Particle.news
Download on the App Store
213 ARTICLES
·
11h ago

ACIP Meets on Vaccine Guidance After Former CDC Director Alleges Political Pressure

The panel’s votes could reshape the childhood schedule, influencing which shots insurers must cover.

Image
Image
Image
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 17: (L-R) Former Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry and former Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Susan Monarez testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. The committee is hearing testimony from fired CDC employees and the implications on children’s health. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Susan Monarez told senators Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded she pre-approve ACIP recommendations and fire career vaccine scientists, a claim HHS disputes as it defends its process.
  • Kennedy removed all 17 prior ACIP members and installed a new slate, adding five more this week, as the committee considers recommendations on hepatitis B, Covid-19 and the MMRV vaccine.
  • Debra Houry, who resigned after Monarez’s ouster, testified that CDC scientific work groups were largely not convened for this meeting and warned against decisions lacking rigorous evidence.
  • Sen. Bill Cassidy highlighted the hepatitis B birth dose as a flashpoint, cautioning that changing guidance could reverse gains against infant infections and jeopardize insurance coverage linked to ACIP recommendations.
  • The meeting’s outcomes will go to acting CDC director Jim O’Neill for approval, with former CDC leaders warning of broader public‑health risks during a large measles outbreak that has killed two children.