Health secretary RFK Jr. abruptly fires CDC vaccine advisory panel
'We have just demonstrated that politics will overrun science in this administration. It scares me to think of what's ahead,' said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
Paul Offit, a former member of the committee and one of the developers of a vaccine that protects against rotavirus infection, said the committee's work over decades has markedly improved the health of children and adults in this country.
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'They should be given an award, not fired,' said Offit, an infectious diseases pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Offit also called for a public response to the move from Sen. Bill Cassidy, the chair of the Senate Health Committee, who expressed grave concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine positions during his confirmation hearing. Though he appeared at points to be reluctant to vote for Kennedy, Cassidy did in the end give him his vote — but only after extracting a number of promises, including that he would keep the ACIP in place.
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The step followed
The ACIP meets three times a year — more often during emergencies like the Covid pandemic — to review data on vaccines and recommend on how they should be used. The group studies vaccines known to be in the regulatory pipeline and vaccines that have recently been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, advising the CDC on who they should be offered to once they have been approved.
Its next meeting was scheduled for later this month.
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USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
US pediatric group breaks with CDC advice, recommends COVID vaccines for young children
The American Academy of Pediatrics released its vaccine recommendations on Aug. 19 in a break from federal guidance shaped by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The AAP, in tandem with multiple other professional medical associations, previously decried a May announcement made by Kennedy Jr. that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the Centers for Disease Control's recommended immunizations for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that went against previous expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process. The AAP, a professional organization of over 65,000 board-certified pediatricians dedicated to advancing children's medicine, said in a June 26 statement that it would "continue to publish its own evidence-based recommendations and schedules," as the creation of federal immunization policy is 'no longer a credible process." Kennedy Jr. drew further ire from medical communities when he fired all 17 original members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the committee of health experts that provides guidance on vaccine use to the CDC, replacing them with members that critics have called unqualified. Some of the members, like Kennedy Jr., have a history of anti-vaccine advocacy and involvement in anti-vaccine groups. Here's what to know about the new AAP guidance and how it differs from federal guidelines. What is the AAP guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for children? The AAP schedule lists which vaccines children should get at certain ages and provides updated guidance on influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 immunizations for children and adolescents from birth to age 18. The schedule recommends that all children between six months and 23 months receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine to reduce the chance of serious illness. Children and adolescents aged 2 to 18, without other high-risk factors like immunosuppression, can receive and should be offered the vaccine if they were not previously immunized, according to the guidance. Children, teens, and adults alike who are at increased risk of serious infection should receive the vaccine if they have not already, AAP said, adding that its recommendation differed from the CDC, which it said is now staffed with people who have a history of spreading vaccine misinformation. "The AAP will continue to provide recommendations for immunizations that are rooted in science and are in the best interest of the health of infants, children, and adolescents," AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly, MD, said in a statement. "Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families and their communities healthy and thriving." What is the federal guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for children? The CDC did not go as far as completely removing COVID-19 vaccination from its immunization schedule despite Kennedy Jr.'s insistence. Instead, the agency changed its language from recommending the vaccine annually to suggesting parents consult with their child's physician on whether to vaccinate. Kennedy Jr. previously said that the CDC planned only to recommend the COVID vaccine for people over the age of 65 and those at high personal risk of infection, though the agency's website still contains information recommending it for everyone over the age of six months. A notice on the top webpages on the topic reads, "COVID-19 vaccine recommendations have recently been updated for some populations. This page will be updated to align with the updated immunization schedule," as of Aug. 19. This change to whom the vaccine is recommended could make it harder for others who want the COVID-19 vaccine to get it, experts warned. Since insurance coverage typically follows federal recommendations, anyone who wants the shot but isn't on the CDC's recommendation list may have to pay the price out of pocket HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon defended the decision in a statement to USA TODAY, accusing the AAP, which receives funding from pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, of failing to have proper conflict-of-interest safeguards in place. "By bypassing the CDC's advisory process and freelancing its own recommendations, while smearing those who demand accountability, the AAP is putting commercial interests ahead of public health and politics above America's children," Nixon said. Kennedy Jr. shared a separate response on social media on Aug. 19, pointing out that the agency's top donors are four companies that "make virtually every vaccine on the CDC recommended childhood vaccine schedule" and saying that the AAP recommendations are "corporate-friendly" and may "promote commercial ambitions of AAP's Big Pharma benefactors" instead of public health. "AAP should also be candid with doctors and hospitals that recommendations that diverge from the CDC's official list are not shielded from liability under the 1986 Vaccine Injury Act," his post concluded. USA TODAY reached out to AAP for comment on Aug. 19 but has not received a response. The new Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices didn't vote on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations when they met in June and are expected to reconvene in "September/October," according to the CDC. The FDA has signaled intentions to revoke the Pfizer COVID-19 shot for young, healthy children. In early August, HHS announced that it would pull $500M in funding from mRNA vaccine research and development.
