March 16 (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday blocked key parts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s effort to reshape U.S. vaccine policy, including a move to reduce the number of shots routinely recommended for children, and revamp a federal advisory committee on inoculations.
Below are some reactions to the ruling from public health experts:
DEMETRE DASKALAKIS, FORMER CDC DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR IMMUNIZATION AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES
“It’s great to see science and law align in a way to stop capricious vaccine policy dictated by a health despot seeking personal and political gain.”
“I don’t take any of this as personal vindication or confirmation of my decision to leave CDC — I am happy that those of us who left were able to help raise the red flag. Now we need to repair the damage these HHS actions have caused and the disease that they have allowed to propagate.”
DEB HOURY, FORMER CDC CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
“It’s good to see that the administration is being held to the standard of gold standard science and radical transparency, meaning they should follow the appropriate procedures for appointing members to federal advisory committees and using transparent, evidence-based science in making decisions. The judge’s ruling is consistent with the concerns that myself and other colleagues who resigned have raised.”
ANDREW RACINE, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
“Today’s ruling is a historic and welcome outcome for children, communities, and pediatricians everywhere.”
“This decision effectively means that a science-based process for developing immunization recommendations is not to be trifled with and represents a critical step to restoring scientific decision-making to federal vaccine policy that has kept children healthy for years.”
KATRINE WALLACE, EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND ADJUNCT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
“I think long-term implications of this are uncertain at the moment. This decision today is a temporary injunction to maintain the status quo while the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) lawsuit is still ongoing. I certainly hope we return to transparency, evidence and data being considered in the decision-making process about vaccines.”
DAN JERNIGAN, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR EMERGING AND ZOONOTIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
“This order reverses, for now, efforts to build barriers to prevention. This is very good news for protecting children from dangerous and deadly infectious diseases.”
GEORGES BENJAMIN, CEO OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION
“This injunction underscores the need for using science in public health decision-making and using a process that engages qualified experts when it comes to recommending interventions that impact human health.”
“Trust occurs when we engage the public in a transparent process, not one where decisions are made behind closed doors by unqualified individuals and presented in a disingenuous way.”
DAVID AIZUSS, BOARD CHAIR, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
“Today’s ruling is an important step toward protecting the health of Americans, particularly children. Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective tools in medicine, and strong, science-based immunization policies save lives.”
(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy and Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
