‘It’s a mess right now’: RFK’s sweeping changes place new vaccines in limbo
Summary
Changes to U.S. vaccine policy under President Donald Trump’s administration have left recommendations from the federal vaccine advisory committee in limbo, experts say. The delay may affect access to newly approved vaccines, including a Moderna flu shot, because insurance coverage rules often depend on an advisory committee recommendation.Key Facts
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. changed childhood vaccine recommendations and replaced members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with people he selected.
- A judge halted the changes, ruling that they were not carried out correctly; Kennedy has not nominated new ACIP members.
- The committee has not issued new vaccine recommendations while new vaccines continue to receive FDA approval.
- The FDA approved Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine for people ages 50 and older in August, but some patients have faced co-pays because ACIP has not recommended it.
- Under coverage rules described in the article, insurers may not be required to cover a vaccine until the January plan year after a year has passed from an ACIP recommendation.
- Experts say a recommendation for the new flu vaccine may not come until 2027, which could delay required coverage until January 2029.
- Some states restrict pharmacists from administering vaccines without an ACIP recommendation; previous committee decisions, including one on RSV vaccines, have also faced uncertainty.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
