Revised CDC Vaccine Panel Altered by RFK Jr.: Implications and Functions Explained
Getting the Scoop on the New CDC Vaccine Panel
Until this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine advisory panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), might have been just a whisper in most people's ears. But that's all about to change, buddy!
The ACIP holds substantial influence over the health of American citizens. They decide on which vaccines we all receive, what insurance providers cover, and which shots are distributed free of charge to millions of kids living in poverty. So, yeah, we should probably pay attention to 'em.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently gave the boot to all 17 panel members and has appointed eight newbies to take their places. Some of Kennedy's new picks rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, dogging government policies on school closures and lockdowns, and the mRNA vaccines. One of these, Vicky Pebsworth, sits on the board of the National Vaccine Information Center – a group that's all about sounding the alarm on vaccine risks.
Immunization and infectious disease specialists haven't been too thrilled about the shakeup, bro. They're worried that the newly constituted committee could be skeptical of vaccines and vote to downgrade the importance of certain shots.
"I'm freaking out, man!" says Dr. Walter Orenstein, who used to run the US immunization program at the CDC and is now Emory University School of Medicine’s professor emeritus of infectious diseases. "I've spent my life in vaccinology, and I've never seen the names of most of these people!"
Dr. Sean O'Leary, chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases for the American Academy of Pediatrics, calls the overhaul a "disaster."
"Imagine if we ousted all the air traffic controllers in the U.S. and replaced them with people who didn't really know what they were doing and some of them didn't even believe in flying?" he says.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defended Kennedy's choices for the panel, stating that the new members are "highly qualified experts in their fields, dedicated to evidence-based medicine, rigorous science, and common sense."
The statement noted that the group would push for concrete safety and efficacy evidence for any new vaccine recommendations and would review the current vaccine schedule.
Vaccines, Insurance, and the Buck Stops Here
The ACIP meets at least three times a year to go over the science behind vaccines and decide which ones are recommended for different age groups. If the CDC signs off on the ACIP's recommendations, a vaccine could become part of the official immunization schedule for children and adults.
This means insurance companies have to cover it. Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurers are obligated to pay for all ACIP-recommended vaccines.
ACIP's recommendations also decide which vaccines are covered by the Vaccines for Children program, a federally funded initiative that provides free vaccines to low-income and underinsured kids. Around half the children in the U.S. qualify for free vaccines from this program.
Any changes to the vaccines recommended by the ACIP “would be a major potential barrier to access for vaccines for a substantial proportion of American children," says Orenstein.
He played a key role in launching the Vaccines for Children program after a massive measles epidemic in the late '80s and early '90s, which resulted in tens of thousands of cases and over 120 deaths. Many of the sick kids hadn't been vaccinated because their families couldn't afford it.
ACIP's recommendations often help determine which immunizations are required for school attendance.
Shared Decision-Making and a Gray Area
The wording of the committee's recommendations matters too. ACIP can label a vaccine a routine recommendation, meaning everyone in a certain age or risk group should get it, or opt for shared clinical decision-making, which allows a doctor and patient to decide together whether the vaccine makes sense.
"We don't like shared clinical decision-making because it makes it less of a priority for clinicians to talk to their patients about vaccines," says Dr. Michelle Fiscus, a pediatrician and former chief medical officer for the Association of Immunization Managers.
It also makes communication more difficult with families, says Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics, adding that getting a clear, straightforward conversation happening is crucial.
Recommending a vaccine under shared clinical decision-making could potentially make it less available, especially in rural areas, says O'Leary.
The CDC recently changed the recommendations for COVID vaccines for kids to shared clinical decision-making, and O'Leary fears that, if the new ACIP moves more vaccines to that designation, it will “sow distrust in the process.”
"Vaccines save lives every day," he says. Hey, don't take our word for it! Do some homework and find out for yourself. Stay healthy out there, pardner!
Insider Scoop:
Following the dismissal of the previous 17 members of the ACIP, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed eight new members to the panel. While specific details about each new member's views are not fully disclosed, some have been reported to include critics of vaccines, particularly mRNA technology and those involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response.
The new members include:- A psychiatrist with a focus on the connection between pregnant women eating fish and autism, and a board member of an organization raising concerns about vaccine safety- Individuals influential in Kennedy's beliefs highlighted in his book, "The Real Anthony Fauci," which questions the work and motivations of former health officials- Critics of mRNA vaccines and COVID-19 policies like Robert Malone and Martin Kuldorff
These appointments seem to suggest a shift in the committee’s composition, with some members expressing skepticism about certain vaccine technologies and safety issues. The new members are set to participate in an upcoming ACIP meeting to discuss recommendations for several vaccines, including the HPV and COVID-19 vaccines.
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- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a government body that exerts significant influence over the health of many Americans.
- The ACIP is responsible for deciding which vaccines are administered, covered by insurance, and distributed for free to millions of underprivileged children.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently dismissed all 17 members of the ACIP and appointed eight new ones, causing concern among immunization and infectious disease specialists.
- Some of Kennedy's new appointees gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, questioning government policies and the mRNA vaccines.
- Vicky Pebsworth, one of Kennedy's new picks, sits on the board of the National Vaccine Information Center, an organization that advocates for vaccine risks.
- The new members are described as "highly qualified experts in their fields, dedicated to evidence-based medicine, rigorous science, and common sense."
- There are concerns that the newly constituted committee may be skeptical of vaccines and vote to downgrade the importance of certain shots.
- The panel's decisions can affect health-and-wellness, workplace-wellness, mental-health, and the fitness-and-exercise industry by influencing the distribution and coverage of vaccines.
- Therapies-and-treatments may also be affected, as some vaccines are essential preventive measures for specific conditions.
- Nutrition could be indirectly impacted, as the availability and accessibility of vaccines can help maintain overall health.
- Medicare and education-and-self-development may be influenced, as healthcare policies and decisions can affect the wellbeing of senior citizens and many students.
- Personal-growth, career-development, policy-and-legislation, politics, general-news, crime-and-justice, learning, skills-training, sports, sports-betting, and basketball may be indirectly impacted, as social and political changes can affect the larger context in which these activities take place.
