Medical associations challenge new CDC vaccine recommendations
Six prominent medical associations are set to ask the courts to reverse the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) updated recommendations for childhood vaccinations, reports BritPanorama.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced on Wednesday that it is joining forces with the American College of Physicians, the American Public Health Association, the Massachusetts Public Health Alliance, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in this legal action. The groups are also seeking to halt a scheduled meeting next month of the CDC’s independent vaccine advisers, who were appointed by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. following the dismissal of previous advisers.
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced modifications to the childhood vaccine schedule, which narrowed recommendations for vaccines against meningococcal disease, hepatitis B, and hepatitis A to high-risk groups only. The updated CDC schedule also indicates that decisions regarding vaccinations against flu, Covid-19, and rotavirus should involve “shared clinical decision-making,” requiring individuals to consult healthcare providers prior to receiving the vaccines. HHS stated that all insurers will continue to cover these vaccines.
In previous alterations to government vaccine recommendations, scientific literature or vaccine manufacturer data would be scrutinized by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). However, this time around, no new evidence was presented to challenge the safety or efficacy of the vaccines advised. The decision to modify the US vaccination schedule came after an order from President Donald Trump to HHS to review it, resulting in a schedule akin to that of Denmark.
“Children’s health depends on vaccine recommendations based on rigorous, transparent science,” stated AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine in a statement on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, recent decisions by federal officials have abandoned this standard, causing unnecessary confusion for families, compromising access to lifesaving vaccines, and weakening community protection.”
The associations are requesting a federal judge to revert the vaccine schedule to its state on April 15, 2025, prior to any changes made by HHS under Kennedy’s directive. Furthermore, they are asking to prevent ACIP from holding its meeting at the end of February, asserting that the panel relies on “spurious evidence” and aiming to replace its members due to perceived inadequacies in experience and qualifications among Kennedy’s appointees.
In response, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon remarked, “AAP continues with their attempts to hinder this Administration’s work through procedural and legal challenges while trying to preserve a broken status quo. ACIP continues to operate lawfully and transparently, and its next meeting is scheduled to proceed in February.”
Kennedy has dismissed previous ACIP members and replaced them with his own appointees, many of whom are known for their skepticism regarding vaccines. Additionally, he removed the CDC director, whose role traditionally includes signing off on vaccine recommendations.
In a recent meeting, the reconstituted ACIP voted to weaken recommendations for the universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns and to eliminate certain flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that has been inaccurately associated with autism. The committee has indicated it will continue assessing even long-standing vaccine data.
The legal actions initiated by the medical organizations are part of a broader lawsuit against HHS concerning ACIP and its adjustments to Covid-19 vaccine recommendations. HHS has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, though Judge Brian Murphy declined this request last week.
A hearing pertaining to the preliminary injunction is slated for February 13.
