Vaccine policy: Uncertain victories mustn't distract from defending health

A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the Department of Health and Human Services' weakened childhood immunization schedule and said HHS leadership actions likely violated federal rules; independent public health groups report they will continue work to preserve evidence-based vaccine guidance.

Federal vaccine policy in the United States has become more uncertain after a federal judge in Boston blocked the Department of Health and Human Services' recently weakened childhood immunization schedule. The judge also indicated that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal rules when he removed and replaced members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. At the same time, media reports describe HHS leadership changes, cancelled agency meetings, and edits to ACIP agendas that had been set to begin this week. Independent public health groups and medical societies say they are continuing reviews of immunization evidence. Key developments: - A federal judge temporarily blocked HHS's revised childhood immunization schedule and put those changes on hold. - The judge wrote that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal rules in firing and replacing members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. - The department removed longstanding routine recommendations for influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and COVID-19 vaccines from the schedule after bypassing expert review, according to reporting. - Reports describe an HHS leadership shakeup, the cancellation of an autism-focused committee meeting, and changes to planned ACIP agendas, including dropping a planned vote on COVID vaccine recommendations. - The acting CDC director publicly promoted the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine amid unusually high measles activity. - Independent organizations and medical specialty societies are conducting peer-reviewed immunization evidence reviews and drafting guidance to support clinicians and the public. Summary: The court decision has paused the department's recent schedule changes for now, but further legal action is expected. Several structural alterations to how vaccine evidence is gathered and reviewed have already been made, and independent groups report ongoing work to maintain evidence-based processes. Undetermined at this time.