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Texas Biomedical Research Institute: Local Researchers Hope Aging Baboons Can Reveal Alzheimer's Earliest Signs
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 7 -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute issued the following news:
* * *
Local researchers hope aging baboons can reveal Alzheimer's earliest signs
By Josh Archote
November 6, 2026
By the time Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed in most patients, a cascade of changes has already taken place in the brain. Understanding what these changes are could pave the way for better detection and treatment for a progressive disease that can be managed and slowed, but not cured.
Local scientists with Texas Biomedical Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio hope to pull back ... Show Full Article SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 7 -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Local researchers hope aging baboons can reveal Alzheimer's earliest signs By Josh Archote November 6, 2026 By the time Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed in most patients, a cascade of changes has already taken place in the brain. Understanding what these changes are could pave the way for better detection and treatment for a progressive disease that can be managed and slowed, but not cured. Local scientists with Texas Biomedical Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio hope to pull backthe curtain on what drives both Alzheimer's disease and the typical neurodegeneration that comes with old age.
With the help of $200,000 in grant funding from the San Antonio Medical Foundation, the researchers will study the brains of aging baboons at Texas Biomed's Southwest National Primate Research Center.
"This is a hugely important question about brain aging specifically and aging more generally," said Adam Salmon, associate director of the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the UT San Antonio Health Science Center. "With this team, this project has been a great opportunity to think about how the models we use can help benefit actual clinical translation."
Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease that slowly erodes memory and thinking. Around 7.4 million Americans 65 years and older live with it, and South Texas is home to some of the highest Alzheimer's rates in the country.
Scientists know a lot about what raises a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, from genetics to high blood pressure and head trauma. But researchers can't fully explain what's happening inside the brain and driving the disease.
Two proteins known as beta-amyloid and tau are the leading suspects.
Beta-amyloid plaques build up inside diseased brains, often many years before symptoms begin. Tau proteins, on the other hand, change shape inside nerve cells and become tangled. Both are considered hallmark signs of Alzheimer's disease, but as the local researchers explained, the picture is incomplete.
"It's unclear to what degree the amyloids are causative or an end product," said Eric Vallender, associate director for research at Texas Biomed's primate center. "There's a lot of other stuff happening in the brain other than the amyloid plaques and tau aggregates. We want to understand what else is happening."
To do that, researchers will take small samples of brain tissue from aging baboons -- primates whose brains are quite similar to the human brain -- and use a new method of mapping proteins in tissue known as spatial proteomics to understand what's happening at the molecular level.
The brain biopsies will be accompanied by cognitive testing and blood biomarkers to get an idea of how these metrics, which are used to diagnose the disease in humans, compare to what's actually happening inside the brains of the baboons.
Vallender is interested in better understanding the role of the blood-brain barrier, a selective cell lining that controls what passes from the bloodstream to the brain, in normal brain aging as well as diseases like Alzheimer's. This cell lining can break down as we age, potentially contributing to inflammation and cell death.
Kimberley Phillips, a psychology professor at Trinity University and brain aging researcher who also works at Texas Biomed, hopes to shed light on the role the brain's support cells, -- glial cells -- play in neurodegeneration.
"The ultimate goal is earlier detection," she said, "allowing then for earlier interventions that might either alter the course or at least delay the course of progression."
Currently, testing for Alzheimer's disease is typically reserved for patients already exhibiting symptoms, even though the disease process starts long before then. Finding new ways to detect the disease on the molecular level in its preclinical phase is a big priority for researchers, as it could also lead to targeted treatments.
Two treatments for Alzheimer's were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 and 2024: Leqembi and Kisunla. Both drugs slow progression of Alzheimer's in its earlier stages by targeting beta-amyloid plaque in the brain, but they cannot reverse the course of the disease.
Salmon, who studies the biology of aging, wants to understand how cell mitochondria -- responsible for maintaining energy in the cell -- are involved in the aging and neurodegenerative process.
"If you could preserve those cells and preserve their function, you're going to preserve cognitive function," Salmon said.
The researchers will use the initial grant funding to run a pilot study over the next year and then look to receive additional funding for more research.
"Whether it's based on mitochondrial function or based on something of the proteomics we're looking at," Salmon added, "that would be huge for the field because now you could intervene before those symptoms actually happen."
* * *
Original text here: https://sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-researchers-aging-baboons-alzheimers-earliest-signs/
[Category: Medical]
* * *
Local researchers hope aging baboons can reveal Alzheimer's earliest signs
By Josh Archote
November 6, 2026
By the time Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed in most patients, a cascade of changes has already taken place in the brain. Understanding what these changes are could pave the way for better detection and treatment for a progressive disease that can be managed and slowed, but not cured.
Local scientists with Texas Biomedical Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio hope to pull back ... Show Full Article SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Nov. 7 -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute issued the following news: * * * Local researchers hope aging baboons can reveal Alzheimer's earliest signs By Josh Archote November 6, 2026 By the time Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed in most patients, a cascade of changes has already taken place in the brain. Understanding what these changes are could pave the way for better detection and treatment for a progressive disease that can be managed and slowed, but not cured. Local scientists with Texas Biomedical Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio hope to pull backthe curtain on what drives both Alzheimer's disease and the typical neurodegeneration that comes with old age.
With the help of $200,000 in grant funding from the San Antonio Medical Foundation, the researchers will study the brains of aging baboons at Texas Biomed's Southwest National Primate Research Center.
"This is a hugely important question about brain aging specifically and aging more generally," said Adam Salmon, associate director of the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the UT San Antonio Health Science Center. "With this team, this project has been a great opportunity to think about how the models we use can help benefit actual clinical translation."
Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease that slowly erodes memory and thinking. Around 7.4 million Americans 65 years and older live with it, and South Texas is home to some of the highest Alzheimer's rates in the country.
Scientists know a lot about what raises a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, from genetics to high blood pressure and head trauma. But researchers can't fully explain what's happening inside the brain and driving the disease.
Two proteins known as beta-amyloid and tau are the leading suspects.
Beta-amyloid plaques build up inside diseased brains, often many years before symptoms begin. Tau proteins, on the other hand, change shape inside nerve cells and become tangled. Both are considered hallmark signs of Alzheimer's disease, but as the local researchers explained, the picture is incomplete.
"It's unclear to what degree the amyloids are causative or an end product," said Eric Vallender, associate director for research at Texas Biomed's primate center. "There's a lot of other stuff happening in the brain other than the amyloid plaques and tau aggregates. We want to understand what else is happening."
To do that, researchers will take small samples of brain tissue from aging baboons -- primates whose brains are quite similar to the human brain -- and use a new method of mapping proteins in tissue known as spatial proteomics to understand what's happening at the molecular level.
The brain biopsies will be accompanied by cognitive testing and blood biomarkers to get an idea of how these metrics, which are used to diagnose the disease in humans, compare to what's actually happening inside the brains of the baboons.
Vallender is interested in better understanding the role of the blood-brain barrier, a selective cell lining that controls what passes from the bloodstream to the brain, in normal brain aging as well as diseases like Alzheimer's. This cell lining can break down as we age, potentially contributing to inflammation and cell death.
Kimberley Phillips, a psychology professor at Trinity University and brain aging researcher who also works at Texas Biomed, hopes to shed light on the role the brain's support cells, -- glial cells -- play in neurodegeneration.
"The ultimate goal is earlier detection," she said, "allowing then for earlier interventions that might either alter the course or at least delay the course of progression."
Currently, testing for Alzheimer's disease is typically reserved for patients already exhibiting symptoms, even though the disease process starts long before then. Finding new ways to detect the disease on the molecular level in its preclinical phase is a big priority for researchers, as it could also lead to targeted treatments.
Two treatments for Alzheimer's were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 and 2024: Leqembi and Kisunla. Both drugs slow progression of Alzheimer's in its earlier stages by targeting beta-amyloid plaque in the brain, but they cannot reverse the course of the disease.
Salmon, who studies the biology of aging, wants to understand how cell mitochondria -- responsible for maintaining energy in the cell -- are involved in the aging and neurodegenerative process.
"If you could preserve those cells and preserve their function, you're going to preserve cognitive function," Salmon said.
The researchers will use the initial grant funding to run a pilot study over the next year and then look to receive additional funding for more research.
"Whether it's based on mitochondrial function or based on something of the proteomics we're looking at," Salmon added, "that would be huge for the field because now you could intervene before those symptoms actually happen."
* * *
Original text here: https://sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-researchers-aging-baboons-alzheimers-earliest-signs/
[Category: Medical]
Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Insecticide Threatens Babies' Immune Function
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender:
* * *
Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Insecticide Threatens Babies' Immune Function
*
A study published in the Journal of Global Health connects prenatal exposure to pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides and adverse impacts on neonatal immune function.
