Overview
- News reports Thursday disclosed that acting director Jay Bhattacharya paused a CDC paper slated for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report after it had cleared review and been scheduled for March 19 publication, with no new date set.
- The unpublished analysis, covering September through December 2025, found healthy adults who got the 2025 COVID shot had about 50% fewer urgent or emergency visits and 55% fewer COVID hospitalizations than unvaccinated peers.
- Bhattacharya questioned the test-negative design, a common approach that compares vaccination rates in patients who test positive or negative when they seek care, while Health and Human Services said the review is routine.
- Current and former CDC scientists say the method is standard practice and note the agency published a March 12 flu report using the same approach, calling this hold unusual for a paper that had passed scientific review.
- The delay follows HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rolling back CDC COVID shot recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, and experts warn a prolonged hold could hinder clinical guidance and erode public trust.