New Vaccine Advisory Panel Established by HHS Director Kennedy

Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has created a revamped federal vaccine advisory panel, which will focus on the cumulative effects of vaccination schedules for children and adolescents, according to the panel’s chairman.

The Advisory Committee on Vaccination Practices (ACIP) will also review long-standing vaccine recommendations such as those for measles and hepatitis B.

Martin Kulldorff announced these updates during ACIP’s first meeting since Kennedy replaced all 17 previous members, citing conflicts of interest two weeks prior.

Just two days after the reshuffle, Kennedy appointed a new group of eight members. However, one person withdrew right before the meeting while their financial holdings were reviewed, leaving seven members to make vaccine recommendations.

“Committee Kennedy has tasked us with the mission of using evidence-based medical care,” Kulldorff stated. “We are here to make vaccine recommendations. Not all vaccines are categorically good or bad.”

The HHS Chief, who previously co-founded the anti-vaccine group Child Health Defense before taking office, has long called for an examination of the quantity of vaccines given during childhood, describing it as insufficiently researched.

This review will be conducted by two new ACIP workgroups, Kulldorff explained, though it’s unclear if they are currently active. One workgroup will examine vaccines for children and adolescents, while the other will assess vaccines approved for more than seven years.

Kulldorff pointed out that the hepatitis B vaccine is often combined with other vaccines like MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and chickenpox.

The panel chair also mentioned that the group would consider religious objections to MMR vaccines that are derived from fetal cell lines and may explore Japan-approved alternatives.

“Today, children and adolescents in the U.S. receive more vaccines than those in most other developed nations, and certainly more than we did as kids,” Kulldorff noted.

“It’s crucial to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the vaccination schedule, including how different vaccines interact, the total quantity administered, the cumulative ingredients involved, and the timing of the shots,” he added.

For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Independent Advisory Committee has offered guidance on vaccination timing for Americans.

The Affordable Care Act mandates that insurers cover vaccines recommended by the panel at no cost, which in turn influences state decisions about required vaccinations for schoolchildren.

Kennedy’s changes have created uncertainty within this system. Physicians and public health organizations are urging insurers to continue covering vaccines regardless of ACIP’s decisions.

“ACIP’s role involves evaluating vaccines throughout a person’s life,” said Chrissie Juliano, executive director of the Big Cities Health Coalition. “We need to reconsider vaccine recommendations, particularly as the committee’s composition changes.”

On the same day, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced its withdrawal from ACIP hearings. AAP president Susan Cresley stated, “We will not support a system that is politicized at the expense of child health.”

Before the meeting, the American Health Insurance Plan (AHIP) assured it was working on maintaining vaccine coverage for affordability this respiratory virus season.

“We encourage all Americans to have discussions with their healthcare providers about vaccines,” the group mentioned.

As the meeting commenced, President Trump’s CDC nominee Susan Monares testified before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee. She expressed that she has yet to see a link between vaccines and autism and encouraged experts to step forward to fill remaining panel vacancies.

“These positions require significant time and commitment from highly trained individuals,” Monares explained. “Understanding statistical analysis involves deep expertise in immunological processes.”

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) voiced concerns about the rushed nature of the meeting with a diminished panel. He noted that the lack of a confirmed CDC director raises issues about the efficacy of the process, particularly with several small ACIP panels lacking extensive vaccine expertise.

Moreover, Louisiana Republicans have expressed apprehension over an upcoming presentation on thimerosal by anti-vaccine activist Lynredwood, who leads Child Health Defense. Thimerosal is a preservative used in some flu vaccines and has been controversially associated with autism.

“While critics of thimerosal will be testifying, there’s been little substantial evidence to prove its safety in the amounts used in vaccines,” Cassidy remarked.

Documents posted before the meeting indicated that thimerosal is safe and unrelated to autism or neurological issues, but this information was not accessible on Wednesday.

“If ACIP hearings become a platform for mistrust, I ask that you strive for a genuinely balanced view moving forward,” Cassidy concluded.