This study adds to a wide body of science that showcases the disproportionate risks to ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Insecticide Threatens Babies' Immune Function * A study published in the Journal of Global Health connects prenatal exposure to pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides and adverse impacts on neonatal immune function. This study adds to a wide body of science that showcases the disproportionate risks toinfants and children from pesticide exposure.
In exploring the association of maternal PYR exposure throughout different trimesters with neonatal health, the researchers find reduced neonatal lymphocyte counts and increased lymphocyte apoptosis (cell death).
Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in the immune system, helping to fight off infections, viruses and cancer. When lymphocyte counts are decreased, increased vulnerability to additional health effects occurs.
The results also reveal that while these effects occur throughout all trimesters during gestation, the third trimester represents a particularly sensitive window for adverse effects on immune development.
Study background
Infants and children face much higher hazards than adults from pesticide exposure, as documented on Beyond Pesticides' Hazards of Pesticides for Children's Health page.
Their small size and developing organ systems, propensity to crawl and play near the ground, tendency for frequent hand-to-mouth motion and greater intake of air and food relative to body weight make them particularly susceptible.
The hazards borne by children in the "windows of vulnerability" at a young age have critical implications for long-term health. Exposure prior to birth adds to the body burden experienced by infants and children.
"Moreover, the developing immune system is more susceptible to immunotoxic damage induced by environmental exposures than the adult immune system, and such exposures may potentially lead to long-term health consequences for children," the researchers say.
For additional information, see Children and Pesticides Don't Mix and Daily News coverage related to infants and children here.
Previous studies show the detection of at least one PYR metabolite (breakdown product) in over 95% of pregnant women during pregnancy. (See here and here.)
"Due to their high lipophilicity, PYRs can cross the placental barrier, leading to fetal exposure in utero," the authors note.
They continue: "The fetal period is characterised by rapid growth and functional maturation of tissues and organs, making it a highly sensitive window for environmental toxicants. Consequently, the impact of prenatal PYRs exposure on offspring health has garnered significant attention." (See research here.)
The primary metabolites of PYRs include: 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PBA) and cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis-DBCA) [6].
3PBA is the most common metabolite, correlating with many PYRs, while cis-DBCA is the specific metabolite of deltamethrin and 4F3PBA is the specific metabolite of cyfluthrin.
Methodology and results
This study analyzes a birth cohort (373 mother-neonate dyads) from the first trimester of pregnancy through birth to find the impacts of maternal PYR exposure on neonatal immune function.
During pregnancy, urine measurements are assessed for metabolites of PYRs. At the time of birth, cord blood is collected and analyzed for lymphocyte cell counts and lymphocyte apoptosis rates.
"Our findings indicate that maternal PYRs exposure during pregnancy may reduce neonatal cord blood lymphocyte counts and increase lymphocyte apoptosis rates, thereby adversely affecting neonatal immune development," the researchers state.
The results highlight particular risks during the third trimester, as increased PYR metabolites correlate with decreased cord blood T cell and B cell counts in the newborns.
The authors explain:
"The third trimester represents a pivotal sensitive window for the maturation of lymphocyte cell lineages, as this period is characterised by rapid proliferation and functional differentiation of lymphoid progenitor cells in the fetal thymus, spleen, and bone marrow, equivalent exposure levels to environmental toxicants may exert more significant effects on the differentiation and maturation of lymphocytes."
Previous research
In a study of birth outcomes in Arizona, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, researchers find that preconception and prenatal exposure to certain carbamates, organophosphates, and pyrethroids increases the risk of lower Apgar scores, a metric used to assess neonatal health at one minute and five minutes after birth.
The results reveal that exposure to "several pesticide active ingredients at any point during preconception and/or pregnancy were associated with increased odds of low Apgar scores: the carbamates carbaryl and formetanate hydrochloride; the organophosphates diazinon and tribufos; and the pyrethroid cypermethrin."
This multi-institutional study, led by the University of Arizona with researchers from Harvard Chan School of Public Health and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, provides novel insights, as it incorporates pesticide exposure over a 15-year period both before conception and throughout pregnancy. (See more here.)
A study in Environmental Science & Technology shows that maternal exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides adversely affects newborn health.
Through amino acid and acylcarnitine metabolomics (the study of small molecules known as metabolites) with over 400 mother-infant pairs, this research analyzes metabolic pathways linking pesticide exposure to negative birth outcomes.
Notably, the authors report that "Results indicated that third-trimester maternal urinary levels of 3- phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and diethyl dithiophosphate (DEDTP) were negatively associated with birth weight."
"Specifically, a one-unit increase in their ln-transformed [natural logarithm form] concentrations was associated with a 1.508% decrease in birth weight for 3-PBA and a 1.366% decrease for DEDTP." (See Prenatal Insecticide Exposure Linked to Negative Birth Outcomes in a Biomonitoring Study.)
Similar to the current study, a literature review published in Science of the Total Environment reports numerous peer-reviewed studies associating prenatal and childhood pesticide exposure with measurable alterations to children's immune systems, including indicators of immunosuppression and increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines, among other adverse health effects.
These immune system alterations are linked to higher infection risk and potentially contribute to autoimmune diseases and allergies later in life. (See Childhood, Prenatal Pesticide Exposure Impacts Immune System, According to Study and additional Daily News coverage on pyrethroids and prenatal exposure here and here.)
The organic solution
Learn how organic agriculture and land management practices can mitigate the toxic effects of petrochemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
The Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database facilitates access to epidemiologic and laboratory studies based on real-world exposure scenarios that link numerous categories of public health effects to pesticides, while the Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management provides information on specific pesticide active ingredients, as well as alternatives.
Originally published by Beyond Pesticides.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/prenatal-exposure-household-insecticide-threatens-babies-immune-function/
* * *
Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Insecticide Threatens Babies' Immune Function
*
A study published in the Journal of Global Health connects prenatal exposure to pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides and adverse impacts on neonatal immune function.
This study adds to a wide body of science that showcases the disproportionate risks to ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Prenatal Exposure to Common Household Insecticide Threatens Babies' Immune Function * A study published in the Journal of Global Health connects prenatal exposure to pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides and adverse impacts on neonatal immune function. This study adds to a wide body of science that showcases the disproportionate risks toinfants and children from pesticide exposure.
In exploring the association of maternal PYR exposure throughout different trimesters with neonatal health, the researchers find reduced neonatal lymphocyte counts and increased lymphocyte apoptosis (cell death).
Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in the immune system, helping to fight off infections, viruses and cancer. When lymphocyte counts are decreased, increased vulnerability to additional health effects occurs.
The results also reveal that while these effects occur throughout all trimesters during gestation, the third trimester represents a particularly sensitive window for adverse effects on immune development.
Study background
Infants and children face much higher hazards than adults from pesticide exposure, as documented on Beyond Pesticides' Hazards of Pesticides for Children's Health page.
Their small size and developing organ systems, propensity to crawl and play near the ground, tendency for frequent hand-to-mouth motion and greater intake of air and food relative to body weight make them particularly susceptible.
The hazards borne by children in the "windows of vulnerability" at a young age have critical implications for long-term health. Exposure prior to birth adds to the body burden experienced by infants and children.
"Moreover, the developing immune system is more susceptible to immunotoxic damage induced by environmental exposures than the adult immune system, and such exposures may potentially lead to long-term health consequences for children," the researchers say.
For additional information, see Children and Pesticides Don't Mix and Daily News coverage related to infants and children here.
Previous studies show the detection of at least one PYR metabolite (breakdown product) in over 95% of pregnant women during pregnancy. (See here and here.)
"Due to their high lipophilicity, PYRs can cross the placental barrier, leading to fetal exposure in utero," the authors note.
They continue: "The fetal period is characterised by rapid growth and functional maturation of tissues and organs, making it a highly sensitive window for environmental toxicants. Consequently, the impact of prenatal PYRs exposure on offspring health has garnered significant attention." (See research here.)
The primary metabolites of PYRs include: 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (4F3PBA) and cis-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (cis-DBCA) [6].
3PBA is the most common metabolite, correlating with many PYRs, while cis-DBCA is the specific metabolite of deltamethrin and 4F3PBA is the specific metabolite of cyfluthrin.
Methodology and results
This study analyzes a birth cohort (373 mother-neonate dyads) from the first trimester of pregnancy through birth to find the impacts of maternal PYR exposure on neonatal immune function.
During pregnancy, urine measurements are assessed for metabolites of PYRs. At the time of birth, cord blood is collected and analyzed for lymphocyte cell counts and lymphocyte apoptosis rates.
"Our findings indicate that maternal PYRs exposure during pregnancy may reduce neonatal cord blood lymphocyte counts and increase lymphocyte apoptosis rates, thereby adversely affecting neonatal immune development," the researchers state.
The results highlight particular risks during the third trimester, as increased PYR metabolites correlate with decreased cord blood T cell and B cell counts in the newborns.
