A key Food and Drug Administration advisory committee meeting intended to determine next season’s flu vaccine composition has been called off, according to committee member confirmation. The cancellation comes without any plans for rescheduling or explanation for the decision.
The meeting, originally scheduled for mid-March, marks the second recent disruption to federal vaccine advisory proceedings since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of health secretary. This development follows last week’s postponement of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory committee meeting, which was officially delayed to accommodate additional public input.
Paul Offit, who serves as both a vaccine expert and professor of pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, expressed concern about the cancellation, noting that committee members received no justification for the decision.
Reports suggest Kennedy is evaluating potential changes to vaccine panel membership. This comes despite his confirmation hearing pledge to operate within established vaccine safety and approval frameworks. Kennedy’s background includes founding Children’s Health Defense, an organization known for promoting claims linking vaccines to autism, despite substantial scientific evidence contradicting such
associations.
The timing is particularly significant as this FDA committee meeting typically occurs annually in March to review and act upon World Health Organization recommendations regarding influenza strain selection for upcoming seasonal vaccines. The meeting’s purpose is to guide manufacturers in developing vaccines for the fall and winter flu season.
According to Reuters, an FDA spokesperson has indicated the agency will still provide manufacturers with recommendations for the 2025-26 season’s vaccine composition. Meanwhile, the WHO is conducting its own meeting this week to determine target influenza strains for the Northern Hemisphere’s 2025-26 season.
Despite President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw the United States from the WHO, STAT has reported that FDA and CDC officials are participating virtually in the WHO’s deliberations.
The disruption to normal vaccine advisory processes has raised concerns among public health experts. Robert Hopkins, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, emphasized the potential consequences, stating in an email that interruptions to the advisory process could significantly impact public health,
particularly at a time when vaccine confidence and accessibility are crucial issues.
These developments occur against the backdrop of Kennedy’s
controversial history regarding vaccine policy. As HHS Secretary, he brings a record of questioning vaccine safety and effectiveness, marking a significant shift in leadership for an agency traditionally aligned with mainstream medical consensus on immunization.
The cancellation of this routine but critical FDA meeting has highlighted tensions between the new administration’s approach to vaccine policy and established public health protocols. While the FDA maintains it will fulfill its obligation to provide seasonal flu vaccine guidance, the disruption to the traditional advisory process has sparked concern among health professionals about the potential implications for vaccine development and public health planning.
The situation reflects broader questions about the future of vaccine policy under current leadership, particularly given Kennedy’s previous positions on vaccination and his new role overseeing major public health institutions. As the 2025-26 flu season approaches,
stakeholders across the healthcare sector are closely monitoring how these changes in advisory committee operations might affect vaccine preparation and distribution processes.