Health Secretary Moves Back on Vaccine Panel Reforms

The U. S. Health Secretary has altered a plan to reshape the CDC’s vaccine advisory board, stepping back from some of his earlier changes. The committee, known as ACIP, tells doctors which shots Americans should get and when, and it also influences insurance coverage. Last year the secretary replaced all of ACIP’s experts with people who doubt vaccine safety and who have little hands‑on experience. Those new members cut the number of childhood shots recommended, a move that led medical groups to sue and a federal judge to block the changes. After the court order, the secretary expanded the committee’s role to focus more on vaccine safety, a task usually handled by the Food and Drug Administration. He also broadened the types of expertise he wanted on the board, adding fields like toxicology and data science. Critics said this could let him re‑appoint the same people the judge had barred. The department pulled back that charter and released a new version on May 14. The updated document no longer lists specific fields such as toxicology or data science; instead it says members should bring a balanced mix of scientific, clinical and public health knowledge. This wording appears to sidestep the judge’s ruling by not requiring those exact specialties.The secretary still has final say over who joins the committee, but it is unclear how this will affect future appointments. The White House and the department have not commented on the changes. The shift occurs while the federal health agency is being reshuffled to give the former president more control over staffing. White House advisers have urged the secretary to drop controversial vaccine projects that could hurt the party’s electoral chances. Still, some aides continue to push vaccine injury research despite those instructions. The earlier charter had asked the committee to review new vaccines, including mRNA shots used for COVID‑19. The latest version removes any mention of mRNA and simply says the committee may spot gaps in safety data and advise on areas needing more study. Both charters omit a schedule for committee meetings, which used to happen three times a year. With the judge’s block still in place, many vaccine recommendations remain uncertain; it is now possible the committee might never meet again.