The authors explain:
"The third trimester represents a pivotal sensitive window for the maturation of lymphocyte cell lineages, as this period is characterised by rapid proliferation and functional differentiation of lymphoid progenitor cells in the fetal thymus, spleen, and bone marrow, equivalent exposure levels to environmental toxicants may exert more significant effects on the differentiation and maturation of lymphocytes."
Previous research
In a study of birth outcomes in Arizona, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, researchers find that preconception and prenatal exposure to certain carbamates, organophosphates, and pyrethroids increases the risk of lower Apgar scores, a metric used to assess neonatal health at one minute and five minutes after birth.
The results reveal that exposure to "several pesticide active ingredients at any point during preconception and/or pregnancy were associated with increased odds of low Apgar scores: the carbamates carbaryl and formetanate hydrochloride; the organophosphates diazinon and tribufos; and the pyrethroid cypermethrin."
This multi-institutional study, led by the University of Arizona with researchers from Harvard Chan School of Public Health and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, provides novel insights, as it incorporates pesticide exposure over a 15-year period both before conception and throughout pregnancy. (See more here.)
A study in Environmental Science & Technology shows that maternal exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides adversely affects newborn health.
Through amino acid and acylcarnitine metabolomics (the study of small molecules known as metabolites) with over 400 mother-infant pairs, this research analyzes metabolic pathways linking pesticide exposure to negative birth outcomes.
Notably, the authors report that "Results indicated that third-trimester maternal urinary levels of 3- phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA) and diethyl dithiophosphate (DEDTP) were negatively associated with birth weight."
"Specifically, a one-unit increase in their ln-transformed [natural logarithm form] concentrations was associated with a 1.508% decrease in birth weight for 3-PBA and a 1.366% decrease for DEDTP." (See Prenatal Insecticide Exposure Linked to Negative Birth Outcomes in a Biomonitoring Study.)
Similar to the current study, a literature review published in Science of the Total Environment reports numerous peer-reviewed studies associating prenatal and childhood pesticide exposure with measurable alterations to children's immune systems, including indicators of immunosuppression and increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines, among other adverse health effects.
These immune system alterations are linked to higher infection risk and potentially contribute to autoimmune diseases and allergies later in life. (See Childhood, Prenatal Pesticide Exposure Impacts Immune System, According to Study and additional Daily News coverage on pyrethroids and prenatal exposure here and here.)
The organic solution
Learn how organic agriculture and land management practices can mitigate the toxic effects of petrochemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
The Pesticide-Induced Diseases Database facilitates access to epidemiologic and laboratory studies based on real-world exposure scenarios that link numerous categories of public health effects to pesticides, while the Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management provides information on specific pesticide active ingredients, as well as alternatives.
Originally published by Beyond Pesticides.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/prenatal-exposure-household-insecticide-threatens-babies-immune-function/
Midterm Voters Deliver Mix of Wins, Losses to MAHA, Health Freedom Movements
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender:
* * *
Midterm Voters Deliver Mix of Wins, Losses to MAHA, Health Freedom Movements
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
Tuesday's battering of Republicans in races across the U.S. also dealt a few blows to the health freedom and "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movements championed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Midterm Voters Deliver Mix of Wins, Losses to MAHA, Health Freedom Movements by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. Tuesday's battering of Republicans in races across the U.S. also dealt a few blows to the health freedom and "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movements championed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trumpadministration.
Although some candidates endorsed by MAHA Action and Stand for Health Freedom won their races, many more did not. Meanwhile, several candidates known for their pro-vaccine views and opposition to Kennedy scored electoral wins.
Michael Kane, director of advocacy for Children's Health Defense, said Tuesday's results "had nothing to do with opposition to medical freedom issues." Instead, many voters focused on the Iran war, the economy and the cost of living.
In one sign of bipartisan agreement, voters approved the vast majority of ballot measures restricting artificial intelligence (AI) data center operations and development.
Tony Lyons, president of MAHA Action and president of Skyhorse Publishing, said exit polls showed that 30% of voters nationally identified as MAHA supporters. Lyons said voters "rejected some messengers," but "did not reject the message."
Preelection surveys showed stronger support for MAHA than for the Trump administration overall, but voters overwhelmingly favored Democrats on healthcare.
Public health figures celebrated Tuesday's outcome, framing the Democrats' win as a means of restoring "trust and confidence in public health." Bloomberg cited the millions of dollars Democrat lobbying groups spent to boost "scientific candidates."
But John Gilmore, executive director of the Autism Action Network, said the results may lead to a contentious next two years, including a likely impasse between Congress and the Trump administration that may obstruct the MAHA agenda.
"Anthony Fauci is probably still celebrating the outcome of this election," Gilmore said.
'Ending the chronic disease epidemic was never a partisan project'
STAT reported post-election that MAHA is at a crossroads -- it can become "bluer and broader" by embracing healthcare costs and chronic disease, remain aligned with Kennedy's vaccine policies, or splinter into grassroots movements.
Gilmore said the Democrats' victory likely spells the end of congressional investigations into the origins of COVID-19, vaccine-related injuries and COVID-19 hospital protocols.
But other health freedom advocates and policy experts told The Defender that despite Tuesday's results, the MAHA movement will continue -- and could be reenergized by collaborating with a Democrat-led Congress.
Lyons said reports of MAHA's demise "are greatly exaggerated," saying it is "wishful thinking by everyone who profits from keeping Americans sick." He said the movement has "real wins to build on," including those of the "MAHA-backed candidates who won more than two dozen state legislative races."
Jeffrey Tucker, president and founder of the Brownstone Institute, said: "Freedom advocates were only reluctant partners with Trump -- but now, the movement is in a position to grow and thrive without him." Tucker called this "a welcome change."
"Medical freedom must mean the same thing whether a Republican or Democrat occupies the White House," said Daniel O'Connor, founder and president of TrialSite News. "Otherwise, we risk trading a lasting public-health reform movement for a temporary political moment. The real test begins now."
TrialSite News reported that a MAHA coalition with Democrats may have "limits," including on contentious topics like vaccines and informed consent. But for Dr. Monique Yohanan, director of the Center for Better Health at Independent Women, "MAHA grew out of something much deeper than partisan politics."
"It reflects the experience of Americans, particularly parents, who felt dismissed by institutions that were supposed to serve them," she said. "Those concerns aren't tied to any one political party or any particular election result."
"The path changes but the goal doesn't," Lyons said. "Ending the chronic disease epidemic was never a partisan project. Getting toxic additives out of school lunches, getting heavy metals out of baby formula and making regulators independent of the industries they oversee -- those ideas have supporters in both parties, and we're going to find every one of them."
"We changed the conversation. Now we have the opportunity to change the country."
MAHA-endorsed candidates see mixed electoral success
Of the 24 candidates endorsed by MAHA Action -- three for the U.S. Senate, 18 for the U.S. House of Representatives and three for governor -- eight won their races.
In Louisiana, Republican Julia Letlow won her Senate race against Democrat Jamie Davis. Letlow enjoyed significant MAHA support dating back to the primaries, where she defeated incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of Kennedy's foremost critics.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who co-authored an amendment to a House bill preserving states' authority over pesticide labeling, was reelected in Florida.
In Iowa, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand defeated Zach Lahn, flipping the seat for the first time in 20 years. MAHA Action had thrown its weight behind Lahn, including an Oct. 28 rally with Kennedy. Lahn previously called for a ban on mRNA vaccines.
In Arizona's gubernatorial race, Republican Andy Biggs lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs. As a member of the House, Biggs co-sponsored a bill to make COVID-19 vaccine makers liable for injuries and deaths, and introduced a bill to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
Candidates endorsed by Stand for Medical Freedom (SFMF) saw similarly mixed results. Among 23 endorsed candidates running for Congress or governor, eight notched victories. SFMF-supported Republican Mark Lamb (Arizona) was leading his race at press time.
Winners included Republicans Tommy Tuberville and Alan Wilson in the Alabama and South Carolina gubernatorial races, respectively; Barry Moore in Alabama's U.S. Senate race; and Georgia U.S. House candidate Rich McCormick.
RFK Jr. critics win key governor races -- but Florida elects health freedom supporter
In addition to Arizona and Iowa, where MAHA-supported candidates are projected to lose their gubernatorial races, several incumbent governors who played a key role in COVID-19 pandemic measures or who oppose Kennedy's policies held onto their seats.
In California, Democrat Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra was health secretary under the Biden administration, authoring and extending the COVID-19 public health emergency that granted liability protection to vaccine makers.
Key critics of Kennedy's vaccine policies -- Josh Green in Hawaii and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania -- won their respective races. Shapiro and 15 state attorneys general sued Kennedy over his vaccine policies. Amid a measles outbreak in his state, Shapiro accused Kennedy of spreading vaccine "misinformation."
In Ohio, pediatrician Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, becoming the state's first Democrat governor in 20 years. Acton was Ohio's health director during the COVID-19 pandemic, resigning in June 2020 amid a backlash against the state's lockdown policies. She has called Kennedy her "professional archnemesis."
