The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly planning to nix recommendations for pregnant women, teens, and children to take routine COVID-19 vaccines.
According to Reuters, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal, but it is not clear whether the agency will be removing the recommendation across the board, or only for those particular groups.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the umbrella of the HHS, currently recommends an updated COVID-19 shot be given children six months and older, regardless of if they have had any recent shots.
The CDC reports that approximately 14% of pregnant women and 13% of children have received an updated shot as of April 26.
Three COVID shots are currently authorized for use, including Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA-based vaccine, and Novavax.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known critic of vaccines, leads the HHS. Meanwhile, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary has expressed reservations about various public health initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic and opposed vaccine mandates for the general population.
Novavax is working to address concerns raised by the FDA regarding its vaccine, after the health regulator missed its April 1 deadline for approval. Meanwhile, the FDA is preparing to introduce a new framework for vaccine approvals next week, following recent changes to CDC recommendations, according to WSJ.
This is happening alongside widespread layoffs, including senior scientists, as part of Kennedy’s restructuring efforts. The changes have raised concerns about possible disruptions in the regulatory review process for treatments and vaccines.
