This week’s selections include cascading institutional disruptions reshaping U.S. public health and science governance — including the Trump administration’s mass firing of the National Science Board and restrictions on graduate education access for nursing and public health students — alongside international developments in pandemic preparedness frameworks, emerging mpox strains, and new medical countermeasure initiatives designed to address CBRN threats and biodefense challenges.
FEATURED
Trump Administration Fires Entire National Science Board Without Explanation
All 22 members of the National Science Board (the oversight body Congress established in 1950 to guide the National Science Foundation) were terminated via email on April 24, with no advance notice and no stated reason beyond a White House citation of a Supreme Court case regarding executive appointments. The dismissals follow a pattern of broader science advisory dismantlement, including last year’s firing of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the elimination of 14 NSF advisory committees. The NSF, which typically awards approximately 11,000 grants annually, has issued only 854 new grants through mid-April (25% of its five-year average) with the social and biological sciences directorates facing the deepest cuts. Nature
Federal Loan Rule Dramatically Narrows Access for Nursing, Public Health, and Allied Health Students
The Trump administration has redefined what qualifies as a “professional degree” under new federal student loan regulations implemented through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, sharply restricting borrowing caps for graduate students in nursing, public health, physician assistant, physical therapy, and dozens of other health professions. The American Academy of Physician Associates has announced plans for legal action, and a coalition coordinated by the American Council on Education has urged the Department of Education to delay implementation until July 2027. Global Biodefense
U.S. Global Health Budget Falls to Lowest Level Since 2020
A comprehensive KFF fact sheet published April 21 documents that U.S. global health funding in FY 2026 totals $11.3 billion (its lowest level through regular appropriations since FY 2020) following the elimination of USAID and the cancellation of most implementing awards. HIV remains the largest program area at $5.2 billion, including $4.8 billion for PEPFAR, while Global Fund contributions fell to $1.25 billion (some $750 million below their FY 2023 peak). Global health security funding reached $1.1 billion, or 10% of the total budget, while program areas including neglected tropical diseases face additional uncertainty because they were not specifically mentioned in the new America First Global Health Strategy. KFF notes that the full impact of the USAID dissolution on actual disbursement of congressionally appropriated funds remains unclear. KFF
POLICY + GOVERNMENT
Kennedy Moves to Reconstitute Vaccine Advisory Committee After Court Ruling
The Trump administration published a new charter for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that broadens membership qualifications to include, among others, individuals with experience in “recovery from serious vaccine injuries.” Language was drawn directly from a petition by vaccine-skeptic attorney Aaron Siri. The new charter came weeks after a federal judge froze the prior committee and ruled its Kennedy-appointed members lacked the required expertise, reversing several decisions that had rescinded longstanding childhood vaccine recommendations. The move may allow Kennedy to reseat previous members and revive their decisions, while simultaneously expanding liaison roles to organizations known to be skeptical of vaccines, including the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and Physicians for Informed Consent. The New York Times
Georgia’s Public Health Board Has Not Met Since September
The governing board of the Georgia Department of Public Health has not convened in seven consecutive months since a September 2025 meeting at which board chair Dr. Jim Curran publicly criticized federal vaccine policy changes under HHS Secretary Kennedy. The board oversees a $933 million budget and nearly 6,000 employees, and state law requires it to “establish the general policy” of the department. Public health law and governance experts quoted in the report say the extended absence undermines transparency and accountability, particularly given ongoing concerns about maternal mortality rates, prenatal care access, and measles spread in the state. Healthbeat
USDA Expands Workforce Relocations, Moves Food Safety Operations Out of D.C.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an expansion of its reorganization plans, relocating approximately 200 Food Safety and Inspection Service employees from the Washington, D.C. area to new facilities in Iowa and Georgia, while also advancing earlier relocation plans for the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture to Kansas City. USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden said the changes “reduce duplication and improve accountability,” though the first Trump administration’s similar relocation effort saw more than half of affected employees resign rather than move. The reorganization also includes plans to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland and begin closing Forest Service regional offices and research facilities, with 57 of 77 research stations at risk of closure. Federal News Network
