Vaccine advisors convene this week, potentially shaping health department policies
In a significant gathering at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is set to address questions regarding COVID-19 shots for the fall and the hepatitis B vaccination for infants.
The ACIP, which provides guidance to the CDC director on how vaccines should be used to prevent disease in the U.S. population, is under scrutiny due to concerns about the influence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has stacked the panel with members who question the safety of long-established vaccines and has made critical statements about current vaccine policy.
The ACIP's recommendations determine which vaccines are offered for free through the Vaccines for Children program, and what many health insurers must cover. This has been a point of contention, as their decisions can impact vaccine accessibility for many.
One of the key issues on the table is the recommendation for COVID-19 vaccinations in the fall. The ACIP's decision affects primarily adults over 65 years and younger people who undergo a shared decision-making process with their healthcare providers. Vaccinations are no longer universally recommended for everyone above six months old but are advised especially for individuals at high risk of severe disease.
However, there is a concern that the ACIP's recommendations could limit access to COVID-19 vaccines, potentially making it harder for people to get shots this fall. This could lead to less healthy communities and more people dying from preventable diseases.
Another issue under discussion is the hepatitis B vaccination for infants. At a previous meeting in June, Martin Kulldorff questioned the need for all babies to receive the hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B, a viral infection that attacks the liver, cannot be cured, and the hepatitis B virus can stay hidden in the body for years. A series of shots starting just after birth can prevent the viral infection that causes liver disease and cancer down the line.
Thousands of children were being infected with hepatitis B every year before the universal vaccine recommendation in 1991. Since then, cases of acute hepatitis B have plummeted, from over 20,000 cases a year to fewer than 1,000.
Meanwhile, there is a debate about the MMRV vaccine for children under age 4. Martin Kulldorff gave a presentation suggesting that the combination vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) should not be given to children under 4 years old. However, it's important to note that the MMRV vaccine has a slightly higher risk of causing febrile seizures in children under two years old compared to the MMR and varicella vaccines separately.
The ousted CDC director, Susan Monarez, testified at a congressional hearing that Kennedy had pressured her to agree in advance to the committee's recommendations. This has added to the controversy surrounding the ACIP's decisions and their potential impact on public health.
Public health experts worry that relitigating past vaccine policies could decrease vaccine coverage, vaccine confidence, and confidence in medical professionals and science in general. This could have severe consequences for public health, as vaccines play a crucial role in preventing serious illnesses and saving lives.
In the face of these challenges, the ACIP meeting promises to be a pivotal moment in shaping the future of vaccination policies in the United States.
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