Summary
The U.S. Health Secretary's new vaccine advisory panel is meeting in Atlanta to discuss and potentially vote on matters related to flu vaccines and a vaccine ingredient called thimerosal. The panel was recently restructured and now includes vaccine skeptics, raising concerns about the impact on vaccine availability and public trust.
Key Facts
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) helps decide vaccine guidelines for the CDC.
- Recent changes to the panel include replacing former experts with a smaller group that includes vaccine skeptics.
- The panel is discussing flu vaccines and thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used to prevent contamination in multi-dose vials.
- Thimerosal has been falsely linked to autism, but studies have not supported this link.
- Since 2001, vaccines for young children in the U.S. typically contain no thimerosal or only trace amounts.
- Concerns exist that changes by the new panel could make vaccines more expensive and harder to access.
- The discussions could affect insurance coverage and the availability of vaccines for many people.