NSF Grant Funding Remains at a Fraction of Normal Levels, Cuts Loom for Key Directorates
More than halfway through the fiscal year, the National Science Foundation has issued only 854 new grants (25% of its five-year average) with the social, behavioral, and economic sciences directorate having funded just two new projects since October 1, approximately 1% of its recent average. Agency staff attribute the slowdown to delayed internal budget distributions, a late congressional appropriations agreement, and prolonged disputes between Congress and the administration over funding priorities. While the NSF recently began distributing funds to its eight directorates, internal planning documents reviewed by Nature indicate that the biological sciences directorate will receive approximately 25% less than last year and the social sciences directorate 30% less. These figures exceed congressional guidance limiting directorate cuts to no more than 5% below 2024 levels. Nature
CDC Director Delays Publication of Covid-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Study
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the CDC’s temporary top official, prevented a Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness paper from appearing in the agency’s flagship scientific journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The manuscript, part of the VISION network’s routine surveillance efforts, presented data on the effectiveness of 2025–2026 season Covid-19 vaccines, suggesting 53–55% effectiveness against hospitalizations in the first few months after vaccination. Bhattacharya defended the move by citing methodological concerns with the test-negative design used in the study, though the approach is well-established and acknowledged its limitations in the paper itself. Inside Medicine obtained and published the blocked document, and Dr. Michelle Barron, one of the manuscript’s authors, stated she was “strongly opposed to this kind of censorship” and believed the move undermined transparency and the usual open scientific process. Inside Medicine
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES
DoD Launches HEALER Portfolio to Develop Threat-Agnostic Host-Directed Therapeutics
The Army’s Capability Program Executive for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense has issued an invitation to industry collaborators to participate in the HEALER portfolio, a next-generation initiative focused on developing host-directed medical countermeasures designed to work across CBRN threats by targeting common physiological response pathways including neurological protection, respiratory stabilization, immune modulation, and cellular repair. The program envisions a dual-use commercial model, leveraging overlap between CBRN injury pathophysiology and broader critical care medicine to create viable development pathways beyond traditional defense markets. SAM.gov
Singapore Approves Emergent BioSolutions’ ACAM2000 Vaccine for Mpox Prevention
Emergent BioSolutions announced that Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority has approved an expanded indication for ACAM2000 (previously authorized in Singapore only for smallpox) to include prevention of mpox disease in adults at high risk who lack access to alternative vaccines. The approval is supported by existing human safety data and animal efficacy studies, and is intended for use during mpox outbreaks associated with severe or life-threatening disease where other options are unavailable or contraindicated. Emergent BioSolutions
BARDA Modernized BAA Offers Flexible On-Ramp for Advanced MCM Development
BARDA’s updated Broad Agency Announcement creates a multi-year, milestone-driven pathway for industry to partner with the U.S. government on advanced medical countermeasures across CBRN, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious disease areas. The solicitation spans vaccines, antivirals, antitoxins, diagnostics, burn and blast countermeasures, radiological therapeutics, and chemical agent MCMs, with a preference for late-stage or repurposed assets that can demonstrate scalable manufacturing and a credible path to FDA licensure. The three-stage submission process begins with optional pre-submission TechWatch calls, followed by quad chart and abstract submissions, with a full proposal window extending through September 2028. Everglade Consulting
Acrobat Genomics Advances DARPA Program to Develop AI-Designed CRISPR Inhibitors
