Overview

• HHS named Catherine Stein, Evelyn Griffin, Hilary Blackburn, Kirk Milhoan and Raymond Pollak to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, bringing the roster to about 12 members.
• The reconstituted panel meets Sept. 18–19 in Atlanta to discuss and potentially vote on guidance for COVID-19, hepatitis B and the combined measles–mumps–rubella–varicella vaccine, with RSV also on the agenda.
• Several new appointees have criticized aspects of the COVID-19 response or vaccines, drawing warnings from medical groups that changes could erode trust and limit children’s access to shots.
• FDA narrowed the use of this fall’s COVID-19 vaccines for healthy younger people last month, and experts say matching that without CDC clarification could remove coverage for roughly half of U.S. kids through the Vaccines for Children program.
• The moves follow Kennedy’s June firing of all 17 prior ACIP members and the subsequent removal of CDC Director Susan Monarez, while HHS defends the new lineup as adding diverse expertise and transparency.