A group of infectious disease doctors and health researchers is calling for more evidence-based decision-making on COVID, RSV, and flu vaccines. The 24-member Vaccine Integrity Project gathered to review scientific studies on the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines.
The group examined over 14,000 peer-reviewed articles and found that recent research shows the flu, COVID, and RSV vaccines remain safe and effective for kids, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.
However, they did identify a possible increased risk of preterm birth associated with Pfizer’s RSV vaccine. The panel also concluded that there is no scientific evidence to justify the decision by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy pregnant women or children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released new immunization guidelines for flu, RSV, and COVID-19, which diverge from the federal government’s recommendations. The guidelines suggest that all kids between six and 23 months old should receive COVID vaccines, as well as kids over 2 years old at risk for severe disease.
As vaccine policies continue to shift under Secretary Kennedy Jr.’s leadership, concerns are growing about dueling recommendations that could add to confusion and distrust surrounding shots for COVID, flu, and RSV. The U.S. has experienced a recent measles outbreak, large uptick in whooping cough, and high pediatric flu deaths in recent years.
A federal task force created to improve the safety of childhood vaccines is being revived by the Health and Human Services Department, which could potentially lead to changes to the federal childhood vaccination schedule.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/20/doctors-review-covid-flu-vaccines