Acrobat Genomics has completed Phase I of its work under the DARPA Rapid Inhibitor Discovery and Development pipeLine (RIDDL) program and commenced expanded research to develop novel inhibitors of gene editing technologies that could serve as rapid-response countermeasures against the accidental or intentional misuse of CRISPR and related tools. The company’s platform combines AI-driven generative molecular design with high-throughput screening directly in living human cells, distinguishing it from approaches trained on computational or in vitro data alone. Business Wire
AHAK Lotion Demonstrates Effectiveness Against Percutaneous Novichok Intoxication
Researchers characterized intoxication from dermal exposure to Novichok A-232 in swine and demonstrated that conventional antidotal treatment alone provides only temporary relief followed by reoccurrence of symptoms. The study describes AHAK lotion (potassium acetohydroxamate in DMSO/H₂O, derived from the FDA-approved medication acetohydroxamic acid), designed to act as a “catch-up therapy” enabling both skin surface and intradermal decomposition of persistent low-volatility organophosphorus agents. Archives of Toxicology
BARDA Seeks NMJ Micro-Physiological Systems for Botulinum Neurotoxin Potency Testing
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority issued an RFI to assess the current landscape of human-relevant neuromuscular junction micro-physiological systems and their potential application for botulinum neurotoxin detection, potency measurement, and evaluation of medical countermeasure neutralizing activity. BARDA seeks to transition from reliance on mouse-based bioassays to human-relevant in vitro systems that provide mechanistic insight while reducing animal testing. The RFI specifically requests information on NMJ platforms capable of measuring BoNT potency and evaluating countermeasure efficacy, with interest in systems demonstrating recovery of neuronal signaling appropriate for medical countermeasures evaluation. Responses are due by May 11, 2026. SAM.gov
BIOSECURITY + BIOPREPAREDNESS
SIPRI Video: How AI and Distributed Ledger Technology Could Strengthen Biological Weapons Oversight
SIPRI researcher Dr. Miranda Smith discusses how advances in artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technology could be applied to strengthen oversight of biological research, data, and materials, and help prevent biological weapons development and proliferation. The conversation highlights the administrative burden and uneven national capacity that make compliance with the biological weapons prohibition regime difficult, and cautions against over-reliance on technical solutions. The discussion draws from a SIPRI publication, Preventing Biological Weapons Proliferation: Operational Applications of Emerging Technologies. SIPRI
Seven Days in June Campaign Calls Public Health Workers to Action Against Federal Health Cuts
A coalition including the American Public Health Association, Service Employees International Union, and National Nurses United is organizing a week of action from June 1–7 to spotlight the public health impact of federal cuts to Medicaid, the CDC, and international health programs. Organizer Cleve Jones noted that recent vaccine cuts are already showing increased cases of whooping cough and measles, some ending in death. A nationwide candlelight vigil on June 5 is planned to memorialize those who have suffered from lack of access to health care, with the event timed to coincide with June primary elections to maximize political accountability pressure. American Public Health Association
FAO-U.S. Collaboration on Early Warning and Biosecurity Concludes in West Africa
The FAO of the United Nations and the U.S. Government concluded a multi-country project on early warning and biosecurity implemented across Ghana, Guinea, and Tanzania, with a closing event held in Accra on April 23. The project strengthened countries’ ability to detect and prevent animal health threats before escalation through introduction of connected digital tools such as EMA-i+, improved biosecurity practices under the Progressive Management Pathway for Terrestrial Animal Biosecurity framework, and workforce development through FAO Virtual Learning Centers. The U.S. CDC’s Dr. Danielle Barradas emphasized that investment in biosecurity and One Health systems is foundational to global health security. Food and Agriculture Organization
WHO South-East Asia Region Launches PIP Partnership Contribution Workplans for 2026–2027
WHO’s South-East Asia Region convened a kick-off meeting for nine countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste) to launch implementation of the 2026–2027 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Partnership Contribution workplans under the High Level Implementation Plan III framework. Approximately USD 35 million has been allocated globally for the current biennium, supporting around 80 priority countries, with country-level activities including finalizing national pandemic preparedness plans, conducting simulation exercises, expanding genomic surveillance, and strengthening One Health coordination. The meeting also marks the 15th anniversary of the PIP Framework, with global advocacy initiatives planned to highlight the framework’s contribution to pandemic preparedness and its role in preventing the next pandemic. World Health Organization
