FDA recall roundup (1/26/25)

We are on day 5 of the pause in communication from federal health agencies, so what is new?

If you are new to my Substack, welcome! I am Dr. Zachary Rubin. I am double board-certified in Pediatrics and Allergy/Immunology. I am passionate about health communications and helping provide general health information to the public. I was not planning on making this series, but since January 21, 2025, the current presidential administration ordered a pause on all external communications from federal health agencies inside the Department of Health and Human Services such as the FDA, CDC and NIH.

While it is not unusual for a temporary pause to occur during a presidential transition, the length and scope of this pause is concerning. As time goes on, the general public as well as scientists and healthcare professionals will not be able to get the usual access to important information from these agencies. This includes a delay in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which has not happened in over 60 years. If you would like updates regarding infectious diseases on Substack, I suggest my colleague

LIL_Science

who has a PhD in immunology and is a great science communicator. Feel free to drop your favorite Substacks in the comment section.

When will the pause be lifted?

According to a memo obtained by CBS News from acting Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Dorthy Fink, the pause may be lifted by February 1. However, I do not know if the pause will be lifted any sooner. There could also be delays. Hopefully, the pause ends in the next day or so.

How will this Substack help you?

Until the pause is lifted, I am shifting my educational focus on this platform to provide any FDA recalls for food and drugs. Since the government cannot provide external communications, no email alerts are provided by them for the time being. By subscribing to this Substack, you will get daily updates so that you do not need to worry about searching for the information yourself. After this pause is lifted, I will be providing regular educational updates to you and I am open to feedback on what you would like to learn about.

While these are unprecedented times in public health, I am confident that we can come together to help each other. Thank you for being here and for your support!

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Update to post

I will also be posting about any new drug shortages that are reported.

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I hope I do not need to make many more posts like this, but if you want to stay informed, please subscribe to my Substack. Any support is greatly appreciated.