Politico
27 minutes ago
- Politico
RFK Jr. attacks pediatricians' group over vaccine recommendations
In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its recommendation that all children 6 months and older get Covid shots. Kennedy at the time said the move was based on 'common sense' and 'good science. ' The AAP, however, said it had retained its guidance for young children to get the shots because they are still at risk of severe cases of the disease. 'COVID-19 continues to result in hospitalization and death in the pediatric population,' the group said in a release explaining its recommendations, adding that 'children younger than 2 years old are especially vulnerable to severe COVID-19 and should be prioritized for vaccination.' The pediatric group did not immediately respond to POLITICO's request for comment regarding Kennedy's remarks. Earlier Tuesday, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon accused the pediatricians of 'freelancing its own recommendations, while smearing those who demand accountability' in a statement to POLITICO. AAP President Susan J. Kressly defended her group's guidance in response, saying they were 'based only in the science, the needs of children, and the care that pediatricians have for the children in every community.' Despite the disagreement over vaccination of young children, both the new CDC guidance and the pediatricians continue to recommend shots for children with underlying conditions that could put them at risk for severe disease. Both have also scaled back recommendations for healthy children older than 6 months, saying that parents of children without underlying conditions should decide on vaccination in consultation with their pediatrician . Why it matters: The pediatricians' split with the CDC underscores the depth of the distrust between the medical establishment and Kennedy — a longtime vaccine skeptic who once said the Covid vaccine was 'the deadliest vaccine ever made' in defiance of scientific consensus.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Curtis Sliwa's quality-of-life crackdown makes sense. But he still won't be the next mayor of New York City
Will Curtis Sliwa have any regrets if he wakes up on November 5 and Zohran Mamdani is the new mayor of New York — knowing he could have stepped aside and cleared the crowded campaign field that many fear will split the vote? 'Nope,' the Republican candidate told me. So he's not willing to sacrifice his candidacy to save the city he loves from socialism? Advertisement 'That's based on the idea that everyone is going to go over and vote Cuomo. Ain't happening. They hate Cuomo. I'm in the streets every day. All I hear is 'slapping fannies and killing grannies.' He's never apologized,' Sliwa said of Andrew Cuomo's Covid and #MeToo scandals. 8 Curtis Sliwa regularly campaigns in the subways he's patrolled as a Guardian Angel for decades. Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock Meanwhile, a new AARP poll shows Mamdani's support at 42% among registered voters; Cuomo is at 23%, fellow independent Adams is at 9%, and Sliwa claims 16%. It would stand to reason the three need to become one to beat the Democratic socialist. Advertisement But Sliwa says it isn't happening. 'Nobody is getting out. Cuomo isn't, [Eric] Adams isn't. Every day there's a discussion about dropping out, that's a good day for Mamdani,' Sliwa said. I met with the 71-year-old at his Midtown campaign headquarters. While he's been an NYC tabloid figure since the late 1970s, when he launched the civilian crime-fighting group the Guardian Angels, he's lately been almost unrecognizable — taking off his signature red beret in meetings to look more like a serious politician. 8 Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist, is leading the crowded field in the mayoral race. James Keivom Advertisement The thing is, I love everything Sliwa has to say, especially about quality-of-life crackdowns. He wants to cut taxes, ditch congestion pricing and tackle the costly epidemic of fare evasion. 