Trump-Backed Panel Questions Safety, Efficacy Of Covid-19 Vaccine Shots

A Trump-supported health panel raised questions on Friday about the efficacy and safety of Covid-19 vaccines, avoiding direct recommendations for them while suggesting decisions should be based on individual choice in consultation with healthcare providers.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), comprised of members selected by controversial health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for his anti-vaccination stance, approved language urging the CDC to push healthcare providers to issue stronger warnings about potential vaccination risks.

Donald Trump's FDA has previously restricted Covid vaccine approvals to elderly individuals and those with underlying health conditions, moving away from the previous widespread availability.

Medical experts from organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics criticized the panel's approach, with Sean O'Leary describing it as "extraordinarily vague" and unlike anything he had witnessed before. He told AFP, "What it looked like to me was a lot of clear efforts to sow distrust in vaccines, to instill fear."

O'Leary further noted that discussions centered around "myths, anecdotes, case series, case reports" rather than focusing on scientific evidence. This criticism was echoed by observers at the meeting, with Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association expressing concern about "the erosion of the committee's integrity."

Public health experts warn that these policy shifts could complicate access to booster shots during a period of rising cases and hospitalizations. The committee narrowly rejected a proposal requiring prescriptions for Covid vaccines, with epidemiologist Catherine Stein pointing out that such requirements would disproportionately affect under-insured populations with limited healthcare access.

The meeting also created confusion regarding childhood vaccines. Initially, the committee recommended against children under four receiving the combination MMRV shot (covering measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella), while suggesting federal funding for it, only to reverse the funding decision the following day. Parents will still have access to separate MMR and chicken pox vaccines for young children.

Additionally, the committee postponed a decision on whether to recommend against the established practice of vaccinating newborns against Hepatitis B within 24 hours of birth, a move that alarmed public health experts. CDC scientist Adam Langer presented evidence showing early vaccination is the most effective way to prevent maternal transmission of this incurable disease, which can lead to severe liver damage and cancer.

Medical institutions have broadly criticized the reconstituted ACIP panel, with O'Leary stating, "What we're seeing is what happens when individuals who don't have a basic understanding about how vaccines are delivered are making these crucial policy decisions for the American public."