Pregnancy, Antidepressants and Vaccine Politics: A Quick Take

The day after a sunny walk, some health news caught attention. First, a top FDA official stopped Moderna’s new flu vaccine from moving forward. He overruled the scientists who had already looked at the data. Some insiders say a change in tone from the company might flip the decision later. Next, the Department of Health celebrated a new “real food” campaign. They held a big event in Washington, D. C. , with posters on every chair. The pictures showed carrots, eggs, apples and salmon. A big headline promised that the government would back healthy eating. Some staff even let people keep the posters as souvenirs. A different health story looked at lung cancer in people who never smoked. As fewer adults smoke, the share of cases among non‑smokers rises. Researchers still debate whether the absolute numbers are growing. A conversation with a lung‑cancer biologist explained why women might be at higher risk and what doctors should watch for when symptoms are vague.In drug‑use circles, a new trend is moving from needles to pipes. A founder of an organization that sells safe‑use tools said smoking is safer and more social than injecting. This shift shows how people’s habits can change health risks, even if policies lag behind. The most urgent finding came from a study of nearly 4, 000 pregnant people. Those who stopped taking antidepressants were twice as likely to face a mental‑health crisis compared with those who kept their medication. The risk spikes in the first and ninth months of pregnancy. Researchers used a private‑insurance database to find that most people on SSRIs or SNRIs cut their doses during pregnancy. They warned that mental‑health treatment should not be withheld. Finally, a surprising pattern emerged in grant reviews. Over 40 life‑sciences students had their applications for a major fellowship returned before any expert review. This “no‑review” rejection could change the future of many early‑career researchers.