The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s postponed vaccine advisory meeting has been rescheduled for mid-April, according to a Department of Health and Human Services representative.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting, initially slated for February 26-28, will now take place on April 15-16. The delay came shortly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed the role of health secretary, with officials citing the need for additional public comment period as the reason for postponement.
According to a federal register notice posted Friday, the committee’s agenda will encompass discussions on the ongoing measles outbreak, along with deliberations on various vaccines including those for COVID-19, human papillomavirus, monkeypox, and respiratory syncytial virus. Notably absent from the revised schedule are the influenza vaccine guidelines, which were originally planned for discussion and voting during the February meeting.
The ACIP postponement was followed by the unexpected cancellation of a Food and Drug Administration meeting that was meant to address flu vaccine composition for the upcoming fall and winter season. Instead, the FDA conducted an internal interagency meeting and issued recommendations to vaccine manufacturers without consulting its external advisory committee, breaking from traditional protocol.
The advisory committee, comprising external vaccine experts and federal health officials, convenes multiple times annually to evaluate data and make vaccine recommendations to the CDC director. The administration is currently evaluating new candidates for the director position after withdrawing President Trump’s nominee Dave Weldon prior to a scheduled Senate hearing last week.
The CDC director, who reports to Kennedy, plays a crucial role in managing public health responses to threats such as the current measles outbreak affecting Texas and Oklahoma. The outbreak has now reached 301 confirmed cases and resulted in the first measles-related child death since 2015.
Kennedy, who has historically questioned vaccine safety and efficacy, including the MMR vaccine that prevents measles, mumps, and rubella, recently wrote in an opinion piece that vaccination decisions should be considered personal choices. His stance has drawn attention as the CDC reportedly plans to initiate a comprehensive study examining potential links between vaccines and autism, despite extensive existing research disproving such connections.
During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy maintained his controversial position regarding a possible relationship between U.S. autism rates and vaccination, refusing to distance himself from these long-held views. This stance has become particularly significant given the current public health challenges, including the measles outbreak.
The rescheduled ACIP meeting represents a critical juncture in vaccine policy discussions, occurring against the backdrop of evolving public health challenges and leadership changes. The committee’s
recommendations typically guide national vaccination protocols and public health strategies, making the upcoming April sessions particularly significant for healthcare providers and public health officials across the country.
The meeting’s delay and subsequent rescheduling have attracted attention from healthcare professionals and public health advocates, particularly given the current measles outbreak and ongoing
discussions about vaccine policies. The outcome of these deliberations could have substantial implications for public health guidance and vaccine recommendations moving forward.
An HHS spokesperson, Andrew Nixon, confirmed the new meeting dates via email to BioPharma Dive, with the news first reported by Endpoints News. The rescheduled meeting comes at a crucial time as public health officials continue to address various infectious disease challenges while navigating new leadership dynamics within federal health agencies.