Poison Control Calls Involving Kratom Use Surge 1,231% Over Past Decade

• JAMA Network Open has published a taxpayer-funded study on COVID-19 vaccines that federal officials at the CDC previously declined to release. • The study examines vaccine efficacy and safety, raising questions about why the CDC initially squelched the data and whether the decision was based on political motivations or a desire to protect public confidence.

• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that clinical trials for two experimental drugs will launch next week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The trials will evaluate whether the antivirals MBP134 and remdesivir, provided via donations from the United States and Gilead Sciences, can reduce mortality rates.

• Allies of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are working to embed his vaccine agenda within institutions by influencing research priorities and policy translation, despite ongoing legal and political challenges. • New York health officials have accused Tiger Medical Holdings of "smuggling" alloClae, a popular injectable filler derived from human fat, into the state.

• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated on Monday that the United States must reclaim its position as the global leader in medical research and innovation. • Kennedy highlighted a competitive gap, noting that China is currently conducting more early-stage clinical trials than the U.S.

• A study confirming the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines was published Tuesday by JAMA Network Open after being blocked by a CDC journal. • The research found the vaccine was approximately 55% effective against hospitalizations and reduced emergency department and urgent care visits by 50%.

• The Trump administration announced a multi-pronged initiative on Monday aimed at strengthening the early clinical trial ecosystem within the United States. • As part of this effort, the FDA will reconsider Regenxbio’s gene therapy designed to treat Hunter syndrome, a rare pediatric disease.

• The U.S. government has provided doses of an experimental antibody drug developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical to combat the Ebola outbreak in the Congo. • This decision marks a shift in policy, as the U.S. previously stated the treatment would only be available to high-risk American citizens.

FDA's early-stage clinical trial program, a mysterious single patient gets retatrutide access, and more health news from Morning Rounds

• The CDC canceled the publication of a COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study originally scheduled for its flagship Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) in April. • CDC leadership blocked the report citing "methodologic weaknesses," though the study has since been released for public review.

• As of June 18, 2026, a measles outbreak in the U.S. has reached 2,104 confirmed cases across 41 different jurisdictions. • The CDC has issued a warning that increased summer travel may accelerate the spread of the virus, posing a significant risk to families.

• A study examining COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness was finally published after being blocked from inclusion in a weekly federal government report by the CDC. • The publication follows a separate effort by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who petitioned the FDA to revoke the authorization of all COVID-19 vaccines.

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA have launched an "unprecedented" initiative to restore American leadership in clinical trials and counter competition from China. • A key component of the plan is an expedited investigational new drug pilot program designed to reduce early trial timelines by as much as 12 months.