The newly appointed U.S. vaccine advisory panel, selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will meet next week but will not vote on Covid-19 vaccines.
Instead, it will focus on flu shots, RSV vaccines for pregnant women and children, and thimerosal — a preservative targeted by anti-vaccine groups.
The abrupt dismissal of the previous 17-member committee and appointment of eight new advisers, some with anti-vaccine views, has sparked concern among medical groups.
Missing from the agenda are discussions on HPV and meningococcal vaccines, which pediatric experts say are well-researched and essential.
Thimerosal, used in some multi-dose flu vials, has been falsely linked to autism, despite scientific evidence to the contrary. Experts warn that removing it may increase costs and reduce vaccine availability.
With no CDC director currently in place, the committee’s recommendations now go directly to Kennedy — a shift that critics fear may politicize vaccine guidance.
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