New Public Health Alerts to Counter CDC’s MMWR

In an effort to address shortcomings in the federal public health infrastructure, two organizations are teaming up to introduce an alternative to the CDC’s well-known Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, often viewed as “the voice of the CDC.”

The New England Journal of Medicine, along with the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), will start releasing “public health alerts” next month. Michael Osterholm, the director of CIDRAP, made this announcement at the IDWeek conference on Sunday.

He described the alerts as a timely means to share information that was traditionally found in the MMWR. “We encourage all of you to begin thinking about submissions of outbreaks or data you think should be evaluated,” he mentioned during the opening session aimed at infectious disease specialists. “I hope you’ll help participate in that.”

A spokesperson for NEJM shared that these alerts will appear in a new section of the NEJM Evidence journal, published as necessary rather than weekly, and they’ll be accessible for free. Additional details about the rapid digital alerts will be released in the coming weeks, made in collaboration with CIDRAP.

Since its inception in 1952, the MMWR has been a cornerstone of public health communication, typically reporting on new outbreaks and emerging health issues. However, trust in the publication has waned among many public health professionals. During the early days of the Trump administration, for instance, a communications pause halted the release of new articles, marking a historic first for the journal. It faced further interruptions during a recent government shutdown, and earlier this month, a significant part of its team was laid off, only to be reinstated hours later.

Charlotte Kent, the former editor-in-chief, left the CDC earlier this year, indicating that there had been pressures to alter the journal’s reporting practices.

A representative from the Department of Health and Human Services reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to the MMWR as a reliable, science-driven source for timely health information.

CIDRAP has started to undertake functions typically associated with federal responsibilities. Recently, the center launched the Vaccine Integrity Project, which has introduced alternative vaccine recommendations to those from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

This week, Osterholm shared that CIDRAP has more initiatives planned to strengthen public health infrastructure during a time of dwindling political support. His center has sought funding from private foundations to support eight graduate students.

“I am happy to report… that there are a series of activities ongoing… more than 65 foundations are pooling their resources to support science,” he stated at the conference. This highlights the urgent need for the philanthropic sector to reconsider its approach and take meaningful action.

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify that the public health alerts will be published in a new section of NEJM Evidence.