## RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Shifts Covid Vaccine Access, Sparks Controversy
Recent actions by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee, reshaped under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are raising concerns about access to vaccines and the basis for policy recommendations.The committee’s decisions, coupled with the appointment of members with limited vaccine expertise, have ignited debate over the future of vaccination programs in the US.
The shift began as some states indicated they would require prescriptions for the Covid vaccine or discontinue offering it altogether. In contrast, states like New York took steps to ensure continued access without a prescription.
Kennedy replaced the previous advisory committee with a new panel,appointing several advisors who possess little documented experience in vaccinology or have publicly criticized vaccines. This lack of experience was evident during the committee’s two-day meeting.
During the first day of the meeting on Thursday, the committee recommended multiple shots for children to protect against mumps, measles, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) rather of a single vaccine. However, a subsequent vote regarding coverage of the combined MMRV vaccine by the Vaccines for children program – which provides free vaccines to low-income children - revealed a lack of understanding among some members about the program itself.
Initially voting to maintain coverage,the committee reversed its decision on Friday morning,ultimately voting to eliminate Vaccines for Children coverage for the combined MMRV vaccine.
The Friday session was marked by heated exchanges, including a captured outburst were one member called another “an idiot.” During another debate,a member demanded,”Show me that study!” One member even asserted,”we are not,as a committee,anti-vaxxers” in an attempt to address growing concerns.
A planned vote on the hepatitis B vaccine was postponed after members identified inconsistencies in the proposed wording and suggested delaying the vaccine until later in a child’s life. Despite voting having begun, the decision was made to table the vote until the next meeting.
Experts who addressed the committee expressed concern over the panel’s reliance on hypothetical scenarios, personal opinions, and anecdotal evidence, rather then data supporting vaccine safety.
“Relying on case reports, anecdotes and selected basic science data – is that enough to justify a change in policy or a recommendation that limits an effective vaccine?” asked Grant Paulsen, representing the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. He further urged the committee to “make decisions based on the data rather than theoretical concerns that are raised,” emphasizing that “continued monitoring, continuing research is vital, but really should not be a barrier to families looking to access this tool to protect their children.”
