US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy JR
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One of the top vaccine experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US (CDC); Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulosresigns on June 4th – a week after Robert F. Kennedy JR announced that the Covid-19 vaccine will no longer be recommended for most children and pregnancies.
The announcement sparked days of confusion about people who have access to the Covid-19 vaccine in the upcoming US. In reality, there hasn’t been a dramatic change in access, but there will likely be a new obstacle for parents who are hoping to vaccinate their children. Still, Kennedy’s announcement shows a troublesome avoidance of public health norms.
“My career in public health and vaccinology began with a deep seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population. That’s not something I can continue in this role.” Reuters.
Panagiotakopoulos supported the Advisory Committee on Vaccination Practices (ACIP). 1964. But last week, Kennedy (the country’s highest public health official) overturned decades-long precedent. “As of today, we were unable to announce that the Covid vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been excluded from the CDC’s recommended vaccination schedule,” he said in the A. video It was posted on social media platform X on May 27th.
Despite his directive, the CDC has so far made minor changes to its guidance on the Covid-19 vaccine. Instead of fully recommending it to kids, it’s now Vaccinations are recommended “Based on shared clinical decisions.” In other words, parents should talk to their doctor before making a decision. It is not clear how this will affect access to these vaccines in all scenarios, but it can make it more difficult for children to get shots at the pharmacy.
CDC guidance on vaccination during pregnancy is also vague. That website is still I recommend Covid-19 shots during pregnancythe note above states, “This page will be updated to meet your updated vaccination schedule.”
Kennedy’s announcement also contradicts the stance of major public health organizations. Both Gynecologist, School of Obstetrics and Medicine (acog) American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) It came out against it.
“The CDC and HHS encourage individuals to talk to healthcare providers about personal medical decisions,” a spokesperson for HHS said. New Scientist. “Under the guidance of Secretary Kennedy, HHS is restoring the relationship between doctors and patients.”
but, Linda Eckart At Washington University in Seattle, they say that conflicting messages are confusing for people. “It opens up opportunities for disinformation. It undermines confidence in general vaccinations,” she says. “I can’t imagine that overall vaccination rates will not fall.”
Studies have repeatedly shown Covid-19 vaccinations in adolescence, making pregnancy safe and effective. In fact, Martin McCurry, head of the US Food and Drug Administration, has been pregnant. Risk factors for severe Covid-19 A week before Kennedy’s announcement, he further complicated the government’s public health message.
Kennedy’s announcement is consistent with community policies in several other countries. for example, Australia and UK Do not recommend the Covid-19 vaccine to your child unless they are at risk of severe illness. They too Do not recommend getting a Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy If someone has already been vaccinated.
Asma Khalilmembers of the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, said the UK’s decision is based on reduced risk of omicron mutants, cost-effectiveness of vaccinations and high herd immunity. However, these factors may vary from country to country. Eckert also says that the UK population tends to have better access to healthcare than the US. “These decisions require careful consideration of risks and benefits to the national population,” says Khalil. HHS didn’t answer New ScientistQuestions about whether a similar analysis led to Kennedy’s decision-making.
But perhaps the most troublesome is Kennedy’s announcement set. ACIP, an independent group of public health experts, was expected to vote for the proposed changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations later this month. However, Kennedy’s decision bypasses this process.
“This style of decision-making — by individuals and individuals who experience professionals who are carefully vetting conflicts of interest who are looking closely at the data — this never happened in our country,” Eckert says. “We’re in unknown territory,” she fears that Kennedy could pave the way for other vaccine recommendations. “I know there are a lot of vaccines he’s actively opposed in his career,” she says. Kennedy previously condemned the autism vaccine, falsely claiming that the polio vaccine caused more deaths than was avoided.
“What it’s talking about is that fact [Kennedy] Amesh Adalja from Johns Hopkins University said:
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