Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Concierge Care Doctor, Pediatrician Added To CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel
Stat: Kennedy Announces New Vaccine Advisory Committee Members After Meeting Rescheduled
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced two new members of his handpicked panel of vaccine advisers on Friday, ahead of a meeting rescheduled for March. Kennedy said in a statement that Sean G. Downing, a primary care doctor licensed in Florida, and Angelina Farella, a pediatrician in Texas, would join the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group that advises the federal government on which vaccines to recommend to the public. (Cirruzzo, 2/27)
Also —
NPR: 'One Year Of Failure.' The Lancet Slams RFK Jr.’s First Year As Health Chief
One of the world's leading medical journals has issued a scathing rebuke of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to mark his first year leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The editorial — titled "Robert F. Kennedy Jr: 1 year of failure" — appears in the latest issue of the Lancet. (Stone, 2/28)
More news about vaccines —
Washington State Standard: WA Moves To Issue Its Own Guidance For Vaccines Insurers Must Cover
Last fall, Washington and other Western states issued their own vaccine recommendations in a sharp rejection of federal policy that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has upended. And on Thursday, the Washington Legislature passed legislation to change state law so that vaccine coverage is tied to recommendations from the state, not a federal panel filled with Kennedy appointees. It requires insurers to follow the state’s guidelines instead of the ones from the feds that Democrats say can no longer be trusted. (Goldstein-Street, 2/26)
NBC News: After CDC Vaccine Changes, States Push To Keep Childhood Shots Free, Accessible
As the Trump administration shakes up recommendations for childhood vaccines, a growing number of states are moving quickly to ensure vaccines remain free and health care workers are protected from lawsuits. “States are stepping in to protect their communities proactively,” said Dr. David Higgins, a practicing pediatrician in Aurora, Colorado, and vice president of the Colorado chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. (Sullivan, 2/28)
Stat: A Titan Of Vaccine Development Sees His Field’s Achievements Slip Away
Stanley Plotkin, who literally wrote the book on vaccination science, says we should fear the diseases, not the vaccines that prevent them. (Branswell, 3/2)
CIDRAP: WHO Updates All 3 Viral Strains To Be Included In Fall Flu Shots
The World Health Organization (WHO) today recommended that vaccine manufacturers completely change the three viral strains included in the vaccines for the Northern Hemisphere’s next influenza season. As expected, the WHO recommended that vaccines for the next flu season includes a new variant of the influenza virus that started to increase last fall—too late for it to be included in this winter’s flu vaccines. Using current vaccine manufacturing technology, companies need at least six months’ prep time to produce flu shots in time for immunization campaigns beginning in the late summer or early fall. (Szabo, 2/27)
CIDRAP: European Regulators Recommend Approval Of Combined MRNA Vaccine For Flu And COVID
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) today said it’s recommending marketing authorization for mCombriax, Moderna’s combined mRNA vaccine for protecting older adults against COVID-19 and flu. The recommendation was made by the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which looked at data from a phase 3 trial involving 8,000 participants aged 50 and older. (Dall, 2/27)