In Michigan, MAHA Action-endorsed Republican John James lost to Democrat Jocelyn Benson, while in Texas, incumbent Republican Greg Abbott, a key MAHA ally, lost to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
However, in a win for health freedom, Florida elected Byron Donalds as its next governor. Donalds will be responsible for appointing Florida's surgeon general, a position now held by Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a strong proponent of health freedom.
Like Ladapo, Donalds has long opposed vaccine mandates and says that he did not personally receive a COVID-19 vaccine. He supports Ladapo's proposed rule change to reduce school vaccination mandates and said during his campaign that he is open to reappointing Ladapo as surgeon general, according to The Conversation.
Democrat winner of Michigan Senate seat sought to woo MAHA voters
MAHA Action scored a key Senate win in Florida, where Republican Ashley Moody, who appeared with Kennedy in August, defeated Democrat Angie Nixon.
In Texas, MAHA Action-supported Republican Ken Paxton lost to Democrat James Talarico. It was the first time a Democrat from Texas won a Senate seat since 1988.
As attorney general, Paxton took on grocery stores for spraying pesticides on organic foods, launched a broad investigation into glyphosate residues in foods, sued Pfizer for misleading claims about its COVID-19 vaccine and investigated pediatricians for pushing parents to vaccinate kids in order to boost profits.
In Kansas, Republican Roger Marshall, who founded and chaired the Senate MAHA Caucus, lost to Democrat Adam Hamilton. In New Hampshire, MAHA Action-supported Republican John Sununu lost to Democrat Chris Pappas.
Michigan Democrat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and epidemiologist, defeated Republican Mike Rogers. In September, El-Sayed unveiled his "Building a Healthier America" plan and later, in an apparent bid to attract MAHA voters, declared, "We need to own this lane."
Two Democrats who staunchly support vaccination were elected, including Sherrod Brown in Ohio, who strongly supported COVID-19 vaccination and testing the unvaccinated during the pandemic, and Annie Andrews in South Carolina. Andrews, a pediatrician, said she would seek Kennedy's impeachment if elected.
The co-sponsors of a 2025 Senate resolution calling for Kennedy's ouster were also reelected -- Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Advocate of 'strictest vaccination laws' wins House seat
Results were also mixed for MAHA-supported candidates vying for House seats. Aside from Luna's reelection in Florida, a notable outcome was Democrat Richard Pan's win over MAHA-endorsed independent candidate Kevin Kiley in California.
Pan is an outspoken Kennedy critic and advocate for the "strictest vaccination laws" in the U.S., including restricting vaccine exemptions.
Three Republicans that MAHA Action supported in Florida won their races. In Texas, two MAHA Action-endorsed Republicans, Brandon Gill and Jace Yarbrough, won their races, while Brandon Herrera lost his.
In Wisconsin, Republican and MAHA ally Michael Alfonso was elected. Alfonso has pledged to fight artificial food dyes.
Several other MAHA Action-endorsed candidates lost, including incumbents Tom Barrett in Michigan, Addison McDowell in North Carolina, Scott Perry in Pennsylvania and Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin.
Endorsed candidates also lost in Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, while in South Carolina, Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt is trailing, in a race that was not called by press time.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/midterm-voters-deliver-mix-wins-losses-maha-health-freedom-movement/
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Midterm Voters Deliver Mix of Wins, Losses to MAHA, Health Freedom Movements
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
Tuesday's battering of Republicans in races across the U.S. also dealt a few blows to the health freedom and "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movements championed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Midterm Voters Deliver Mix of Wins, Losses to MAHA, Health Freedom Movements by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. Tuesday's battering of Republicans in races across the U.S. also dealt a few blows to the health freedom and "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movements championed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trumpadministration.
Although some candidates endorsed by MAHA Action and Stand for Health Freedom won their races, many more did not. Meanwhile, several candidates known for their pro-vaccine views and opposition to Kennedy scored electoral wins.
Michael Kane, director of advocacy for Children's Health Defense, said Tuesday's results "had nothing to do with opposition to medical freedom issues." Instead, many voters focused on the Iran war, the economy and the cost of living.
In one sign of bipartisan agreement, voters approved the vast majority of ballot measures restricting artificial intelligence (AI) data center operations and development.
Tony Lyons, president of MAHA Action and president of Skyhorse Publishing, said exit polls showed that 30% of voters nationally identified as MAHA supporters. Lyons said voters "rejected some messengers," but "did not reject the message."
Preelection surveys showed stronger support for MAHA than for the Trump administration overall, but voters overwhelmingly favored Democrats on healthcare.
Public health figures celebrated Tuesday's outcome, framing the Democrats' win as a means of restoring "trust and confidence in public health." Bloomberg cited the millions of dollars Democrat lobbying groups spent to boost "scientific candidates."
But John Gilmore, executive director of the Autism Action Network, said the results may lead to a contentious next two years, including a likely impasse between Congress and the Trump administration that may obstruct the MAHA agenda.
"Anthony Fauci is probably still celebrating the outcome of this election," Gilmore said.
'Ending the chronic disease epidemic was never a partisan project'
STAT reported post-election that MAHA is at a crossroads -- it can become "bluer and broader" by embracing healthcare costs and chronic disease, remain aligned with Kennedy's vaccine policies, or splinter into grassroots movements.
Gilmore said the Democrats' victory likely spells the end of congressional investigations into the origins of COVID-19, vaccine-related injuries and COVID-19 hospital protocols.
But other health freedom advocates and policy experts told The Defender that despite Tuesday's results, the MAHA movement will continue -- and could be reenergized by collaborating with a Democrat-led Congress.
Lyons said reports of MAHA's demise "are greatly exaggerated," saying it is "wishful thinking by everyone who profits from keeping Americans sick." He said the movement has "real wins to build on," including those of the "MAHA-backed candidates who won more than two dozen state legislative races."
Jeffrey Tucker, president and founder of the Brownstone Institute, said: "Freedom advocates were only reluctant partners with Trump -- but now, the movement is in a position to grow and thrive without him." Tucker called this "a welcome change."
"Medical freedom must mean the same thing whether a Republican or Democrat occupies the White House," said Daniel O'Connor, founder and president of TrialSite News. "Otherwise, we risk trading a lasting public-health reform movement for a temporary political moment. The real test begins now."
TrialSite News reported that a MAHA coalition with Democrats may have "limits," including on contentious topics like vaccines and informed consent. But for Dr. Monique Yohanan, director of the Center for Better Health at Independent Women, "MAHA grew out of something much deeper than partisan politics."
"It reflects the experience of Americans, particularly parents, who felt dismissed by institutions that were supposed to serve them," she said. "Those concerns aren't tied to any one political party or any particular election result."
"The path changes but the goal doesn't," Lyons said. "Ending the chronic disease epidemic was never a partisan project. Getting toxic additives out of school lunches, getting heavy metals out of baby formula and making regulators independent of the industries they oversee -- those ideas have supporters in both parties, and we're going to find every one of them."
"We changed the conversation. Now we have the opportunity to change the country."
MAHA-endorsed candidates see mixed electoral success
Of the 24 candidates endorsed by MAHA Action -- three for the U.S. Senate, 18 for the U.S. House of Representatives and three for governor -- eight won their races.
In Louisiana, Republican Julia Letlow won her Senate race against Democrat Jamie Davis. Letlow enjoyed significant MAHA support dating back to the primaries, where she defeated incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), one of Kennedy's foremost critics.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who co-authored an amendment to a House bill preserving states' authority over pesticide labeling, was reelected in Florida.
In Iowa, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand defeated Zach Lahn, flipping the seat for the first time in 20 years. MAHA Action had thrown its weight behind Lahn, including an Oct. 28 rally with Kennedy. Lahn previously called for a ban on mRNA vaccines.
In Arizona's gubernatorial race, Republican Andy Biggs lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs. As a member of the House, Biggs co-sponsored a bill to make COVID-19 vaccine makers liable for injuries and deaths, and introduced a bill to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
Candidates endorsed by Stand for Medical Freedom (SFMF) saw similarly mixed results. Among 23 endorsed candidates running for Congress or governor, eight notched victories. SFMF-supported Republican Mark Lamb (Arizona) was leading his race at press time.
Winners included Republicans Tommy Tuberville and Alan Wilson in the Alabama and South Carolina gubernatorial races, respectively; Barry Moore in Alabama's U.S. Senate race; and Georgia U.S. House candidate Rich McCormick.
RFK Jr. critics win key governor races -- but Florida elects health freedom supporter
In addition to Arizona and Iowa, where MAHA-supported candidates are projected to lose their gubernatorial races, several incumbent governors who played a key role in COVID-19 pandemic measures or who oppose Kennedy's policies held onto their seats.
In California, Democrat Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra was health secretary under the Biden administration, authoring and extending the COVID-19 public health emergency that granted liability protection to vaccine makers.
