In brief
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is gathering to deliberate and potentially vote on vaccination recommendations for COVID-19, hepatitis B, and chickenpox. The committee may be considering revising longstanding guidance that U.S. children receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, despite significant reductions in liver disease among children since its implementation. This meeting follows previous criticisms of Kennedy's anti-vaccine stance and adjustments to the panel's composition, raising concerns from public health officials about the implications for vaccination programs.
ATLANTA (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory committee meets Thursday to begin a two-day session focused on shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox.
Votes are expected Thursday afternoon on hepatitis B and on a combined shot against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox, but Department of Health and Human Services officials have not disclosed which proposals will be considered.
The agenda suggests the committee might reassess the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. children receive an initial dose of the hepatitis B vaccine right after birth. This practice has been widely supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous public health officials.
Dr. Mysheika Roberts, health director in Columbus, Ohio, expressed confusion over possibly discontinuing the hepatitis B vaccine during infancy, emphasizing the significant reductions in pediatric liver disease since the vaccine's adoption. “If it’s not broken, why change it?” she questioned.
The committee, chaired by Martin Kulldorff, may also suggest that the MMRV combination shot not be administered to children under 4, citing rare instances of feverish seizures associated with its first dose.
Since the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices last addressed the MMRV issue in 2009, pediatricians typically recommend separate doses for the first vaccination round. Some public health experts fear that reconsidering these recommendations could introduce unnecessary doubts about vaccines among parents.
Traditionally, CDC directors endorse the committee's recommendations, which are crucial for guiding vaccination practices across the U.S. However, Kennedy's recent changes to the panel, including the dismissal of its prior members, have garnered significant concern from medical professionals and advocacy groups, particularly following his removal of COVID-19 vaccinations from CDC recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.
As the committee approaches votes regarding COVID-19 vaccination guidelines on Friday, state health officials have begun implementing measures to ensure residents continue to have access to necessary vaccinations. Wisconsin, for instance, has enacted policies to support COVID-19 vaccinations at pharmacies without requiring individual prescriptions.
___
Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky.