Pandemic Agreement PABS Annex Negotiations Enter Critical Final Phase
The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response has issued a statement calling on WHO Member States to finalize the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex to the 2025 Pandemic Agreement ahead of the World Health Assembly. The PABS Annex operationalizes Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement and is a prerequisite for the Agreement to be opened for national signing and ratification. The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
Health.mil Apps Support Military Biodefense, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and Provider Resilience
The Department of Defense has released mobile applications to support military personnel and healthcare providers. The Biodefense Tool condenses U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases training into a mobile quick reference for military, medical, and public health personnel, providing general information on biological threat agents, links to additional resources, and emergency contact information. The Antimicrobial Stewardship app contains information for providers on microbes and drug effectiveness by region, including resources on COVID-19, and helps providers determine the effectiveness of different drugs against various microbes. The Provider Resilience app gives healthcare providers tools to protect against burnout and compassion fatigue. Health.mil
SELECT AGENTS + PRIORITY PATHOGENS
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Circulates Widely Across DRC, Serosurvey Reveals
A sweeping seroprevalence study spanning 25 of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 26 provinces found that approximately 4.4 percent of human samples tested positive for CCHF virus-specific antibodies, and nearly 29 percent of domestic ruminants showed evidence of prior infection, signaling widespread, sustained viral circulation in the country’s livestock population. Rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns are expected to expand suitable Hyalomma habitat into areas not currently considered endemic, potentially driving CCHFV into new human and animal populations across Africa and beyond. Global Biodefense
Call for Public Comments: R&D Roadmap for Filoviruses Medical Countermeasures
WHO’s R&D Blueprint has established the Filovirus Collaborative Open Research Consortium (CORC) to address fragmented and predominantly reactive research efforts for filovirus priority pathogens including Ebola virus and Marburg virus, which cause severe viral hemorrhagic fevers and recurrent outbreaks. The Filovirus CORC is updating the WHO AFIRM (Accelerating Filovirus Research and Medical Countermeasures) Strategy Roadmap 2021–2031, initially developed by the MARVAC consortium. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the CORC convened global consultations involving experts in virology, ecology, epidemiology, diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, disease modelling, and social sciences. The resulting Filovirus R&D Roadmap outlines the rationale for prototype pathogen selection, synthesizes the current state of knowledge across key domains, and identifies major challenges, gaps, and operational needs. It also proposes strategic short-, medium-, and long-term research priorities to guide coordinated global efforts aimed at improving preparedness and accelerating the development of medical and public health countermeasures against filoviruses. Public comments on the draft roadmap are due by May 30, 2026. World Health Organization
Hearing Loss Affects One in Five Lassa Fever Survivors, Meta-Analysis Suggests
A new study shows survivors of Lassa fever may experience a range of post-infection complications, including hearing loss. Researchers at Imperial College London analyzed data from six studies on post-acute sequelae among 559 people who had recovered from Lassa fever, finding that the most common post-infection complaint was hearing loss, with a pooled prevalence of 18 percent. Across five of six studies, roughly half of survivors who had hearing loss developed it in both ears, though the exact percentage varied. CIDRAP
MPOX
San Francisco Confirms First Clade I Mpox Case in Unvaccinated Adult
San Francisco public health officials confirmed the city’s first case of clade I mpox in an unvaccinated adult who was hospitalized and is recovering, following close contact with someone who had traveled internationally. The case joins a small but growing list of U.S. jurisdictions reporting clade I infections, which the CDC has been tracking as outbreaks continue across parts of Africa. City health officer Dr. Susan Philip urged residents at elevated risk to complete the two-dose Jynneos vaccine series ahead of summer travel and large events, noting that the vaccine offers protection against both clade I and clade II strains. The announcement puts San Francisco on alert as clade I has historically been associated with more severe illness than clade II. San Francisco Chronicle
AVIAN INFLUENZA