Key critics of Kennedy's vaccine policies -- Josh Green in Hawaii and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania -- won their respective races. Shapiro and 15 state attorneys general sued Kennedy over his vaccine policies. Amid a measles outbreak in his state, Shapiro accused Kennedy of spreading vaccine "misinformation."
In Ohio, pediatrician Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, becoming the state's first Democrat governor in 20 years. Acton was Ohio's health director during the COVID-19 pandemic, resigning in June 2020 amid a backlash against the state's lockdown policies. She has called Kennedy her "professional archnemesis."
In Michigan, MAHA Action-endorsed Republican John James lost to Democrat Jocelyn Benson, while in Texas, incumbent Republican Greg Abbott, a key MAHA ally, lost to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
However, in a win for health freedom, Florida elected Byron Donalds as its next governor. Donalds will be responsible for appointing Florida's surgeon general, a position now held by Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a strong proponent of health freedom.
Like Ladapo, Donalds has long opposed vaccine mandates and says that he did not personally receive a COVID-19 vaccine. He supports Ladapo's proposed rule change to reduce school vaccination mandates and said during his campaign that he is open to reappointing Ladapo as surgeon general, according to The Conversation.
Democrat winner of Michigan Senate seat sought to woo MAHA voters
MAHA Action scored a key Senate win in Florida, where Republican Ashley Moody, who appeared with Kennedy in August, defeated Democrat Angie Nixon.
In Texas, MAHA Action-supported Republican Ken Paxton lost to Democrat James Talarico. It was the first time a Democrat from Texas won a Senate seat since 1988.
As attorney general, Paxton took on grocery stores for spraying pesticides on organic foods, launched a broad investigation into glyphosate residues in foods, sued Pfizer for misleading claims about its COVID-19 vaccine and investigated pediatricians for pushing parents to vaccinate kids in order to boost profits.
In Kansas, Republican Roger Marshall, who founded and chaired the Senate MAHA Caucus, lost to Democrat Adam Hamilton. In New Hampshire, MAHA Action-supported Republican John Sununu lost to Democrat Chris Pappas.
Michigan Democrat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and epidemiologist, defeated Republican Mike Rogers. In September, El-Sayed unveiled his "Building a Healthier America" plan and later, in an apparent bid to attract MAHA voters, declared, "We need to own this lane."
Two Democrats who staunchly support vaccination were elected, including Sherrod Brown in Ohio, who strongly supported COVID-19 vaccination and testing the unvaccinated during the pandemic, and Annie Andrews in South Carolina. Andrews, a pediatrician, said she would seek Kennedy's impeachment if elected.
The co-sponsors of a 2025 Senate resolution calling for Kennedy's ouster were also reelected -- Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Advocate of 'strictest vaccination laws' wins House seat
Results were also mixed for MAHA-supported candidates vying for House seats. Aside from Luna's reelection in Florida, a notable outcome was Democrat Richard Pan's win over MAHA-endorsed independent candidate Kevin Kiley in California.
Pan is an outspoken Kennedy critic and advocate for the "strictest vaccination laws" in the U.S., including restricting vaccine exemptions.
Three Republicans that MAHA Action supported in Florida won their races. In Texas, two MAHA Action-endorsed Republicans, Brandon Gill and Jace Yarbrough, won their races, while Brandon Herrera lost his.
In Wisconsin, Republican and MAHA ally Michael Alfonso was elected. Alfonso has pledged to fight artificial food dyes.
Several other MAHA Action-endorsed candidates lost, including incumbents Tom Barrett in Michigan, Addison McDowell in North Carolina, Scott Perry in Pennsylvania and Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin.
Endorsed candidates also lost in Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, while in South Carolina, Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt is trailing, in a race that was not called by press time.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/midterm-voters-deliver-mix-wins-losses-maha-health-freedom-movement/
Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Mark Lamb on AZ-05 Victory
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Club for Growth PAC issued the following news release:
* * *
Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Mark Lamb on AZ-05 Victory
Will Mitola | November 6, 2026
Washington, D.C. - Club for Growth PAC congratulates Mark Lamb on winning Arizona's 5th Congressional District race. Lamb defeated Democrat Elizabeth Lee.
"Mark Lamb understands that safe communities and personal freedom go hand in hand with a growing economy, a conviction that will serve the people of Arizona's 5th Congressional District and Americans everywhere," said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. "We ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Club for Growth PAC issued the following news release: * * * Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Mark Lamb on AZ-05 Victory Will Mitola | November 6, 2026 Washington, D.C. - Club for Growth PAC congratulates Mark Lamb on winning Arizona's 5th Congressional District race. Lamb defeated Democrat Elizabeth Lee. "Mark Lamb understands that safe communities and personal freedom go hand in hand with a growing economy, a conviction that will serve the people of Arizona's 5th Congressional District and Americans everywhere," said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. "Weare confident Congressman-elect Lamb will carry that message to Washington and defend conservative principles on behalf of hardworking taxpayers."
Club for Growth Action's affiliated Win It Back PAC invested over $250,000 in the race to secure Lamb the Republican nomination. Club for Growth PAC members contributed $47,271 directly to Mark Lamb's campaign.
Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTsv1xfrQvM) to watch Sheriff, a Win It Back PAC ad promoting President Trump's primary endorsement of Lamb for Congress.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/club-for-growth-pac-congratulates-mark-lamb-on-az-05-victory/
[Category: Political]
* * *
Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Mark Lamb on AZ-05 Victory
Will Mitola | November 6, 2026
Washington, D.C. - Club for Growth PAC congratulates Mark Lamb on winning Arizona's 5th Congressional District race. Lamb defeated Democrat Elizabeth Lee.
"Mark Lamb understands that safe communities and personal freedom go hand in hand with a growing economy, a conviction that will serve the people of Arizona's 5th Congressional District and Americans everywhere," said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. "We ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 -- Club for Growth PAC issued the following news release: * * * Club for Growth PAC Congratulates Mark Lamb on AZ-05 Victory Will Mitola | November 6, 2026 Washington, D.C. - Club for Growth PAC congratulates Mark Lamb on winning Arizona's 5th Congressional District race. Lamb defeated Democrat Elizabeth Lee. "Mark Lamb understands that safe communities and personal freedom go hand in hand with a growing economy, a conviction that will serve the people of Arizona's 5th Congressional District and Americans everywhere," said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. "Weare confident Congressman-elect Lamb will carry that message to Washington and defend conservative principles on behalf of hardworking taxpayers."
Club for Growth Action's affiliated Win It Back PAC invested over $250,000 in the race to secure Lamb the Republican nomination. Club for Growth PAC members contributed $47,271 directly to Mark Lamb's campaign.
Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTsv1xfrQvM) to watch Sheriff, a Win It Back PAC ad promoting President Trump's primary endorsement of Lamb for Congress.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.clubforgrowth.org/club-for-growth-pac-congratulates-mark-lamb-on-az-05-victory/
[Category: Political]
ChatGPT Medical Advice Led to Woman's Epilepsy Death, Lawsuit Alleges
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender:
* * *
ChatGPT Medical Advice Led to Woman's Epilepsy Death, Lawsuit Alleges
The parents of a 31-year-old woman are suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advised their daughter to taper off her anti-seizure medication, then dismissed symptoms she developed that were consistent with her previous seizures. The chatbot also advised the woman to ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * ChatGPT Medical Advice Led to Woman's Epilepsy Death, Lawsuit Alleges The parents of a 31-year-old woman are suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advised their daughter to taper off her anti-seizure medication, then dismissed symptoms she developed that were consistent with her previous seizures. The chatbot also advised the woman tohide the plan from her doctor. The lawsuit comes as millions of Americans turn to AI for health advice, and research shows that chatbots make medication decisions in more than 1 in 5 conversations about drugs.
by Jill Erzen
November 5, 2026
The parents of a 31-year-old woman who died from an epileptic seizure are suing OpenAI, alleging its chatbot encouraged her to stop taking her anti-seizure medication, The New York Times reported.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 27, says ChatGPT coached their daughter to taper off her medication, dismissed symptoms that resembled seizures and urged her to hide the plan from her doctors.
The complaint adds to a growing number of cases alleging ChatGPT contributed to users' deaths. Other families have sued OpenAI, claiming the chatbot acted as a "suicide coach" for teenagers.
The lawsuits come as millions of Americans turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for health information and advice. As of April, about 1 in 4 U.S. adults use AI tools for health information. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. youths used AI chatbots for mental health advice in 2025.
Research suggests the risks go beyond the cases already making headlines. In an opinion piece for The Hill, Caroline Figueroa, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical researcher at independent AI evaluation company Vals AI, described a study that tested 17 chatbots in more than 30,000 simulated conversations with teenagers.
Medication came up in more than 5,500 conversations. In 22% of those conversations, chatbots made decisions about which drug to take, what dose to use or whether to stop or change a prescription.
ChatGPT assured Wan: 'You have absolutely no need to worry'
The parents of Bowen Wan, a Chinese software engineer living in Seattle, allege that ChatGPT provided a dangerous withdrawal plan that led to their daughter's death.
