex scientific concepts into everyday language. The essence of this endeavor is pushing back against the wave of pseudoscience and misinformation that the Internet and other social forces have recently unleashed. Its motto — “No Nonsense\, Just Science” — is meant to capture Steier’s direct and impassioned approach to disseminating technical knowledge in our technologically-driven culture. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitator\n\n\n\n\nJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, M.P.H.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Georgetown University COMPASSProfessor of medicine and infectious diseasesChair\, Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (E-VAT)Jesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH is Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases and Attending Physician at Georgetown University. He was previously Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota where his laboratory isolated the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis.  \n\n\n\nFrom 2003-2009\, he served as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)\, regulating vaccines\, blood and cell and gene therapies\, and then as Chief Scientist of the U.S. FDA until 2014\, serving in U.S. leadership for numerous public health responses. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has served on numerous WHO\, CDC\, NIH\, NAM and other advisory committees and previously served as a member of GSK’s board\, chairing its science committee.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/preparing-for-reporting-on-autism-vaccines-and-related-science/
CATEGORIES:Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Autism-and-vaccines-webinar-Sept-11.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250305T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250305T130000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20250226T153044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250305T221837Z
UID:58704-1741176000-1741179600@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Make facts matter again: Pushing back against misinformation and disinformation
DESCRIPTION:It’s exhausting and disheartening to work as a journalist these days\, dutifully reporting the facts only to see accurate reporting engulfed and overwhelmed by misinformation and disinformation — especially on social media. The consequences are dire — for example\, declining vaccination rates and a growing number of measles outbreaks.  \n\n\n\nWhile there is no simple solution to the misinformation epidemic\, the situation isn’t hopeless\, and journalists still play a vital role in conveying accurate\, nuanced information about health. Join us to hear from Stephan Lewandowsky\, a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol and one of the lead original authors of “The Debunking Handbook\,” as he talks about how misinformation spreads\, why people cling to it — rejecting accurate information — and what he thinks journalists can do to help address this crisis. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious DiseasesTara Haelle is an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others.  \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStephan Lewandowsky\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nChair of Cognitive Science\, University of BristolProfessor Stephan Lewandowsky\, Ph.D.\, is a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol whose research examines the consequences of the clash between social media architectures and human cognition\, such as countermeasures to the persistence of misinformation and the spread of “fake news” in society\, and how platform algorithms may contribute to the prevalence of misinformation.  \n\n\n\nHe also studies the factors that determine whether or not people accept scientific evidence. He has received a range of prestigious research awards across multiple continents and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles since 2000. He also authored a report on Technology and Democracy in 2020 that has helped shape EU digital legislation.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/make-facts-matter-again-pushing-back-against-misinformation-and-disinformation/
CATEGORIES:Infectious Diseases,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Make-Facts-Matter-Again-Webinar-image.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241218T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241218T150000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20241209T184750Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241218T225048Z
UID:57648-1734530400-1734534000@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:What Kennedy could do: Reporting on U.S. vaccine policy and the powers of the HHS Secretary
DESCRIPTION:President-elect Trump’s choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services\, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\, could significantly impact the perception and uptake of vaccines. Whether he or any of Trump’s other vaccine-skeptical nominees receive Senate confirmation\, signs suggest the incoming administration may attempt to change long-established vaccine policy in the U.S.  \n\n\n\nThis webinar will cover the ins and outs of how vaccines are approved and recommended\, how vaccine injuries are adjudicated and compensated\, and the powers of the HHS Secretary over those procedures. We’ll cover what the secretary has the power to undo\, what checks and balances exist on those powers\, and what the potential consequences of those actions could be. \n\n\n\nLed by AHCJ Health Beat leader for infectious disease Tara Haelle\, this webinar will prepare reporters for anticipating possible policy moves in the new administration. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nHealth Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases\, AHCJ \n\n\n\nTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious diseases\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education CenterMaurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology\, University of PennsylvaniaPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\, is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well as the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Offit is currently a voting member on the FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and has previously served on the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices to the CDC. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine\, RotaTeq\, recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC in 2006 and by the WHO in 2013. This vaccine was estimated recently to save about 165\,000 lives a year. He is also the author of 11 books written for the public about science\, medicine\, and vaccines.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, LLB\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nJames Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation\, UC Law San FranciscoDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, LLB\, Ph.D.  is a professor of law and the James Edgar Hervey Chair in Litigation at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). She specializes in vaccine law and policy\, including exemption laws and tort liability related to non-vaccination. She also teaches administrative law and public health law. She published in law reviews\, peer-reviewed journals and blogs on legal and policy issues related to vaccines and co-authored a book on Vaccines Law and Policy with Professor Y. Tony Yang.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/what-rfk-jr-could-do-reporting-on-u-s-vaccine-policy-and-the-powers-of-the-hhs-secretary/
CATEGORIES:Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241017T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241017T153000
DTSTAMP:20260604T194901
CREATED:20240919T171719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241017T213942Z
UID:56599-1729175400-1729179000@healthjournalism.org
SUMMARY:Reporting the respiratory triple threat: Preparing for flu\, COVID and RSV season
DESCRIPTION:The winter respiratory illness season now includes three major pathogens that people need to prepare for by getting available vaccines and following the usual hygiene protocols to reduce risk of infection and transmission: influenza\, COVID-19\, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  \n\n\n\nJoin Dr. Demetre Daskalakis\, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases\, and Health Beat Leader for infectious diseases Tara Haelle to hear about the CDC’s tools and resources for covering the upcoming flu/COVID-19/RSV season. Join us for this opportunity to get the answers you need to prepare your coverage. \n\n\n\nThis webinar is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Infectious Diseases Health Beat LeaderTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others.  \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDemetre Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nDirector\, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory DiseasesDemetre Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\, is the Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). Most recently\, he served as the Director of the Division of HIV Prevention in CDC’s National Center for HIV\, Viral Hepatitis\, STD\, and TB Prevention. Dr. Daskalakis has been recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in HIV prevention and has focused much of his career on the treatment and prevention of HIV and other STIs as an activist physician with a focus on LGBTQIA+ communities. He also served as the Deputy Coordinator of the White House’s Mpox Response\, where he led vaccination and public education efforts that helped to halt advancement of the virus. \n\n\n\nDr. Daskalakis began his career as an attending physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York City and later served in several public health capacities there\, including the Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He also served as the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene incident commander during the measles outbreak of 2018-2019 and the 2020 COVID-19 public health emergency. Dr. Daskalakis received his Doctor of Medicine from the New York University School of Medicine and received a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
URL:https://healthjournalism.org/reporting-the-respiratory-triple-threat-preparing-for-flu-covid-and-rsv-season/
CATEGORIES:Infectious Diseases,Webinar
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