HHS Adds Five New Members to CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel Amid Ongoing Controversy

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has appointed five new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), continuing the overhaul initiated by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier this summer. This development comes ahead of a crucial ACIP meeting scheduled for later this week, where the panel will discuss and vote on recommendations for several vaccines, including those for COVID-19, hepatitis B, and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).

New Appointments Raise Concerns About Vaccine Policy Direction

The newly appointed members to ACIP are:

• Catherine M. Stein, Ph.D.
• Evelyn Griffin, M.D.
• Hilary Blackburn
• Kirk Milhoan, M.D., Ph.D.
• Raymond Pollak, M.D.

These appointments have sparked controversy due to some members' past statements and affiliations. For instance, Dr. Kirk Milhoan is a senior fellow at the Independent Medical Alliance, an organization that has advocated for restricting the use of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 in pregnant women and children. Dr. Catherine Stein, an epidemiologist and professor at Case Western Reserve University, previously called for an end to university vaccine mandates and was labeled a "COVID-19 truther" by local media for her stance on the pandemic's severity.

The appointments follow Kennedy's earlier decision to replace 17 of the panel's prior members with seven of his own selections, a move that has been met with skepticism from some quarters of the medical community.

Upcoming ACIP Meeting to Address Crucial Vaccine Recommendations

The newly constituted ACIP is set to convene on Thursday and Friday for its second meeting since the panel's overhaul. Key items on the agenda include:

1. Safety data and recommendations for hepatitis B vaccinations at birth
2. Guidance on MMR vaccines
3. Comprehensive review of COVID-19 vaccines, including updated safety and efficacy data and current epidemiological trends

Of particular note, ACIP chair Martin Kulldorff, Ph.D., appointed by Kennedy, previously questioned the widespread practice of inoculating newborn children against hepatitis B in hospitals during the panel's June meeting.

Implications for U.S. Vaccine Policy and Public Health

The restructuring of ACIP and the backgrounds of its new members have raised concerns about potential shifts in U.S. vaccine policy. Some states are reportedly considering taking vaccine policy into their own hands due to perceived meddling in CDC recommendations by Kennedy, a long-time anti-vaccine activist.

In its first session under new leadership in June, ACIP voted to ban the vaccine preservative thimerosal in the United States. While thimerosal has been used to preserve vaccines for decades, it was present in fewer than 5% of flu shots used in the U.S. last year.

As the pharmaceutical industry and public health officials watch closely, this week's ACIP meeting may provide crucial insights into the future direction of vaccine recommendations and policy in the United States.