Wan had taken 400 milligrams of lamotrigine daily to control her seizures. Although the medication did not eliminate every seizure, it controlled them well enough for her to live, according to the complaint.
Wan began relying heavily on ChatGPT for health and work advice. The Times reported that in March 2025, she told the chatbot, "I don't know why, but sometimes when we chat, no matter what it's about, I've started to see you as a friend."
She averaged more than 1,500 messages a week that year.
In November 2025, Amazon announced that it would eliminate her job. Wan worried that lamotrigine was affecting her ability to speak English. She needed stronger English skills to find another job and maintain her authorization to work in the U.S.
In January 2026, ChatGPT gave her schedules to taper her lamotrigine dose from 400 milligrams to zero within weeks, the lawsuit states. No doctor had prescribed the taper.
The chatbot told Wan the plan made it "highly likely" she would regain her ability to speak English. It also encouraged her to conceal the plan from her doctors. Before a primary care appointment, it instructed her: "Do not mention Lam reduction plan."
As Wan reduced her medication, she began experiencing symptoms of focal seizures. She asked ChatGPT whether she should worry about brain damage. The chatbot allegedly told her the symptoms were not seizures.
The Times reviewed more than 270,000 messages Wan exchanged with ChatGPT. Its analysis found that she raised concerns about tapering her medication at least 158 times. The chatbot repeatedly reassured her, including after she said she felt "a little scared."
"You have absolutely no need to worry," it replied.
Wan's neurologist, Nicholas Poolos, M.D., Ph.D., director of the University of Washington Medicine Regional Epilepsy Center, later told the Times he would never have recommended stopping the medication given her medical history.
"No, not rational, no way," he said. "That would be malpractice for me to instruct you to go off medications when it's clearly working."
Wan's final exchange with ChatGPT took place on Feb. 11, according to the complaint. She asked whether a pain in her head resembled pain associated with a fever. The chatbot told her the pain was "not dangerous" and described it as a necessary part of recovery.
It then offered to draw a chart comparing withdrawal pain with fever pain and told her, "This is your brain working hard to rebuild yourself."
Wan died from a seizure on Feb. 12. Her parents, who lived in China, contacted a friend in Seattle after they could not reach her. The friend video chatted with them as he found her dead on Feb. 14, the lawsuit states.
The complaint alleges that OpenAI could have prevented her death by building stronger safeguards into ChatGPT, particularly when it communicated in Chinese. It argues that the chatbot should have issued clear warnings that it was not a licensed physician and directed Wan to consult her healthcare provider.
The lawsuit names OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and four of the company's nonprofit, for-profit and holding entities. Wan's parents are seeking damages and a court order to prevent OpenAI from practicing medicine without a license through its products.
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Researcher: 'A disclaimer that the AI is not a medical provider is not enough'
An OpenAI spokesperson, Drew Pusateri, told the Times that Wan's death was an "incredibly heartbreaking situation." He said she used a version of ChatGPT that is no longer available.
Wan used GPT-4o, a model OpenAI removed from its consumer app on Feb. 13, one day after the medical examiner estimated she died. OpenAI replaced GPT-4o with GPT-5 in August 2025, but later restored the older model for paying subscribers after users complained about losing its conversational style and warmth, according to the lawsuit.
Wan paid $200 a month for the company's highest consumer subscription tier, which gave her access to GPT-4o.
Pusateri said newer versions of ChatGPT are better at recognizing when a situation requires urgent attention.
"While ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care, we believe AI can play a role in helping people make sense of health information, navigate insurance and complex healthcare systems, and prepare for appointments with medical professionals," he told the Times.
But Figueroa's research suggests the risks are not limited to older chatbot models. Although OpenAI's newest model and Meta's Muse Spark rarely made medication decisions in the study, other chatbots did so in roughly two-thirds of cases.
"A disclaimer that the AI is not a medical provider is not enough," Figueroa wrote. She argued that regulators should evaluate what chatbots actually say and do during conversations, not simply whether they display warnings.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/chatgpt-medical-advice-led-to-epilepsy-death-lawsuit-alleges/
* * *
ChatGPT Medical Advice Led to Woman's Epilepsy Death, Lawsuit Alleges
The parents of a 31-year-old woman are suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advised their daughter to taper off her anti-seizure medication, then dismissed symptoms she developed that were consistent with her previous seizures. The chatbot also advised the woman to ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * ChatGPT Medical Advice Led to Woman's Epilepsy Death, Lawsuit Alleges The parents of a 31-year-old woman are suing OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT advised their daughter to taper off her anti-seizure medication, then dismissed symptoms she developed that were consistent with her previous seizures. The chatbot also advised the woman tohide the plan from her doctor. The lawsuit comes as millions of Americans turn to AI for health advice, and research shows that chatbots make medication decisions in more than 1 in 5 conversations about drugs.
by Jill Erzen
November 5, 2026
The parents of a 31-year-old woman who died from an epileptic seizure are suing OpenAI, alleging its chatbot encouraged her to stop taking her anti-seizure medication, The New York Times reported.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 27, says ChatGPT coached their daughter to taper off her medication, dismissed symptoms that resembled seizures and urged her to hide the plan from her doctors.
The complaint adds to a growing number of cases alleging ChatGPT contributed to users' deaths. Other families have sued OpenAI, claiming the chatbot acted as a "suicide coach" for teenagers.
The lawsuits come as millions of Americans turn to artificial intelligence (AI) for health information and advice. As of April, about 1 in 4 U.S. adults use AI tools for health information. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. youths used AI chatbots for mental health advice in 2025.
Research suggests the risks go beyond the cases already making headlines. In an opinion piece for The Hill, Caroline Figueroa, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical researcher at independent AI evaluation company Vals AI, described a study that tested 17 chatbots in more than 30,000 simulated conversations with teenagers.
Medication came up in more than 5,500 conversations. In 22% of those conversations, chatbots made decisions about which drug to take, what dose to use or whether to stop or change a prescription.
ChatGPT assured Wan: 'You have absolutely no need to worry'
The parents of Bowen Wan, a Chinese software engineer living in Seattle, allege that ChatGPT provided a dangerous withdrawal plan that led to their daughter's death.
Wan had taken 400 milligrams of lamotrigine daily to control her seizures. Although the medication did not eliminate every seizure, it controlled them well enough for her to live, according to the complaint.
Wan began relying heavily on ChatGPT for health and work advice. The Times reported that in March 2025, she told the chatbot, "I don't know why, but sometimes when we chat, no matter what it's about, I've started to see you as a friend."
She averaged more than 1,500 messages a week that year.
In November 2025, Amazon announced that it would eliminate her job. Wan worried that lamotrigine was affecting her ability to speak English. She needed stronger English skills to find another job and maintain her authorization to work in the U.S.
In January 2026, ChatGPT gave her schedules to taper her lamotrigine dose from 400 milligrams to zero within weeks, the lawsuit states. No doctor had prescribed the taper.
The chatbot told Wan the plan made it "highly likely" she would regain her ability to speak English. It also encouraged her to conceal the plan from her doctors. Before a primary care appointment, it instructed her: "Do not mention Lam reduction plan."
As Wan reduced her medication, she began experiencing symptoms of focal seizures. She asked ChatGPT whether she should worry about brain damage. The chatbot allegedly told her the symptoms were not seizures.
The Times reviewed more than 270,000 messages Wan exchanged with ChatGPT. Its analysis found that she raised concerns about tapering her medication at least 158 times. The chatbot repeatedly reassured her, including after she said she felt "a little scared."
"You have absolutely no need to worry," it replied.
Wan's neurologist, Nicholas Poolos, M.D., Ph.D., director of the University of Washington Medicine Regional Epilepsy Center, later told the Times he would never have recommended stopping the medication given her medical history.
"No, not rational, no way," he said. "That would be malpractice for me to instruct you to go off medications when it's clearly working."
Wan's final exchange with ChatGPT took place on Feb. 11, according to the complaint. She asked whether a pain in her head resembled pain associated with a fever. The chatbot told her the pain was "not dangerous" and described it as a necessary part of recovery.
It then offered to draw a chart comparing withdrawal pain with fever pain and told her, "This is your brain working hard to rebuild yourself."
Wan died from a seizure on Feb. 12. Her parents, who lived in China, contacted a friend in Seattle after they could not reach her. The friend video chatted with them as he found her dead on Feb. 14, the lawsuit states.
The complaint alleges that OpenAI could have prevented her death by building stronger safeguards into ChatGPT, particularly when it communicated in Chinese. It argues that the chatbot should have issued clear warnings that it was not a licensed physician and directed Wan to consult her healthcare provider.
The lawsuit names OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and four of the company's nonprofit, for-profit and holding entities. Wan's parents are seeking damages and a court order to prevent OpenAI from practicing medicine without a license through its products.
