In a heated atmosphere outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, a group of fired and retired scientists gathered to voice their discontent. Meanwhile, an advisory panel handpicked by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. convened inside to reshape the future of vaccinations in America.
The newly appointed members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time on Wednesday, marking a significant shift in the 60-year-old panel’s approach from endorsing vaccine development to expressing skepticism about the safety and efficacy of widely used vaccines.
However, the discussions and decisions made by the ACIP this week quickly overshadowed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy’s announcement that he would withdraw a vital commitment of $1.2 billion from the United States to global immunization initiatives.
Critics decried this decision, arguing it would result in preventable deaths among children in the world’s most impoverished regions.
Inside the meeting, the new ACIP members proposed that newborns in the United States receive a newly licensed vaccine designed to combat a respiratory virus, while simultaneously urging medical professionals to halt the use of influenza vaccines that contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative.
This recommendation aligns with Kennedy’s debunked claims that thimerosal has contributed to an autism epidemic, although its practical implications are minimal, as only about 4% of flu vaccines currently contain the preservative.
Of greater concern for vaccine advocates is the committee’s plan to reconsider the government’s childhood vaccination schedule, which has the potential to erode public confidence in vaccinations, especially given that at least three of the seven committee members have been vocal critics of existing vaccines.
Under federal law, the government is obligated to provide vaccines that ACIP recommends to lower-income children and other vulnerable populations, with state governments also often following ACIP guidance.
The tone of the meeting was set by Martin Kulldorff, a former epidemiologist at Harvard and the new chair of ACIP, who opened with remarks highlighting the committee’s mandate to employ evidence-based medicine in their vaccination recommendations.
“There are no wrong questions,” he emphasized, announcing the formation of new working groups to examine whether children and adolescents might be receiving too many vaccines, and to reevaluate the longstanding recommendation for a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine, which has significantly decreased liver disease rates.
Kulldorff, known for his controversial views, claimed he was dismissed by Harvard for refusing a COVID-19 vaccination after experiencing severe illness from the virus.
He expressed his belief that the reputations of science and public health have plummeted, but opinions on the cause of this shift vary.
Caroline Brown, a pediatrician from North Carolina, contended during the public comment session that the primary issue lies with the “fearmongering and pseudoscience” that has pervaded the discourse around vaccinations.
She noted that the first measles case of the year was reported in her state, raising alarm among the families she serves.
Measles, which had been declared eradicated in the United States 25 years ago, is resurging due to falling vaccination rates spurred by misinformation, which she claims is being perpetuated by some committee members.
In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics opted not to send official representatives to the meeting and affirmed its commitment to publishing its own evidence-based vaccine recommendations, strongly opposing Kennedy’s panel.
Sean O’Leary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, criticized the meeting’s narrative, declaring that the current vaccine policies are sound and have saved countless lives.
“The policies in place have proved effective and economically prudent,” he remarked.
The CDC’s immunization safety office has reiterated that studies on the complete vaccine schedule have indicated no harmful effects.
However, a recent study in 2023 pointed to a potential association between aluminum salts used in some vaccines and asthma.
Inside the CDC conference room, a stark divide became evident between the ACIP members and the CDC officials presenting research findings.
While the CDC scientists highlighted the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, several ACIP members displayed skepticism toward the evidence provided.
Biochemist Robert Malone and MIT professor Retsef Levi, two committee members advocating for a ban on mRNA technology in vaccines, often dismissed the CDC’s analysis and data.
Malone, Levi, and fellow panelist Vicky Pebsworth raised concerns about alleged hidden dangers associated with vaccines, including the concept of “hot lots” of harmful vaccines and potential lingering spike proteins in blood from mRNA shots.
They also questioned the adequacy of vaccine safety monitoring.
CDC officials effectively countered most of the panel’s criticisms; however, the ultimate decisions on vaccine policy rest with the committee.
Outside the CDC headquarters, protesters expressed their outrage at the new ACIP, dressed in costumes symbolizing diseases that vaccines can prevent, such as measles and chickenpox.
Some demonstrators held signs and balloons that read “R-E-S-T-O-R-E A-C-I-P,” while others displayed a leg splint, a reminder of the crippling effects of polio, a disease nearly eradicated by vaccines.
Retired CDC employee Casey Boudreau expressed deep concern regarding Kennedy’s statements that the safety of certain vaccines remains uncertain and his calls for further study.
She compared this quest for re-evaluation to questioning the effectiveness of airbags in cars, arguing that vaccines have already proven their worth over decades.
Tony Fiore, who once served as a liaison to ACIP at the CDC, voiced his worry that the panel’s rhetoric and decisions could erode public confidence in vaccines, potentially jeopardizing critical immunization initiatives.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon dismissed the protesting rally as a mere spectacle devoid of credibility and warranted nothing more than scorn, as evidenced by their costumes.
As the ACIP meeting progressed, discussions continued to revolve around Kennedy’s controversial agenda, especially after he confirmed the withdrawal from Gavi, a global health partnership that claims to have saved 18 million lives, primarily in underdeveloped nations.
The U.S. had historically contributed 13% of Gavi’s budget, with President Joe Biden previously pledging an additional $1.2 billion over four years before leaving office.
Critics emphasized that younger generations of children would now miss out on vaccinations vital for preventing diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, and polio.
Deblina Datta, a former CDC official, echoed these sentiments in an interview, emphasizing the grave implications of Kennedy’s withdrawal.
“Children will die as a direct result of this decision,” she stated, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Kennedy defended his stance, claiming that Gavi has not done enough to advocate for vaccine safety and accused the organization of collaborating in the censorship of vaccine skeptics during the pandemic.
Prior to Kennedy’s intervention, the ACIP had been poised to vote on a proposal aimed at reducing HPV vaccinations from two doses to one, following evidence that a single shot is highly effective against the virus that causes cervical cancer.
Kennedy has reportedly profited from a pending lawsuit against Merck concerning injuries allegedly associated with one of the HPV vaccines, which may further complicate discussions around that particular vaccination.
The vote on thimerosal has frustrated proponents of vaccination, given that public health agencies removed the component from nearly all childhood vaccines starting in 1999 due to concerns regarding even minuscule amounts of mercury.
Removal of thimerosal did not impact autism rates, despite public fears.
However, at the ACIP meeting, one of the early activists against thimerosal, nurse Lyn Redwood, presented a paper reiterating her previous claims about its dangers, which echoed arguments she had made over two decades earlier.
While a comprehensive CDC summary on thimerosal’s safety, which concluded it is not linked to autism, was posted online next to Redwood’s slides earlier, it was removed before the ACIP meeting commenced.
Kennedy has appointed Redwood to a role within the CDC’s immunization safety office.
Some argue that removing thimerosal from vaccines may lead to increased costs without enhancing safety, with Elias Kass, a naturopathic physician, suggesting that revisiting settled issues like thimerosal’s safety raises unnecessary doubts about prior conclusions.
The removal of thimerosal from flu vaccines, due to its cost-effectiveness, poses a dilemma since two companies, Seqirus and Sanofi, still produce multi-dose flu vaccine vials that utilize thimerosal for preservation.
The single-shot prepackaged syringes are priced substantially higher than single vaccinations drawn from multi-dose vials, raising concerns about vaccine accessibility and affordability.
In light of Kennedy’s recent actions and the emerging discussions within the ACIP, ramifications for vaccine policies and public health will likely reverberate across communities and countries alike, potentially impacting countless lives.
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