Kennedy Advisers Consider Major Revisions to Childhood Vaccination Schedule
Advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are considering major revisions to the childhood vaccination schedule, including delaying or potentially removing the routine hepatitis B shot given at birth, The New York Times' Apoorva Mandavilli reports. Although not legally binding, their decisions could significantly influence insurance coverage and public health guidelines, with members also expected to debate vaccine ingredients and the use of combination shots, Mandavilli writes. Publicly traded companies that could be impacted include Moderna (MRNA), Pfizer (PFE), BioNTech (BNTX), Novavax (NVAX), AstraZeneca (AZN), Bristol Myers (BMY), Eli Lilly (LLY), GSK (GSK), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Merck (MRK), Novartis (NVS), Roche (RHHBY), and Sanofi (SNY).
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- Collaborative Drug Development: AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb are partnering with Switzerland-based Evinova to leverage its AI-native platform for drug development, aiming to enhance research efficiency and reduce costs.
- Cost Savings in R&D: Evinova claims its platform can deliver at least 5%-7% savings per study, which will significantly improve the economic viability of drug development and enhance the competitive edge of the partners in the market.
- Intelligent Clinical Design: Evinova's AI digitizer capability converts clinical study designs, protocols, and documents into machine-readable formats, improving data processing efficiency and accelerating the drug development timeline.
- Multi-Partner Collaboration Model: The platform's flexible architecture enables a multi-model partner approach, providing access to advanced AI models and deep enterprise expertise, fostering smarter operational insights and driving innovation in the industry.

Strategic Collaborations: EvinoVA has announced strategic collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies including Astellas, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb.
Focus on Clinical Development: These partnerships aim to advance EvinoVA's AI-native platform to accelerate global clinical development efforts.
- Policy Advocacy: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary stated in Washington that the agency plans to push for more prescription drugs to become over-the-counter (OTC) this year, aiming to improve drug accessibility and reduce healthcare costs, which could allow patients to obtain basic safe medications without a doctor's visit.
- Regulatory Streamlining: Legislation passed by Congress in November simplifies the regulatory process for transitioning prescription drugs to OTC status, including full, conditional, and partial switch pathways, which is expected to accelerate drug availability and enhance patient convenience in medication access.
- Increased Transparency: Makary emphasized that OTC sales would bypass insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, potentially lowering drug prices and increasing transparency, with cash prices for OTC medications possibly being lower than patients' copays for prescription drugs, thereby alleviating financial burdens on patients.
- Industry Pushback: The pharmaceutical industry has raised concerns about this policy, arguing that OTC drugs may not be covered by insurance, leading to higher costs for patients, and that the FDA lacks authority over drug pricing, necessitating thorough consultations with manufacturers before any transitions.
- Regulatory Reform Advocacy: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary asserts that all drugs should be over-the-counter unless deemed unsafe or addictive, aiming to enhance drug accessibility and reduce healthcare costs through streamlined regulatory processes.
- Drug Transition Process: The FDA is updating OTC monographs to transition basic, safe prescription drugs like nausea medications and vaginal estrogen to OTC status, allowing patients to obtain necessary medications without a doctor's visit.
- Industry Pushback: The pharmaceutical industry has expressed skepticism regarding the FDA's plans, arguing that many OTC drugs are not covered by insurance, potentially leading to higher costs for patients and decreased access to treatments.
- Transparency and Cost Control: Makary emphasizes that OTC sales will enhance price transparency, bypassing insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, thereby making drug prices more competitive and promoting patient adherence to medication regimens.
- Bullish Outlook for Apple: Joshua Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, remains bullish on Apple, with Wedbush analyst Dan Ives reiterating an Outperform rating and maintaining a $350 price target, reflecting strong market confidence in Apple's growth potential.
- AstraZeneca's Solid Earnings: AstraZeneca reported Q4 2025 sales of $15.5 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase, nearly matching the consensus of $15.49 billion, with adjusted earnings of $2.12 per share exceeding expectations of $2.09, showcasing its competitive strength in the pharmaceutical sector.
- VICI Properties Rating Downgrade: Scotiabank analyst Nicholas Yulico downgraded VICI Properties from Sector Outperform to Sector Perform and lowered the price target from $36 to $30, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future performance.
- Ulta Beauty's Middle East Expansion: Ulta Beauty announced its first store opening in the UAE at Mall of the Emirates on January 29, reflecting its strategic expansion into international markets, which could enhance brand visibility and market share.
- Optimistic European Outlook: Goldman Sachs projects a 7.5% annual return for European stocks over the next decade, driven by strong earnings growth and a dividend yield of about 3%, which is likely to attract more investor interest in the European market.
- Emerging Market Potential: Emerging market stocks are expected to return 12.8% annually, primarily supported by robust earnings growth in China and India, highlighting the significance and appeal of these markets in the global economy.
- Vanguard ETF Advantages: The Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF boasts an expense ratio of just 0.06%, significantly lower than the average 0.81% for similar funds, providing investors with a cost-effective avenue for European stock exposure, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness.
- US vs. European Stocks: While US stocks outperformed European stocks over the past decade, Goldman believes that due to high valuations in the US market, European stocks may surpass them in the next decade, prompting investors to reassess their asset allocation strategies.