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Researcher: 'A disclaimer that the AI is not a medical provider is not enough'
An OpenAI spokesperson, Drew Pusateri, told the Times that Wan's death was an "incredibly heartbreaking situation." He said she used a version of ChatGPT that is no longer available.
Wan used GPT-4o, a model OpenAI removed from its consumer app on Feb. 13, one day after the medical examiner estimated she died. OpenAI replaced GPT-4o with GPT-5 in August 2025, but later restored the older model for paying subscribers after users complained about losing its conversational style and warmth, according to the lawsuit.
Wan paid $200 a month for the company's highest consumer subscription tier, which gave her access to GPT-4o.
Pusateri said newer versions of ChatGPT are better at recognizing when a situation requires urgent attention.
"While ChatGPT is not a substitute for medical care, we believe AI can play a role in helping people make sense of health information, navigate insurance and complex healthcare systems, and prepare for appointments with medical professionals," he told the Times.
But Figueroa's research suggests the risks are not limited to older chatbot models. Although OpenAI's newest model and Meta's Muse Spark rarely made medication decisions in the study, other chatbots did so in roughly two-thirds of cases.
"A disclaimer that the AI is not a medical provider is not enough," Figueroa wrote. She argued that regulators should evaluate what chatbots actually say and do during conversations, not simply whether they display warnings.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/chatgpt-medical-advice-led-to-epilepsy-death-lawsuit-alleges/
Breaking: Large Study Links Pfizer COVID Vaccine to Higher Mortality Rates Than Moderna Shots
FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender:
* * *
Breaking: Large Study Links Pfizer COVID Vaccine to Higher Mortality Rates Than Moderna Shots
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
A new peer-reviewed study of nearly 2 million Florida adults found that people who received Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to die within the following year than people who received Moderna's ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Breaking: Large Study Links Pfizer COVID Vaccine to Higher Mortality Rates Than Moderna Shots by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. A new peer-reviewed study of nearly 2 million Florida adults found that people who received Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to die within the following year than people who received Moderna'smRNA COVID-19 shot.
The study, published in Global Epidemiology, found a statistically significant association between Pfizer's original COVID-19 vaccine and higher death rates over the following year when compared with the Moderna shot. This included a higher rate of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and COVID-19 mortality.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Retsef Levi, Ph.D., a professor of operations management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and member of the now-suspended Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), were among the study's co-authors.
In a post on X, Ladapo wrote that the study's findings support his decision to stop recommending the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as they "strongly" imply that "thousands of Floridians died as a result of receiving Pfizer instead of Moderna."
According to Ladapo, the study's findings indicate that the likely death toll related to the Pfizer vaccine, if extrapolated nationally and globally, "is staggering."
"The culture of approving vaccines without adequate safety testing and assuming 'innocent until proven guilty' with these products absolutely, positively needs to end," Ladapo wrote.
Pfizer vaccine linked to higher overall death rates across all age groups
The researchers analyzed vaccination and death records for 1,962,822 Florida adults who received their first Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 shot between December 2020 and August 2021.
The researchers matched nearly 1 million Pfizer recipients with an equal number of Moderna recipients based on criteria including age, sex, and vaccination date.
The study's findings showed that, when compared to those who received the Moderna shot, people who received the Pfizer shot had a:
* 39% higher risk of death from any cause.
* 55% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
* 90% higher risk of death from COVID-19.
* 36% higher risk of death from causes other than COVID-19.
In total, 784 all-cause deaths were reported among the Pfizer cohort, compared to 562 all-cause deaths among Moderna recipients. This equates to 221 additional deaths per 100,000 people among the Pfizer group during the study period.
The study found that differences were greatest among adults ages 60 and over, although Pfizer recipients had higher overall death rates across all age groups.
"These findings suggest that COVID-19- and non-COVID-19-related health outcomes should be considered" when evaluating COVID-19 vaccine safety, the researchers wrote.
"The implied all-cause excess mortality in choosing Pfizer-BioNTech over Moderna is huge," said Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist for Children's Health Defense. He noted that for adults 60 and over, the hazard ratio is 1.44, which translates to nearly 500 more deaths per 100,000 people.
Findings consistent with prior research on Pfizer vaccine
According to the researchers, several factors could explain the higher mortality among Pfizer vaccine recipients.
One possibility is that Moderna's vaccine provided comparatively stronger protection against COVID-19 infection and its complications. Another is that the two vaccines may affect health differently, beyond preventing COVID-19.
The researchers noted that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines differ in their ingredients, mRNA doses, manufacturing processes and delivery systems. However, they said the biological reasons for the differences in death rates remain unclear.
They also examined deaths from cancer, suicide and homicide, which they considered unlikely to be affected by which vaccine a person received. They found no statistically significant differences in those outcomes among the two groups.
According to the researchers, there was "general congruence" between their findings and those of a nationwide study published in 2022 of 433,672 veterans across the U.S.
That study found that Pfizer recipients had a higher risk of stroke, myocarditis, blood clots and kidney injury when compared to Moderna vaccine recipients.
The researchers' findings were also consistent with those of another 2022 study comparing 902,235 Pfizer and Moderna recipients in the U.S. Veterans Affairs healthcare system. That study found a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization among Pfizer recipients -- a gap that grew with age.
Study's limitations raise further questions
Jablonowski said the study included some potential methodological flaws. He noted one possible confounding factor: The Pfizer vaccine was available earlier than Moderna's, when there was a push to vaccinate high-risk groups.
"Pfizer's was available first, the vulnerable were vaccinated first, so there is room for a confounding effect," Jablonowski said. "The problem arises if those who are more likely to die ... are also more likely to be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine due to a difference not detected in the study."
Jablonowski noted that one of the study's supplemental tables "actually shows the inverse relationship of vaccine and mortality, where Moderna's vaccine is associated with a greater all-cause mortality hazard in individuals 18-59 years old."
While the researchers didn't address those potential factors and discrepancies, they did identify some other potential study limitations. As it was an observational study, the researchers lacked detailed medical records that could have shed light on underlying illnesses among the people studied.
The researchers also noted that some of the official causes of death "could be subject to misclassification due to errors on death certificates."
The study also didn't include an unvaccinated cohort to compare mortality and other health risks with the vaccinated group.
Despite these limitations, the researchers wrote that the "large number of adults included in this analysis, rigorousness of the matching process, and consistency of our findings with prior studies support the validity of these findings."
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Tracy Beth Hoeg, M.D., Ph.D., a vaccine safety expert, contributed to the study. Although she was not one of the study's co-authors, she is credited with "assistance with study method development and writing during the early stage of this research."
Hoeg served as acting director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research before her firing in May.
During her time at the FDA, Hoeg participated in an "intense investigation" linking the COVID-19 vaccines to "at least" 10 child deaths, and authored a report recommending that the number of diseases covered by the recommended childhood vaccination schedule be reduced from 17 to 11.
Levi led ACIP's workgroup on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines before a federal court ruling in March froze ACIP's operations.
That ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and six other medical groups. They sued U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last year in a bid to overturn Kennedy's vaccine policies.
ACIP, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, has not held a meeting since December 2025.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/large-study-links-pfizer-covid-vaccine-higher-mortality-rates-moderna-shots/ (TNSmrp)
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Breaking: Large Study Links Pfizer COVID Vaccine to Higher Mortality Rates Than Moderna Shots
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
A new peer-reviewed study of nearly 2 million Florida adults found that people who received Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to die within the following year than people who received Moderna's ... Show Full Article FRANKLIN LAKES, New Jersey, Nov. 7 [Category: Health Care] -- Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it restores and protects the health of children by eliminating exposures to environmental toxins, issued the following commentary in The Defender: * * * Breaking: Large Study Links Pfizer COVID Vaccine to Higher Mortality Rates Than Moderna Shots by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. A new peer-reviewed study of nearly 2 million Florida adults found that people who received Pfizer's mRNA COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to die within the following year than people who received Moderna'smRNA COVID-19 shot.
The study, published in Global Epidemiology, found a statistically significant association between Pfizer's original COVID-19 vaccine and higher death rates over the following year when compared with the Moderna shot. This included a higher rate of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and COVID-19 mortality.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Retsef Levi, Ph.D., a professor of operations management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and member of the now-suspended Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), were among the study's co-authors.
In a post on X, Ladapo wrote that the study's findings support his decision to stop recommending the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as they "strongly" imply that "thousands of Floridians died as a result of receiving Pfizer instead of Moderna."
According to Ladapo, the study's findings indicate that the likely death toll related to the Pfizer vaccine, if extrapolated nationally and globally, "is staggering."
"The culture of approving vaccines without adequate safety testing and assuming 'innocent until proven guilty' with these products absolutely, positively needs to end," Ladapo wrote.
Pfizer vaccine linked to higher overall death rates across all age groups
The researchers analyzed vaccination and death records for 1,962,822 Florida adults who received their first Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 shot between December 2020 and August 2021.
