FDA) has raised significant concerns within the medical community, particularly among vaccine manufacturers. The March 13th meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which is responsible for selecting the strains to be included in the upcoming flu vaccine, was unexpectedly called off without any explanation provided . This decision is particularly troubling given that flu vaccine production necessitates a six-month lead time, making timely guidance from the FDA essential for effective public health planning.
The meeting was canceled in an email sent from the FDA to members who were planning to attend the annual meeting in about two weeks.
The high-profile, public meetings of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee are where independent experts review scientific data and vote on a variety of vaccine related issues. Members of the March 13 meeting were set to vote on which flu strains would offer the most protection in next season's flu shot.
Influenza vaccines aren't perfect and to get the best influence vaccine each year requires predicting the strain as best we can," said Dr. Andrew Pavia, professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Utah and a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. "There's a lot of complex data that needs to be reviewed and having a number of experts do it gives us the best chance of making the best prediction."
Kennedy also said last week that he will review the childhood vaccine schedule despite earlier pledges not to do so. He promised that a new “Make America Healthy Again” commission would investigate vaccines, pesticides and antidepressants to see if they have contributed to a rise of chronic illness in the U.S.
Trump administration is weighing pulling funding for Moderna’s bird flu vaccine, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
Moreover, this incident raises broader questions about regulatory oversight under current leadership. Notably, it marks the second advisory panel meeting canceled since Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services . Concerns have emerged regarding his anti-vaccine stance and its potential impact on vaccine-related decision-making processes within federal agencies. In summary, the unexplained cancellation not only disrupts immediate vaccination strategies but also signals potential shifts in regulatory priorities affecting future public health initiatives.
Read more
A Texas child who was unvaccinated has died of measles, marking the first U.S. death from the disease in a decade Nvidia Reports $39 Billion in Fourth Quarter Earnings, Solidifying Its AI LeadershipSarah H
Also on site :