RFK Jr.’s firing of little-known committee members could mean families can’t afford vaccines

Since the s American children whose parents can t afford to pay for vaccines have gotten them for free once an expert committee determined the shots were safe and cost-effective The Vaccines for Children venture created in the aftermath of a measles outbreak that hit kids from low-income families disproportionately hard must cover shots recommended by the Centers for Affection Control and Prevention The same requirement applies to majority of private insurance plans Medicaid and Medicare prescription drug plans Last week Secretary of Robustness and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr dismissed all members of the CDC s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices including Dr Edwin Asturias a pediatric infectious malady specialist in Aurora The committee recommends which shots insurance should cover for specific groups The CDC director doesn t have to accept the committee s recommendations but usually does Kennedy alleged the members had conflicts of interest because several had worked on growing vaccines and declared the replacements would increase populace confidence in the committee s recommendations Members of the committee already had to declare any conflicts of interest such as work they ve done with pharmaceutical companies and recuse themselves if the group is evaluating a vaccine they worked on or have a financial stake in Kennedy also fired staff responsible for vetting new committee members At least three of the eight replacements he appointed have documented anti-vaccine views and one who called himself an anti-vaxxer falsely claimed that COVID- shots cause a form of AIDS Two of the new members acted as paid experts for plaintiffs suing Merck over its human papillomavirus and measles mumps and rubella vaccines Organizations representing curative providers have expressed concerns that the new members will end the recommendations for common vaccines resulting in insurers no longer covering shots and families losing access Asturia who is on the Colorado School of Inhabitants Healthcare faculty and works at Children s Hospital Colorado but spoke for himself explained he especially worries about kids right now covered by the Vaccines for Children campaign which pays to give shots to those who are uninsured underinsured eligible for Medicaid or Native American In most of cases their parents won t be able to afford vaccines which can cost hundreds of dollars he explained Insurance companies decisions also could create a patchwork since they could reach different conclusions about whether any savings from not covering vaccines would disappear when they have to pay for increased hospitalizations Asturias explained While a small percentage of people don t trust vaccines the vast majority have shown they want their children to get their shots he revealed We know that nine out of children and their families are receiving vaccines he mentioned States would have the option to require insurance plans they regulate to pay for shots though any such mandate wouldn t apply to federally regulated plans The U S Food and Drug Administration approves vaccines after determining they are safe and effective at either preventing a sickness or reducing the odds of severe illness and death The committee then issues a recommendation about which groups should receive the vaccine based on safety and cost-effectiveness Asturias stated The ACIP issued recommendations on vaccine products including four that protect against multiple viruses or types of bacteria Sometimes that recommendation is broad such as that everyone older than six months should receive a seasonal flu shot It recommends nine of the vaccines only for people traveling to countries where the diseases are common or for lab workers who handle those specific viruses The dismissed members had expected to discuss moving from a universal recommendation for COVID- boosters to one focused on hazard whether to recommend a new antibody drug to protect babies from respiratory syncytial virus and whether to change the chikungunya vaccination recommendation after a few material suggested risks for older people from one of two vaccines on the sector Asturias announced Federal websites still exhibited the committee would meet on June but didn t make clear which of those issues if any the new members would discuss Normally the members serve overlapping four-year terms so everyone doesn t have to try to get up to speed at the same time Asturias reported Federal law gives the heads of agencies wide discretion to dismiss appointees but does allow courts to overturn their decisions if they are arbitrary and capricious The House Committee on Oversight and Administration Improvement has inquired Kennedy to submit emails related to the dismissals and a detailed explanation for why he removed each member by June according to The New York Times The committee has prioritized reviewing former President Joe Biden and his family as well as the origins of the COVID- pandemic so it would be a critical departure if the members faulted one of President Donald Trump s Cabinet members conduct Related Articles Kennedy s new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation Turkish Airlines guest from Denver is th measles matter tied to DIA outbreak Parts of Colorado face measles peril as high as West Texas due to low vaccination rates Moderna inquiry shows immune response in older adults for a combo flu and COVID- shot Black society in Denver rallied to share flu shot experiences The Trump administration stopped the survey Asturias demurred when petitioned about the new members saying he urged the general to consider their backgrounds and watch their decisions at upcoming meetings If they aren t following the evidence Americans may have to look to organizations representing physicians for guidance he revealed Others were more vocal Dr Jerome Adams who was Surgeon General during Trump s first term criticized the firings as a thinly veiled attempt to reduce access to vaccines Dr Tom Frieden president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC commented Kennedy s actions would politicize the committee and undermine trust in its recommendations We ll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor undermined constituents trust and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts he disclosed in a comment Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get vitality news sent straight to your inbox