'I laugh when Mamdani says 'free bus fare' and everyone is having a heart attack. I said, 'Hold on, people aren't paying in the first place. Why don't we just enforce the fare?'' Sliwa said. 'Adams didn't do it. Cuomo didn't do it. We need a no-tolerance policy.' 8 Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, is not performing well in polls. REUTERS Advertisement Can I get an amen? Like Mamdani, Sliwa speaks about affordability, especially for younger New Yorkers who cannot 'afford the American dream anymore. They're in their 30s and still living in a dormitory' — I think he means they have a lot of roommates — 'yet they have a professional career and make good money.' Unlike the photogenic Mamdani, the Republican is not offering a buffet of cockamamie socialist policy 'solutions.' But in this crowded field, I don't think Sliwa has a shot at taking down Mamdani and his dangerous DSA ideology. He wholeheartedly disagrees. 'I have a very good shot.' 8 Curtis Sliwa regularly campaigns on the subway, calling it the 'best focus group of all. All it costs you is a swipe.' Debra L Rothenberg/Shutterstock The last time Sliwa ran for mayor, in 2021, the city was lumbering through the Covid cloud. He lost to Eric Adams and earned only 27.8% of the vote. 'I feel I can start with about 28%,' Sliwa said, 'and if I can get up to 32, 33, 34%, I'll be the next mayor of New York City.' Advertisement This time around, his campaign is pushing early voting, trying to court Millennials and Gen Z-ers who aren't drunk on Mamdani's 'everything is free' socialist brew — and reaching out to Muslim voters. Mamdani is far, far more progressive than most Muslims in the city. But Sliwa believes many conservative Muslims are turned off by cultural attacks from some politicians on the right, like Marjorie Taylor Greene. Last month, the representative from Georgia shared a meme of the Statue of Liberty covered in a burka. Because of insults like that, 'Some feel compelled to support Mamdani,' said Sliwa. 8 Curtis Sliwa has been a tabloid staple since the late 1970s, when he started the Guardian Angels. Bettmann Archive Advertisement Still — 'All the halal and coffee wagons, Uber drivers are all capitalists. I'm working on them to vote for me.' Sliwa blames Adams and his cronyism scandals for the rise of Mamdani. As for Cuomo, 'He told a group in the Hamptons that he's moving to Florida if he loses. He's waving a white flag,' alleged the Canarsie native. Despite reports, Sliwa said President Trump hasn't offered him a job in Washington to get him out of the race — nor has Trump called the Republican candidate to offer support. 8 Curtis Sliwa has started removing his signature red beret during some campaign meetings. James Messerschmidt for NY Post Advertisement Sliwa is non-plussed. 'I believe the president has far more serious issues to deal with, like peace in Ukraine and, if he can — and he alone can — resolving the Gaza situation.' As we wrap up our interview, Sliwa puts on his hat and we venture down Sixth Avenue. The red beret is like a beacon, attracting a Midtown crowd. One man taps him for a selfie. A group of blue-collar workers abandon their spot in a lunch-truck line to shake his hand and wish him luck. A smartly dressed woman in her 50s flags him down. A black man calls out in heavily-accented English from behind the wheel of a black SUV: 'Curtis, I've always wanted to meet you!' Advertisement 8 Curtis Sliwa said New York voters haven't forgiven Andrew Cuomo and that he's never apologized for his personal and professional scandals. Matthew McDermott 8 Curtis Sliwa and his wife Nancy are passionate about cats and animal rights. Matthew McDermott A union plumber who grew up in Staten Island jumped off a bench to offer his support. He and his colleagues said they would vote for Sliwa … but they all moved out to the 'burbs during Covid because the city was too dirty, too crime-ridden and too expensive. It's a familiar refrain. Sliwa wants to save the city — are there enough voters left who want to as well?
