Senate Leader Calls for Postponement of Vaccine Advisory Panel Meeting
WASHINGTON — Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a top Senate leader, has called for next month’s meeting of a federal advisory panel on vaccines to be postponed following a mass exodus of leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In a statement, Cassidy expressed concerns about the meeting agenda, membership, and the lack of scientific process being followed for the upcoming September meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
This is not the first time Cassidy has raised objections to a CDC meeting. Previously, he called for a postponement after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed several panel members and appointed replacements that Cassidy deemed inexperienced and with anti-vaccine views. Despite his objections, the meeting proceeded, albeit in a truncated form.
Following the recent firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez by HHS due to disagreements over vaccine policies, and the FDA’s announcement of a narrower approval of Covid-19 vaccines, Cassidy’s call for a postponement of the ACIP meeting comes amidst a wave of leadership departures at these agencies.
The CDC had announced that the vaccine advisers would convene next month to potentially vote on recommendations concerning Covid-19 vaccines and other vaccines included in the routine childhood vaccine schedule, such as Hepatitis B shots.
Senator Cassidy emphasized the importance of oversight in decisions impacting children’s health and urged that the meeting be postponed until significant oversight has been conducted. He also stated that if the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected due to the serious allegations and the current leadership turmoil within the CDC.
While Cassidy did not mention Secretary Kennedy by name in his statement, this marks his strongest criticism of Kennedy since the latter’s confirmation. Cassidy had previously cast the deciding vote in favor of Kennedy’s confirmation.
In response to the recent leadership changes at the CDC and other agencies, Cassidy announced that his committee would conduct oversight, without further elaboration.
Requests for comments from HHS regarding Cassidy’s call for postponement went unanswered.
