The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is facing uncertainty as its regularly scheduled February meeting has been postponed, according to a senior Health and Human Services (HHS) official. The committee, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine policy, was set to convene from February 26 to 28, marking its first gathering since the Trump administration took office. However, Andrew Nixon, the HHS director of communications, confirmed that the meeting will not take place as originally planned.
The decision to postpone the meeting has raised concerns among public health experts and advocates, particularly in light of recent developments within the HHS. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been critical of the ACIP in the past, recently assumed his role at the HHS. During his Senate confirmation process, Kennedy claimed that 97% of ACIP members had conflicts of interest, a statement that has been refuted by those familiar with the vetting process for ACIP members.
The CDC staff had been working to obtain final approval from HHS to hold the meeting, but faced challenges due to a communication pause imposed on federal health agencies shortly after President Trump’s inauguration. While subcommittee meetings were allowed to resume last week, the full ACIP meeting was not authorized to proceed.
The meeting was intended to cover a range of vaccine-related issues, including voting on recommendations for newly approved vaccines to prevent diseases such as chikungunya and meningitis, as well as updates on influenza and RSV vaccines. Public comment periods are a crucial part of these meetings, allowing members of the public to submit written comments or request to make verbal comments during the session. However, without formal authorization from HHS, the portal for public comments remained closed, prompting the CDC’s ACIP secretariat to request a postponement.
Experts fear that the postponement could signal broader changes to the committee’s future. Concerns have been raised about the potential dissolution of the ACIP, with some experts speculating that the Trump administration may be seeking to reduce the CDC’s role in making vaccine recommendations. An executive order signed by Trump titled “Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy” instructs aides to review existing federal advisory committees, including the ACIP, and recommend which should be terminated as unnecessary.
The ACIP plays a crucial role in advising the CDC on vaccine policy, including recommendations for vaccine use and safety monitoring. The committee’s work is instrumental in ensuring the effective and safe administration of vaccines. The postponement of the February meeting has sparked concerns about the future of the ACIP and its ability to continue providing expert guidance on vaccination policies. Members of committees such as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are not paid employees, but they do receive travel expenses for attending meetings. In the case of the ACIP, members may also be offered a $250 honorarium for the days they attend meetings, when they are designated as “special government employees.” However, members are not paid for the time they spend on the work groups that do the majority of the committee’s work.
The ACIP is a group of medical and public health experts who provide recommendations on the use of vaccines in the U.S. The committee plays a crucial role in ensuring that vaccines are safe and effective for the public. Members of the ACIP come from various backgrounds, including pediatrics, infectious diseases, epidemiology, and public health.
While committee members do not receive a salary for their work, they play a vital role in shaping public health policy and guidelines. Their expertise helps to inform decisions on which vaccines are recommended for use, who should receive them, and when they should be administered. The recommendations made by the ACIP are used by healthcare providers, policymakers, and the public to guide vaccination practices.
In addition to attending meetings, members of these committees also participate in work groups that conduct in-depth reviews of scientific data and evidence related to vaccines. These work groups play a crucial role in the decision-making process and help to ensure that recommendations are based on the best available evidence.
Overall, while members of these committees do not receive a salary for their work, they play a critical role in safeguarding public health through their expertise and dedication to ensuring the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Their contributions help to protect individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases, ultimately saving lives and improving public health outcomes.