Avian Flu Detected in Idaho Dairy Cows; Researchers Explore Viral RNA in Bovine Semen
Avian influenza was detected in Idaho dairy cows as researchers continue to investigate the role of virus RNA detection in bovine semen and the implications for transmission pathways in dairy herds. The detection adds to ongoing surveillance of avian influenza spread in cattle populations across the United States. CIDRAP
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
RSV Maternal Vaccine Cuts Baby Hospital Admissions by Up to 85% in UK Real-World Data
A new study analyzing the first year of the maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programme provides strong real-world confirmation of the vaccine’s protective effect. The study, believed to be the largest in the world evaluating maternal RSV vaccination in preventing infant hospitalization, followed nearly 300,000 babies born between September 2024 and March 2025, representing around 90 percent of all births in England during this period. Vaccination at least 2 weeks before birth gave 81.3 percent protection against RSV-related hospitalization. Babies born at least 4 weeks after their mother was vaccinated had nearly 85 percent protection, while vaccination as close as 10 to 13 days before birth reduced hospital admissions by 50 percent. Importantly, even premature babies (who are particularly vulnerable to RSV) can be well protected, provided there is at least 2 weeks between vaccination and birth. Maternal RSV vaccine uptake in England continues to climb, reaching 55 percent during the study period and climbing to 64.1 percent for women who gave birth in November 2025. UK Health Security Agency
Measles Outbreak in South Carolina Surpasses Nation’s Worst in Over 35 Years; Infants Vulnerable
South Carolina’s measles outbreak exploded into the nation’s worst in more than 35 years, with approximately 1,000 cases, surpassing last year’s outbreak in Texas. Babies too young to be vaccinated (among the most vulnerable to severe disease) depend entirely on herd immunity, requiring at least 95 percent of a community to be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks. Yet dropping vaccination rates have eroded protection in South Carolina and across the nation, with less than 90 percent of students in Spartanburg County, the outbreak’s epicenter, having received required vaccines. Measles can wreak havoc on infants’ fragile bodies, making them so sick they stop eating and drinking, and can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, and death. The outbreak has prompted pediatricians to offer an approved infant MMR dose as early as 6 months old and administer the second dose earlier than usual. Seattle Times
Study Distinguishes Post-COVID Sequelae from Common Post-Viral Syndromes
A pre-print published on medRxiv distinguishes pathogen-specific sequelae from common post-viral syndromes, finding that only some post-acute conditions often attributed to long COVID occur more frequently after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after other viral respiratory diseases. Increased post-COVID risk was noted for pulmonary embolism, abnormal breathing, fatigue or malaise, hemorrhagic stroke, memory loss or brain fog, and palpitations, while no increased risk was seen for anxiety or depression, acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular disorders, headache, loss of smell or taste, or sleep problems. CIDRAP
FOOD SAFETY + AGRO-DEFENSE
FRESH Act Proposal Threatens to Weaken FDA Food Chemical Safety Authority, Preempt State Protections
A draft bill entitled the “FRESH Act” (FDA Review and Evaluation of Safe, Healthy, and Affordable Foods) promises to strengthen food safety but contains provisions that would broadly block state food safety policies while weakening current FDA authority over premarket safety review for substances used in foods, according to Director of Regulatory Affairs Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The bill contains industry-backed preemption provisions that would broadly wipe out state protections “related to the use, labeling, sale, or marketing” of food or dietary supplements, targeting recent progress on food policy in the states, including new bans on harmful chemicals, requirements for heavy metal testing, restrictions on the sale of harmful dietary supplements to children, and new allergen and nutrition menu disclosures. Food Safety News
ALSO READING
Protecting global health in the era of the America First Strategy. The Lancet Global Health
Wildlife trade drives animal-to-human pathogen transmission over 40 years. Science
Pre- and post-COVID global epidemiology of human adenoviruses, 2016–2024. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
Respirable aerosol production and reduction of avian influenza transmission during chicken processing. Emerging Infectious Diseases
Probable Japanese encephalitis virus transmission through organ transplantation. NEJM
Genomic surveillance of Lassa virus in Guinea through in-country sequencing. MedRxiv
Fundamentals of a laboratory security program in biomedical facilities. Health Security