Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s dismissal of a board of 17 non-partisan members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory panel could impact vaccine availability, local officials said.
That depends on if Kennedy would appoint new members to the board, and if those members share his views on vaccine safety and efficacy, officials in Cleveland and Summit County said.
Richard Stewart, a spokesperson for Cleveland’s Department of Public Health, said the panel provides recommendations, which insurance companies and Medicaid use to determine whether they will cover certain vaccines. Officials say if insurers stop paying for vaccines, some people would not be able to get them…