Vaccine advisors selected by RFK Jr appeared uncertain about voting for potential changes to Hep B shot

Advisers selected by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared uncertain about an upcoming vote that could alter federal vaccine recommendations, according to recent reports.

Members of the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), appointed by Kennedy earlier this year, seemed unclear about the Thursday vote concerning hepatitis B vaccine guidance after the proposals wording was revised multiple times. The vote was subsequently postponed to Friday.

This is the third version of the questions most of the committee members received within 72 hours, said Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a committee member. Were trying to assess a moving target.

During the committees livestream, one attendee commented, We really need to know what were voting on, reflecting the confusion caused by the rapidly changing language.

Dr. Robert Malone, ACIP vice chair who led the session, attributed the issues to audio/visual harmonization, explaining that the updated vote language could not be displayed immediately on the presentation slides. A break was later taken to allow the committee to clarify the matter.

The vote was initially scheduled for September, but it was delayed due to insufficient evidence to support a fully confident, evidence-based recommendation, Malone noted. While ACIPs guidance is advisory, the CDC generally follows the committees recommendations when setting vaccine policies.

Author: Ethan Caldwell