Two weeks ago, Robert F. Kennedy fired all 17 members of the ACIP and quickly appointed eight new members. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that Michael Ross withdrew from the committee, leaving the ACIP with seven remaining members. The new advisory committee on immunization practices had its first meeting yesterday.
Robert Malone at the panel meeting on Wednesday. This image was taken from the livestream of the meeting.
Walking back flu vaccine recommendations
The panel voted to walk back recommendations for flu vaccines containing thimerosal, an ingredient falsely linked to autism. Many studies have shown thimerosal to be harmless.
“The risk from influenza is so much greater than the nonexistent risk as far as we know from thimerosal,” said Cody Meissner, MD, the only dissenting member of the panel, “There is no scientific evidence that thimerosal has caused a problem.”
According to an analysis of electronic health records by Truveta, only 3% of children and 2% of adults received flu vaccines that contained thimerosal in the 2024-25 flu season.
In another vote, the panel recommended seasonal flu vaccines to all Americans older than 6 months. The common flu vaccine does not contain thimerosal.
Lyn Redwood’s unconventional presentation
Among speakers at the meeting was Lyn Redwood, a former leader of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Robert F. Kennedy. This was a departure from previous ACIP standards of presentations given by CDC experts or members of the committee’s work groups.
During her presentation, Redwood claimed that thimerosal was toxic and dangerous to children. The New York Times reported several mistakes in Redwood’s presentation, including that the flu vaccine contains fifty micrograms of thimerosal per dose, double the actual amount. She also referenced studies that did not exist. These slides have been removed from the presentation.
Clesrovimab (enflonsia) to be recommended
The panel also voted on clesrovimab, a new monoclonal antibody approved by the FDA earlier this month to protect infants against RSV infection. A member of the panel, Retsef Levi, raised concerns about deaths in children receiving the antibody in clinical trials. However, experts from the CDC, FDA and the manufacturer said the data had been carefully reviewed before the approval and did not show any association between the deaths and clesrovimab. A work group of 60 experts, including Meissner, reviewed the safety data. Meissner defended the antibody.
Levi and Vicky Pebsworth, a nurse associated with an anti-vaccine group, voted against recommending clesrovimab. Five other panel members voted to recommend the product. The panel also voted to include the antibody in the children’s vaccine program.
Filed Under: Infectious Disease
