Senator says ACIP next meeting should be postponed

Pushback against the reconstitution of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has emerged within the Republican party.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee, has called for the next meeting of the ACIP to be postponed due to a lack of relevant experience among the panellists.

In a social media statement, Cassidy said that, while the members "have scientific credentials," they lack "significant experience studying microbiology, epidemiology, or immunology." Moreover, he asserts that they have little experience of new technologies like mRNA vaccines and "may even have preconceived bias against them."

Cassidy's comments follow the startling decision by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr to dismiss all 17 serving members of the ACIP earlier this month, replacing them a couple of days later with eight individuals of his own choosing.

The new roster includes people known to hold contrarian views on immunisation, including mRNA vaccines, and some who have testified in lawsuits brought against pharma companies that have alleged harm from immunisations. Meanwhile, Kennedy has been criticised for appointing new panellists without going through the customary transparency and vetting processes.

Cassidy's comments come just ahead of the ACIP's next scheduled meeting, due to start tomorrow and continue through Friday, with an itinerary that could see decisions being made on flu vaccines that contain a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal, the use of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shots for the under-fives, and recommendations on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programmes.

"Robust and transparent scientific discussion is important, so long as it is rooted in evidence and understanding," said Cassidy, adding that the meeting "should not proceed with a relatively small panel, and no CDC Director in place to approve the panel's recommendations."

He added that the meeting "should be delayed until the panel is fully staffed with more robust and balanced representation – as required by law – including those with more direct relevant expertise. Otherwise, ACIP's recommendations could be viewed with scepticism, which will work against the success of this Administration's efforts."

The replacement of the ACIP also runs counter to a pledge delivered by Kennedy to Cassidy during his confirmation hearing in front of the HELP committee, in which he promised to maintain the panel "without changes."

Cassidy previously said he was concerned that the committee "will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion."