One Health Heroes returns to explore dramatic changes in federal vaccine policy, including the complete dismissal and replacement of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In this episode, we break down what the ACIP does, why the changes matter, and how the new leadership under HHS Secretary RFK Jr. is impacting access to life-saving vaccines—including the COVID-19 and flu vaccines—for Americans of all ages. We also discuss how veterinary professionals can advocate for science and public health in their communities.

Have you been personally impacted by federal changes? Share your story at [email protected]

🔍 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. What the ACIP Is and Why It Matters Learn how the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) shapes vaccine recommendations, access, and insurance coverage across the U.S. → CDC ACIP Overview

2. Why Experts Are Sounding the Alarm Over ACIP Changes Understand the public health consequences of dismissing the full ACIP panel and replacing them with underqualified, vaccine-skeptical members known for spreading vaccine disinformation.

3. How Federal Vaccine Policy Changes Are Affecting Pregnant Women Discover how RFK Jr.'s rejection of ACIP's COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women has triggered legal action. → Read about the lawsuit via Infectious Diseases Society of America

4. Why a Preservative Ban Could Hurt Access in Vulnerable Communities A vote to remove thimerosal from flu vaccines could make them less accessible in low-income and global communities, despite decades of safety data. → FDA: Thimerosal in Vaccines

5. What's Next for State-Level Vaccine Policy and Science-Based Advocacy With 600+ state laws depending on ACIP guidance, learn how states and insurers are adapting—and how you can use resources like the Vaccine Integrity Project. → Vaccine Integrity Project – University of Minnesota CIDRAP

Veterinary professionals can sign up to become a member of the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians.

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Our vision is for Your Vet Wants You to Know to be a resource for veterinarians to improve client communication by introducing a discussion about a common topic during the vet visit, then directing the client to a reliable source of engaging, understandable, and accessible information.

By doing so, we strive for: 1) increased pet health literacy among pet owners, 2) improved partnership between clients and the veterinary team, 3) improved medical outcomes for pets, and 4) improved quality of life and efficiency for veterinarians.

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