On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a reclassification of several vaccines previously listed as "universally recommended" for children and adolescents. The changes, approved by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), move three vaccines into a separate category reserved for those supported by specialized clinical indications rather than broad population-level recommendation. The CDC cited evolving epidemiological data, including a 12% decline in reported cases of the target disease over the past five years and new safety profile analyses drawn from more than 1.2 million administered doses. All revisions follow a six-month review period that included input from pediatric infectious disease specialists and an independent vaccine safety monitoring board. The CDC emphasized that routine immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis remain unchanged and continue to carry the universally recommended designation.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reached a major milestone in its MpOx Study in Africa (MOSA) platform-adaptive clinical trial, which began in early 2024 across five countries. In its December 2025 safety review, an independent data and safety monitoring board found no concerns among the first 50 randomized patients, paving the way for continued enrollment. To sustain momentum, Africa CDC has secured additional financial support through a collaboration with PANTHER and a private research partner, enabling expansion into Uganda and two other West African sites. To date, MOSA has enrolled 120 participants and is evaluating three investigational antiviral regimens. Since 2024, the continent has recorded 61,383 confirmed mpox cases and 296 deaths across 32 member states, according to Africa CDC surveillance data. The agency plans to enroll an additional 80 patients by mid-2026 to reach the protocol’s next efficacy readout.