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CDC and HHS Clash Over COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Children
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are at odds over COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children.
The CDC recently updated its childhood immunization schedule, stating that children without underlying health conditions “may receive” the vaccine. This contradicts Kennedy’s earlier announcement that the agency would stop recommending the shots for healthy children.
The CDC’s new guidance emphasizes “shared clinical decision-making,” allowing vaccination if parents, doctors, and personal circumstances align. This ensures continued coverage by health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. The updated language clarifies, “Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children 6 months and older may receive COVID-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances.”
An HHS spokesperson affirmed the importance of the doctor-patient relationship in medical decisions, stating that vaccination decisions for healthy children and pregnant women should be based on informed consent and a healthcare provider’s clinical judgment. However, Kennedy himself did not advise patients to consult doctors.
This situation has drawn criticism from medical organizations. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists expressed concern that Kennedy’s earlier announcement undermines public trust and downplays COVID-19’s risks. They also questioned how clinicians can effectively address the issue within the timeframe of a typical office visit.
Adding to the confusion, Kennedy’s announcement regarding COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women contradicts information on the CDC website, which continues to emphasize the safety and benefits of vaccination during pregnancy. This also goes against the CDC advisory committee’s stance from April, where they stated no plans to change recommendations for pregnant women.
Kennedy’s memo, citing FDA and NIH reviews, claims the risks outweigh the benefits for healthy children and expresses uncertainty about the benefits for pregnant women. This move reportedly surprised agency officials overseeing shot recommendations.
The situation raises concerns about the decision-making process within federal health agencies, with some experts questioning the transparency and justification behind these directives.
This week, HHS also canceled contracts with Moderna for developing vaccines for future pandemic threats, including the H5N1 bird flu. This comes after both Moderna and Pfizer received emergency use authorization and subsequent full approval for their COVID-19 vaccines. More recently, the FDA approved Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 65 and older and those 12 and older with underlying conditions.
Current CDC data indicates approximately 23% of U.S. adults and 13% of children aged 6 months to 18 are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.