A panel of scientific experts advising the Food and Drug Administration on vaccine policy had its meeting canceled at the last minute, citing no reason for the decision. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee was set to meet on March 13 to discuss next year’s flu vaccines.
The cancellation has raised concerns among scientists who fear that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s criticism of the panel could interfere with vaccine production. Dr. Paul Offit, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia expert and outspoken critic of Mr. Kennedy, warned that the delay could affect production due to the six-month production cycle for flu vaccines.
Kennedy has repeatedly criticized vaccine makers and scientific panels, suggesting he wants to “root out conflicts of interest.” The panel members are currently required to declare their collaborations and recuse themselves from voting on issues where they have a financial stake. However, Kennedy has called for more stringent restrictions, which could impact the production of flu vaccines.
The cancellation comes amid fears that Kennedy’s actions could sow doubts about vaccines and interfere with the regulatory process leading to their approval. As a presidential candidate and Trump supporter, Kennedy has repeatedly warned of “regulatory capture,” but his own track record on vaccine-related issues is being questioned by some experts.
The postponement also affects other meetings of scientific advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which had previously been canceled as well. The stakes are high, with 86 children and 19,000 adults having died from flu this season, and over 430,000 people hospitalized.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/us/politics/fda-flu-vaccine.html