A crucial federal committee, responsible for setting immunization policies for Americans, is scheduled to convene this Thursday and Friday. Their agenda includes a review of several long-established and widely used vaccines.
Known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (A.C.I.P.), the panel is anticipated to cast votes on vaccines for Covid-19, hepatitis B (a serious liver-damaging infection), and the M.M.R.V. combination shot, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has often expressed doubts about the safety of these immunizations. Just recently, Susan Monarez, who was briefly the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, informed lawmakers that Mr. Kennedy intends to overhaul the standard childhood immunization schedule.
Monarez stated that Secretary Kennedy instructed her to pre-approve all A.C.I.P. recommendations, irrespective of supporting scientific evidence.
On Thursday’s session, the committee will likely propose restrictions on the hepatitis B vaccine, suggesting it only be administered to newborns whose mothers are confirmed carriers of the virus. There’s also a possibility the M.M.R.V. vaccine recommendation could be withdrawn. On Friday, a vote is expected to narrow the guidelines for Covid-19 vaccine recipients.
However, the impact of the committee’s decisions might not be as widespread as historically seen. While insurance providers are mandated to cover all committee-endorsed vaccines, they retain the option to cover additional ones.
Notably, AHIP, the leading trade association for the health insurance industry, announced that health plans would maintain coverage for all immunizations recommended as of September 1st, including the latest Covid and flu vaccine formulations, without any patient cost-sharing through 2026.
The association emphasized that its commitment to an evidence-based approach for immunization coverage will not change.
Nevertheless, the outcomes of this week’s votes could foreshadow extensive revisions to the national childhood immunization schedule.
This current committee, consisting of 12 members, was entirely appointed by Mr. Kennedy after he dismissed the previous 17 members in June. Seven of these new members joined the panel that same month, with the remaining five being announced recently.
The childhood vaccination schedule
The C.D.C.’s immunization advisory panel will review three of the recommended shots for children under 18.
Key: Vaccine recommendations under review
The interactive graphic displayed a detailed childhood vaccination schedule, highlighting specific vaccines under review by the committee:
- At birth: Hepatitis B (1st dose)
- 1 month: Hepatitis B (2nd)
- 6 months: Hepatitis B (3rd), Covid-19 (Available for high-risk children or after consultation with a doctor.)
- 12 months: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) (1st dose) (This combination shot is less commonly used than the individual doses for MMR and chickenpox.)
- 4 years: MMRV (2nd)
Note: The start of the age range for each recommended dose is shown. (Credit: By Elena Shao, Amy Schoenfeld Walker and Daniel Wood)
During their initial meeting in June, seven of the panelists declared their intention to thoroughly examine all recommended vaccinations for children and adolescents. They also voted to revoke a long-standing recommendation for certain flu shots containing thimerosal, a preservative frequently, and falsely, linked to autism by anti-vaccine advocates.
In a recent interview, panelist Dr. Robert Malone articulated the committee’s goal: to reassess the entire pediatric vaccine schedule, demanding data on vaccine-to-vaccine interactions. Secretary Kennedy has consistently voiced concerns that the current number of childhood vaccines is unsafe. However, medical experts widely dispute this, stating that the notion of modern vaccines overwhelming a child’s immune system is scientifically unsound.
Dr. Malone has previously expressed, publicly, that he views the term ‘anti-vaxer’ as an honor.
Furthermore, Dr. Malone confirmed that the committee would evaluate the necessity of administering hepatitis B vaccines immediately after birth.
This refers to the initial dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, typically given to newborns within 24 hours of delivery. Public health experts credit this vaccine with dramatically reducing maternal transmission of hepatitis B in the United States, bringing annual cases down from approximately 20,000 before 1991 to fewer than 20 today.
Dr. Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and a former acting director of the C.D.C., warned that if the panel restricts hepatitis B shots for infants, which appears probable, it could trigger a resurgence of the disease among children.
He expressed concern that each subsequent meeting of the panel inches society closer to a future where preventable vaccine diseases become common once more.
A photograph shows Robert Malone, a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, speaking at a C.D.C. meeting in Atlanta on June 25. (Credit: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
If left untreated, hepatitis B can severely damage the liver, progressing to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even cancer. Over 90 percent of infants who contract the virus develop chronic, lifelong hepatitis B.
Secretary Kennedy and his supporters contend that hepatitis B transmission occurs exclusively through sexual contact or shared needles, suggesting that only infants born to infected mothers should receive the vaccine at birth.
However, Dr. James Campbell, vice chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious disease committee, clarified that this highly contagious virus can also spread via contaminated household items such as toothbrushes, razors, or combs.
Dr. Campbell noted that previous risk-based vaccination recommendations for hepatitis B, which involved vaccinating only infants with infected mothers, failed to significantly reduce the disease’s overall impact. This historical failure is why universal vaccination is now the standard.
The hepatitis B vote is slated for Thursday. The committee will also address the M.M.R.V. vaccine, introduced in 2005. Panel chair Martin Kulldorff previously presented data indicating a minor increase in fever-induced seizures associated with this combination vaccine, although these seizures are generally harmless and can occur with common childhood illnesses.
It’s important to note that not all children receive the M.M.R.V. combination vaccine. Current CDC guidelines already advise separate administration of the M.M.R. and chickenpox shots, particularly for the first dose given to children under two, due to this seizure risk.
A final, distinct vote concerning Covid-19 vaccines is scheduled for Friday.
Correction: September 18, 2025 – An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the date when AHIP, the national trade association for health insurance, announced that health plans would continue covering all immunizations recommended as of September 1. The correct date was Tuesday, September 16, not Wednesday. The publication is committed to correcting errors, and readers are encouraged to report any inaccuracies.