Another Plot Twist in Vaccine Policy

Good morning.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and for those in the Midwest, that you stayed safe from Winter Storm Bellamy (shoutout to my husband, who shoveled over nine inches of snow while I stayed warm). A new storm’s already on the way this week, and it’s expected to hit the Northeast. The weather gave my family the perfect excuse to catch up on some movies at home, though we missed out on the Zootopia 2 hype. I also decorated for the holidays (cue the annual real vs. fake tree debate), and of course, nibbled on some Thanksgiving leftovers. Speaking of which, if you have any lingering sides in your fridge, be warned: After today, they may no longer be safe to eat. If you want to whip up some last-minute lunch or dinner ideas to seize the day, check out these chef-approved leftover recipes. Now, let’s get to the headlines…

— Maria Corpus / Editor / Madison, WI

What's Happening

Health

Another Plot Twist in Vaccine Policy

What's going on: An internal email from a senior FDA official seems to have spilled the agency’s push for stricter vaccine rules. In a memo to staff, top vaccine regulator and critic Vinay Prasad called for tighter oversight of the annual flu shot, vaccines for pregnant women, and any new shots in general, according to The New York Times. The email linked the COVID-19 vaccine to the deaths of 10 children (whose ages weren’t specified) and suggested myocarditis (a rare heart condition) as the likely cause. These statements haven’t been peer-reviewed or published, and the FDA didn’t specify which vaccine maker or data it used to reach that conclusion. While the CDC acknowledged a “likely association” with myocarditis in 2021, especially in teens and young adults, it said vaccine benefits still outweighed the risks.

What it means: The basics haven’t changed: Infectious disease experts say COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and have saved countless lives, and they point to peer-reviewed studies and controlled trials to back that up. Some experts have questions about the FDA data and want more evidence from the Trump administration. Others allege the administration cherry-picked numbers to justify Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s broader rollback of vaccine recommendations. The memo also surfaced right before a key meeting later this week, when Kennedy’s handpicked advisors will discuss a potential overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule. Stay tuned.

Related: The FDA Warns These 19 Cookware Products Could Leach Lead (CBS News)

The News In 5

🗞️ The Trump administration paused all asylum decisions after a National Guard member was fatally shot and another critically injured.

🗞️ Flooding across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand has killed more than 1,000 people in recent days as the search for survivors continues.

🗞️ US and Ukrainian officials spent four hours in Florida reworking President Donald Trump’s peace plan. Russian President Vladimir Putin gets the pitch this week.

🗞️ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked for a pardon in his corruption trial.

🗞️ Did Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violate international law? A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants answers to a boat strike in September.

US News

What's Behind the Rise in Elective IVF?

What’s going on: For countless families, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has turned their dreams of having a child into a reality. While the treatment can come with a heavy emotional and financial toll, demand for it has soared. The number of babies born through assisted reproductive technology — mostly via IVF — climbed 45% from 2013 to 2022. Axios reports a new twist behind the surge: More people now pursue IVF even when they can conceive on their own. The main reason? They want to screen embryos for genetic traits. At the center of elective IVF’s rise is PGT-P, a polygenic screening that scores embryos for specific conditions and traits — from schizophrenia and autism risk to height and IQ — using massive adult DNA databases.

What it means: Doctors warn that polygenic tests aren’t yet reliable enough to rank embryos and may even lead to healthy ones being discarded. Others, however, say the tests can provide useful context about potential risks. Some experts caution that choosing embryos based on these results could shape parental expectations (like assuming a child will be exceptionally athletic or high-achieving) and put stress on the parent-child relationship. On top of that, the rise of elective IVF also pushes the industry deeper into business-first territory. Some fear elective cycles could clog an already stretched system, making it harder for people who truly need IVF to access care.

Related: When Divorce Decides an Embryo’s Future (WSJ Gift Link)

Health

Bad Day? We Have a New Excuse for You

What's going on: So you threw a little tantrum when your partner didn’t pick up the right brand at the grocery store (again). Or maybe you fired off a petty “per my last email” note at work. Well, we have great news: You may be able to blame it all on adolescence. Really. A new study says this phase lasts much longer than initially thought — into our early 30s, at least for the brain. Adolescence isn’t just angst — it’s when the brain’s network of neurons become more efficient. Researchers studied 4,000 people up to age 90 and found that the brain has five distinct phases: childhood from birth to 9, adolescence from 9 to 32, adulthood from 32 to 66, early aging from 66 to 83, and late aging from 83 on. They say 32 is essentially the “peak,” and once we hit adulthood, intelligence and personality tend to “plateau” (so yes, this may be as good as it gets).

What it means: The researchers hope these findings help explain why certain mental health conditions tend to show up in the “adolescence” years, and why dementia risk rises later on. That could essentially give us a clearer roadmap for how the brain changes across a lifetime. They also stress that there’s still a lot to learn. And while, yes, this study points to adolescence and adulthood as golden eras for learning and growing, we’ve all heard of “late bloomers” — luckily, you can’t age out of changing your mind. Or your life.

Related: You’re Not “Lazy,” It’s Just Your Brain, But There Are Ways To Trick It (The Guardian)

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ Who will win big at the Gotham Film Awards?

🗓️ Oxford announced its Word of the Year. We’re not sure it’s any better than “brain rot.”

🗓️ Meteorological winter begins. Just don't confuse this with the winter solstice.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Gifts of the Day

The cutest bag charm, a Stanley tumbler, and a personalized baguette cut birthstone necklace.*

Know It All

These six foods can lead to better sleep. Which one isn’t on the list?

Game Time

Wake your brain up this Monday with a game of Flipart. Just rotate the pieces to fit within the frame and get ready to feel the rush when they all fall into place. Get into it.