Doctors mount vaccine safety review to rival feds'
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An ad-hoc group of infectious disease doctors and health researchers on Tuesday held a public meeting to review recent studies on the safety and effectiveness of COVID, RSV and flu vaccines, in the belief the data isn't being adequately considered by federal health officials.
Why it matters: The unusual online gathering of the newly formed Vaccine Integrity Project was intended to provide an evidence base for doctors and public health officials as they update recommendations for kids, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
- The agenda resembled those of a vaccine advisory board to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that's come under scrutiny since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. purged its 17 members and replaced them with a handpicked roster that includes some known vaccine skeptics.
What they're saying: "Over the last few months, we've seen policy changes by federal officials based on evidence that has been shown as flawed, analytically fraught, or flat-out wrong," said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota and a leader of the initiative.
- "It's vital that providers and the public continue to have vaccine information they can rely on," he said during the meeting.
- HHS didn't respond to a request for comment.
What they did: The group of 24 doctors and researchers from across the country examined scientific studies published since mid-2024 for COVID and RSV vaccines, and mid-2023 for flu.
- The group reviewed more than 14,000 peer-reviewed scientific articles and extracted data from 590 studies, including 50 controlled trials, Osterholm said.
- The effort is being funded by Alumbra, a foundation established by philanthropist and Walmart heiress Christy Walton.
The panel found that recent research shows flu, COVID and RSV vaccines remain safe and effective for kids, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
- Data continued to show a possible increased risk of preterm birth associated with Pfizer's RSV vaccine.
- Osterholm said there is no scientific evidence to justify Kennedy's recent decision to no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy pregnant women or children.
Zoom out: The American Academy of Pediatrics on Tuesday separately released its immunization guidelines for flu, RSV and COVID-19 ahead of the fall respiratory virus season.
- For the first time, the group's guidelines diverge from the federal government's. The pediatricians recommend COVID vaccines for all kids between six and 23 months old, and for kids over 2 years old at risk for severe disease.
- The Trump administration earlier this year said it would require new randomized clinical trials for COVID boosters before authorizing them for healthy individuals.
- The American College for Obstetricians and Gynecologists earlier said it would release its own guidelines for respiratory virus vaccines during pregnancy in coordination with the Vaccine Integrity Project.
Reality check: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices vaccine recommendations that get approved by the CDC must be covered by health insurers. That's not the case for vaccine recommendations from medical associations.
- But AHIP, the leading trade group for health insurers, put out a statement in June saying it is committed to continuing coverage of vaccines for this respiratory virus season.
