Key takeaways:
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced this week that the CDC would cease recommending COVID-19 vaccines for wholesome children and pregnant ladies.
- The CDC tweaked however didn’t take away its suggestion.
The CDC tweaked — however didn’t take away — its suggestion for COVID-19 vaccination in youngsters, days after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated the company would cease recommending the photographs for wholesome children and pregnant ladies.
Slightly than recommending routine COVID-19 vaccination for wholesome youngsters aged 6 months to 17 years, the CDC’s web site now says that sufferers on this age group “could obtain COVID-19 vaccination, knowledgeable by the medical judgment of a well being care supplier and private desire and circumstances.” A observe on the high of the related web page signifies that the replace was made Could 29.
The CDC will proceed to advocate COVID-19 vaccination for kids. Picture: Adobe Inventory
The company has utilized this sort of shared medical decision-making suggestion to different vaccines up to now, historically on the recommendation of its vaccine advisors, recommending that sufferers “could obtain” as a substitute of “ought to obtain” a sure vaccine.
The replace isn’t just a matter of language — it might assist cowl the fee for folks who need their youngsters to be vaccinated. In accordance with the CDC, vaccines with a shared medical decision-making suggestion needs to be lined absolutely by medical health insurance, identical as different vaccines, “after they have been adopted by CDC and are listed on the immunization schedules.”
Alternatively, consultants have additionally anxious that shared medical decision-making suggestions can drive down vaccination charges and make it extra difficult to get photographs into arms.
Kennedy on Tuesday introduced in a video posted to the social media platform X that the CDC would cease recommending COVID-19 vaccination for wholesome youngsters and wholesome pregnant ladies, saying there was a scarcity of proof supporting its use, contradicting a big physique of proof demonstrating that the vaccine is protected and efficient in these teams, based on consultants.
The announcement got here days after the FDA outlined new age- and risk-based restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines.
In an announcement, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated it was “relieved” by the CDC’s resolution to maintain COVID-19 vaccines on the childhood immunization schedule however criticized the best way by which the replace unfolded. The CDC historically makes federal vaccine suggestions and adopts vaccine schedules primarily based on enter from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. As a substitute, Tuesday’s announcement got here straight from the highest of HHS.
“The deeply flawed course of to achieve the advice raises critical considerations in regards to the stability of the nation’s immunization infrastructure and dedication by federal leaders to ensure households can entry crucial immunizations, whether or not for COVID or different infectious ailments,” AAP president Susan Kressly, MD, FAAP, stated within the assertion.
“American households deserve higher,” Kressly stated. “They deserve clear messages from all concerned of their well being which can be primarily based on details to allow them to proceed to learn from the success story of vaccines.”
HHS didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark in regards to the replace.
