A key U.S. vaccine advisory committee has voted to stop recommending all adults get the Covid-19 vaccine, which has until now been officially approved for most Americans annually since the pandemic.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) also narrowly voted against advocating prescriptions for the Covid vaccine.
In two days of meetings, ACIP changed its recommendations on the combined measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccine, and delayed plans for a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, fired all 17 members of the committee in June and handpicked their successors, sparking uproar in the medical community.
The panel spent Friday debating the Covid-19 vaccine, which has for the past several years been a routine recommendation, like the yearly flu jab.
ACIP voted to abandon broad support for recommending the jab, including for high-risk populations like people aged over 65. Instead, it decided that individuals could make their own decisions after discussing their options with a medical professional.
In May, the federal government stopped recommending Covid-19 vaccines for healthy pregnant women and children.
During the debates, differing opinions emerged regarding the vaccine's effectiveness. Supporters of the vaccine cite data showing it protects against infection, while some committee members question its necessity.
Confusion also arose concerning the MMRV vaccine recommendations, with divisions in the panel affecting clarity and public confidence.
The ACIP has also delayed a vote regarding the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns, despite longstanding recommendations supporting it since 1991.
Kennedy's adjustments to the CDC and the panel have drawn criticism from health professionals and advocates, further complicating the landscape of public vaccination policy.
