Introduction to the RFK Committee Vote
NEW YORK (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory committee meets this week, with votes expected on whether to change recommendations on shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox.
Background on the Committee
The exact questions to be voted on Thursday and Friday in Atlanta are unclear. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to questions seeking details to a newly posted agenda. But some public health experts are worried that the votes will — at a minimum — raise unwarranted new questions about vaccines in the minds of parents. Perhaps even more consequential would be a vote that restricts a government program from paying for vaccines for low-income families.
Concerns Among Health Experts
“I’m tightening my seat belt,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccines expert. The panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how already-approved vaccines should be used. CDC directors have almost always accepted those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel earlier this year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices.
Overview of the Vaccines in Question
Here’s a look at the three vaccines being discussed:
COVID-19
Before Kennedy was health secretary, ACIP would typically vote in June to reaffirm recommendations for shots against respiratory viruses that sicken millions of Americans each fall and winter. This past June, Kennedy’s ACIP voted to recommend flu shots for Americans but was silent on COVID-19 shots. Before that meeting, Kennedy announced he was removing COVID-19 shots from the CDC’s recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. The move was heavily criticized by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, and prompted a lawsuit by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B can cause serious liver infections. In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during use injection-drug use. But the virus also can be passed to a baby from an infected mother, and as many as 90% of infected infants go on to have chronic infections. A hepatitis B vaccine was first licensed in the U.S. in 1981. In 1991, the ACIP recommended a dose within 24 hours of birth for all medically stable infants who weigh at least 4.4 pounds.
MMRV
Chickenpox was once a common childhood annoyance, causing an itchy skin rash and fever. But the highly contagious virus can also lead to complications such as skin infections, swelling of the brain and pneumonia. Severe cases are more common among teens and adults who get it for the first time. The virus — called varicella — also can reactivate later in life and cause the painful illness called shingles. The government first recommended that all children get a chickenpox vaccine in 1995, leading to a dramatic drop in cases and deaths.
Implications and Concerns
Newborn hepatitis B vaccinations are considered a success, and no recent peer-reviewed research shows any safety problem with giving kids the shots on their first day of life, Schaffner said. But Kennedy’s ACIP members suggested in June they wanted to revisit the guidance. Schaffner noted that health officials used to rely on screening mothers before birth but that many cases were missed. “There were lots of failures,” he said. “And so there were continuing transmissions from mother to child.” Today, most pediatricians suggest separate doses for the first shot, but give the combined shot for the second dose, pediatrics experts say. Again, there’s no new evidence about harms from MMRV shots, said O’Leary, of AAP. Why revisit it now? “This version of the ACIP is an orchestrated effort to sow distrust in vaccines,” O’Leary said.
Conclusion
The upcoming votes by the RFK committee on COVID-19, hepatitis B, and chickenpox vaccines have significant implications for public health, particularly for low-income families who rely on government programs for vaccination coverage. The potential for unwarranted questions about vaccine safety and the possible restriction of vaccine access could have far-reaching consequences. It is essential for the committee to consider the scientific evidence and the potential impact of their decisions on the health and well-being of the population.
FAQs
- Q: What vaccines are being discussed by the RFK committee?
A: The committee is discussing COVID-19, hepatitis B, and chickenpox vaccines. - Q: What are the concerns among health experts regarding the committee’s votes?
A: Health experts are worried that the votes may raise unwarranted questions about vaccine safety and potentially restrict access to vaccines for low-income families. - Q: What is the role of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)?
A: The ACIP makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how already-approved vaccines should be used. - Q: Why are pediatricians concerned about the potential changes to vaccine recommendations?
A: Pediatricians are concerned that changes to vaccine recommendations could lead to decreased vaccination rates and increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. - Q: What is the potential impact of the committee’s decisions on public health?
A: The committee’s decisions could have significant implications for public health, particularly for low-income families who rely on government programs for vaccination coverage.
