US poised to lose measles elimination status

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Healthcare Newsletter US poised to lose measles elimination status by Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi - 11/13/26 7:08 PM ET Link copied by Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi - 11/13/26 7:08 PM ET Link copied NOW PLAYING Presented by CareQuest {beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story U.S. poised to lose measles elimination status The United States is on the brink of losing its measles elimination status after more than 25 years. Losing measles elimination status would be mostly symbolic, but it marks a step back for public health. © Annie Rice, Associated Press file According to the latest release of data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 5,400 confirmed measles infections nationwide, more than twice that of last year’s. New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have all reported their first measles-related deaths in decades this year, with 10 deaths reported by the states. The CDC’s total currently only reflects six deaths, with the agency having switched from relying on states to official death certificate data, which takes longer to confirm. Elimination status means that there have been no sustained instances of measles transmission for 12 months or more. The rising infections have been driven by declining vaccination rates; the national MMR vaccination rate in school-age children reached a new low of 92.4% in the 2025-2026 school year, with 39 states reporting rates that fall below the 95% target threshold. To lose elimination status, measles must be spreading for 12 months or more, which passed in January of this year. The U.S. first achieved measles elimination status in 2000, with infection rates falling significantly after the two-dose measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was adopted at the national level in 1989. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has been reviewing the nation’s status this week, and the result is all but certain. Canada lost its own measles elimination status one year ago and has since been working with PAHO on regaining it. In a statement on Thursday, the Infectious Disease Society of America called the formal loss of the country’s elimination status a “tragedy.” “The expected loss of America’s status as having eradicated measles will be a tragedy because it reflects the preventable loss of human lives. It is unthinkable that people in the United States should be dying from measles in 2026,” Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. 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Eros Apothecary said its Candy Power For Man Organic Honey product contained tadalafil, according to a notice issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “The recall was initiated after FDA laboratory testing identified undeclared tadalafil,” … Full Story In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Mullin: No indication of ‘nefarious attack’ on FAA as DHS investigates root cause of telecom outage Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stressed that Americans flying Friday are safe, even as he said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would continue to seek the root cause of a telecom outage that pushed the government to ground flights. Full Story Around the Nation Local and state headlines on healthcare: Fed up with the healthcare industry, North Dakota capped insulin prices for patients (KFF Health News) State health officials report second child’s death from measles in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Examiner) Pennsylvania confirms a seventh death tied to the nation’s worst measles outbreak in decades (Philadelphia Inquirer) What We’re Reading Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets: Kratom and 7-OH can feel like ‘a miracle.’ They can also be addictive (NPR) Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed on restoring trust in science, the state of public health, and RFK Jr. (Stat) Her death from dengue may signal that the disease is here to stay (The New York Times) What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: The risk of blindness from GLP-1 drugs is too serious to ignore Betrayal after service: Let’s do better for our veterans You’re all caught up. Check out The Hill’s Healthcare page for the latest coverage. 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