The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed members of its vaccine advisory committee on Wednesday about the cancellation of a planned meeting originally set for March 13. According to an email accessed by The Washington Post, no specific reason was provided for the cancellation. The email also advised against sharing it and recommended members refrain from responding to media inquiries. Both the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA were unavailable for immediate comment.
Influenza viruses undergo changes annually, necessitating the yearly update of flu vaccines. Federal health officials are responsible for selecting the flu strains that the vaccines will target ahead of the flu season, as the production process spans several months. Traditionally, the FDA convenes its expert panel, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, every March. This timing accommodates the tight manufacturing deadlines and facilitates discussions about flu strain selection, primarily led by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The FDA advisory panel meeting typically involves public presentations from the WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Department of Defense. Noted pediatric infectious diseases expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Paul Offit, who is also a critic of Kennedy, remarked, “What is the plan for picking this year’s flu strain?”
Last week, officials from the Trump administration postponed a three-day meeting of the vaccine advisory panel to the CDC, which was scheduled to commence on Wednesday. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine, emphasizing his quest for more data and assuring that he would not erode public confidence in the vaccines. However, public health experts have long cautioned that as HHS Secretary, Kennedy might leverage his position to compromise vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), a crucial vote in Kennedy's confirmation, expressed internal conflict over his decision but later revealed receiving commitments from Kennedy, which included safeguarding vaccine oversight. During his confirmation, Kennedy criticized the CDC vaccine panel and argued that federal agencies are often influenced by the industries they regulate. He stated, “We will remove conflicts of interest on the committees and research partners whenever possible, or balance them with other stakeholders.”
Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at reducing federal bureaucracy. The order instructed White House officials to identify “unnecessary governmental entities and Federal Advisory Committees that should be terminated on grounds that they are unnecessary.”