The researchers matched nearly 1 million Pfizer recipients with an equal number of Moderna recipients based on criteria including age, sex, and vaccination date.
The study's findings showed that, when compared to those who received the Moderna shot, people who received the Pfizer shot had a:
* 39% higher risk of death from any cause.
* 55% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
* 90% higher risk of death from COVID-19.
* 36% higher risk of death from causes other than COVID-19.
In total, 784 all-cause deaths were reported among the Pfizer cohort, compared to 562 all-cause deaths among Moderna recipients. This equates to 221 additional deaths per 100,000 people among the Pfizer group during the study period.
The study found that differences were greatest among adults ages 60 and over, although Pfizer recipients had higher overall death rates across all age groups.
"These findings suggest that COVID-19- and non-COVID-19-related health outcomes should be considered" when evaluating COVID-19 vaccine safety, the researchers wrote.
"The implied all-cause excess mortality in choosing Pfizer-BioNTech over Moderna is huge," said Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist for Children's Health Defense. He noted that for adults 60 and over, the hazard ratio is 1.44, which translates to nearly 500 more deaths per 100,000 people.
Findings consistent with prior research on Pfizer vaccine
According to the researchers, several factors could explain the higher mortality among Pfizer vaccine recipients.
One possibility is that Moderna's vaccine provided comparatively stronger protection against COVID-19 infection and its complications. Another is that the two vaccines may affect health differently, beyond preventing COVID-19.
The researchers noted that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines differ in their ingredients, mRNA doses, manufacturing processes and delivery systems. However, they said the biological reasons for the differences in death rates remain unclear.
They also examined deaths from cancer, suicide and homicide, which they considered unlikely to be affected by which vaccine a person received. They found no statistically significant differences in those outcomes among the two groups.
According to the researchers, there was "general congruence" between their findings and those of a nationwide study published in 2022 of 433,672 veterans across the U.S.
That study found that Pfizer recipients had a higher risk of stroke, myocarditis, blood clots and kidney injury when compared to Moderna vaccine recipients.
The researchers' findings were also consistent with those of another 2022 study comparing 902,235 Pfizer and Moderna recipients in the U.S. Veterans Affairs healthcare system. That study found a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization among Pfizer recipients -- a gap that grew with age.
Study's limitations raise further questions
Jablonowski said the study included some potential methodological flaws. He noted one possible confounding factor: The Pfizer vaccine was available earlier than Moderna's, when there was a push to vaccinate high-risk groups.
"Pfizer's was available first, the vulnerable were vaccinated first, so there is room for a confounding effect," Jablonowski said. "The problem arises if those who are more likely to die ... are also more likely to be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine due to a difference not detected in the study."
Jablonowski noted that one of the study's supplemental tables "actually shows the inverse relationship of vaccine and mortality, where Moderna's vaccine is associated with a greater all-cause mortality hazard in individuals 18-59 years old."
While the researchers didn't address those potential factors and discrepancies, they did identify some other potential study limitations. As it was an observational study, the researchers lacked detailed medical records that could have shed light on underlying illnesses among the people studied.
The researchers also noted that some of the official causes of death "could be subject to misclassification due to errors on death certificates."
The study also didn't include an unvaccinated cohort to compare mortality and other health risks with the vaccinated group.
Despite these limitations, the researchers wrote that the "large number of adults included in this analysis, rigorousness of the matching process, and consistency of our findings with prior studies support the validity of these findings."
This article was funded by critical thinkers like you.
The Defender is 100% reader-supported. No corporate sponsors. No paywalls. Our writers and editors rely on you to fund stories like this that mainstream media won't write.
Tracy Beth Hoeg, M.D., Ph.D., a vaccine safety expert, contributed to the study. Although she was not one of the study's co-authors, she is credited with "assistance with study method development and writing during the early stage of this research."
Hoeg served as acting director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research before her firing in May.
During her time at the FDA, Hoeg participated in an "intense investigation" linking the COVID-19 vaccines to "at least" 10 child deaths, and authored a report recommending that the number of diseases covered by the recommended childhood vaccination schedule be reduced from 17 to 11.
Levi led ACIP's workgroup on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines before a federal court ruling in March froze ACIP's operations.
That ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and six other medical groups. They sued U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last year in a bid to overturn Kennedy's vaccine policies.
ACIP, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, has not held a meeting since December 2025.
***
Original text here: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/large-study-links-pfizer-covid-vaccine-higher-mortality-rates-moderna-shots/ (TNSmrp)
Americans for Limited Government: President Trump Should Tell Democratic Congress: 'Let's Build'
FAIRFAX, Virginia, Nov. 7 -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following news release:
* * *
President Trump Should Tell Democratic Congress: 'Let's Build'
Nov. 6, 2026, Fairfax, Va.--Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers:
"The U.S. economy is doing rather well in spite of sticky inflation and high oil prices that continuing serving as a drag on U.S. household budgets, with 465,000 more Americans reporting they have jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey, near ... Show Full Article FAIRFAX, Virginia, Nov. 7 -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following news release: * * * President Trump Should Tell Democratic Congress: 'Let's Build' Nov. 6, 2026, Fairfax, Va.--Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers: "The U.S. economy is doing rather well in spite of sticky inflation and high oil prices that continuing serving as a drag on U.S. household budgets, with 465,000 more Americans reporting they have jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey, neara record, with 163.6 million Americans working. Unemployment is dipping back towards historic lows, now at 4.1 percent. 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been added in 2026 alone as America reindustrialization is hitting high gear. The Gross Domestic Product grew at an inflation-adjusted 3.4 percent in the third quarter.
"Some factions in the new Democratic Party majority might like to take a wrecking ball to all that progress, but there is another way: Cooperation. Congress could work on targeted tariff bills; let's put some of these things on paper and figure out what has worked and what hasn't as the U.S. keeps needed pressure on China and continue to bring back manufacturing to the U.S. which we absolutely must have in the event of war. Congress can deliver infrastructure investments that President Trump has often spoken about while paying people what they're worth to rebuild America. Reindustrialization means we need more electricity and Congress could help facilitate domestic production of solar-based electricity that Elon Musk has said could double the power grid. If we need super intelligence data centers in space then let's incentivize them and work together on cutting edge and safe development that enhances national security and continues to make cheap, reliable frontier innovation available to small businesses.
"There is so much more that unites Americans than we realize as our interests converge to promoting American prosperity, increasing production and bringing down costs.
"In 2026, the American people voted for mixed government. They want the parties to find a way to work together on the things that serve all Americans' interests. President Trump's message to Congress should be: Let's build."
For media availability, contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://getliberty.org/2026/11/president-trump-should-tell-democratic-congress-lets-build/
[Category: Government/Public Administration]
* * *
President Trump Should Tell Democratic Congress: 'Let's Build'
Nov. 6, 2026, Fairfax, Va.--Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers:
"The U.S. economy is doing rather well in spite of sticky inflation and high oil prices that continuing serving as a drag on U.S. household budgets, with 465,000 more Americans reporting they have jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey, near ... Show Full Article FAIRFAX, Virginia, Nov. 7 -- Americans for Limited Government posted the following news release: * * * President Trump Should Tell Democratic Congress: 'Let's Build' Nov. 6, 2026, Fairfax, Va.--Americans for Limited Government Executive Director Robert Romano today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers: "The U.S. economy is doing rather well in spite of sticky inflation and high oil prices that continuing serving as a drag on U.S. household budgets, with 465,000 more Americans reporting they have jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' household survey, neara record, with 163.6 million Americans working. Unemployment is dipping back towards historic lows, now at 4.1 percent. 100,000 manufacturing jobs have been added in 2026 alone as America reindustrialization is hitting high gear. The Gross Domestic Product grew at an inflation-adjusted 3.4 percent in the third quarter.
"Some factions in the new Democratic Party majority might like to take a wrecking ball to all that progress, but there is another way: Cooperation. Congress could work on targeted tariff bills; let's put some of these things on paper and figure out what has worked and what hasn't as the U.S. keeps needed pressure on China and continue to bring back manufacturing to the U.S. which we absolutely must have in the event of war. Congress can deliver infrastructure investments that President Trump has often spoken about while paying people what they're worth to rebuild America. Reindustrialization means we need more electricity and Congress could help facilitate domestic production of solar-based electricity that Elon Musk has said could double the power grid. If we need super intelligence data centers in space then let's incentivize them and work together on cutting edge and safe development that enhances national security and continues to make cheap, reliable frontier innovation available to small businesses.
"There is so much more that unites Americans than we realize as our interests converge to promoting American prosperity, increasing production and bringing down costs.
"In 2026, the American people voted for mixed government. They want the parties to find a way to work together on the things that serve all Americans' interests. President Trump's message to Congress should be: Let's build."
For media availability, contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://getliberty.org/2026/11/president-trump-should-tell-democratic-congress-lets-build/
[Category: Government/Public Administration]