According to reports, the federal vaccine committee appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted unanimously on Friday to further limit access to Covid vaccines. They recommended that adults aged 65 and above receive the shots only after discussing the potential benefits and risks with a health care provider.
The panel also suggested that everyone from 6 months to 64 years old could get the vaccine after consulting with a health care provider. However, it was unclear whether that contradicted the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of the shots only for adults over 65 and younger people with certain health conditions.
Nonetheless, the decisions raise questions about whether Americans can continue to walk into their neighborhood pharmacies for routine vaccinations or whether in some states, they will first need a doctor’s permission.
The votes came on the second meeting day of a committee that was assembled by Mr. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Meanwhile, most of the panelists are first-time members. One could argue that their inexperience seemed to contribute to the confusion that marred both days of the meeting. The fascinating fact is that about half of the committee members were appointed to the panel earlier this week.
Having been approved by the panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the recommendations were less restrictive than many had expected. This could mean that they might still make it more difficult for pharmacists in some states to administer the shots to older adults. If that comes into fruition, it could be challenging because about two-thirds of Americans received last year’s Covid vaccine at a pharmacy or a drugstore.
This decision has caused mixed reactions among American citizens. The panel also unanimously voted to recommend that the CDC describe the risks of Covid vaccines to patients and health care providers. Hence, health care providers are now required to provide patients with a sheet explaining the risks and benefits.
In a nail-biting moment, the committee hesitated against approving a recommendation that would also have required Americans to have a prescription for the vaccines. That proposal elicited the strongest disagreement among the panelists. Some members noted that a significant percentage of Americans, particularly those living in rural areas, do not have access to a health care provider. So, it did not eventually pass.
With most of the committee members having publicly opposed Covid vaccines and vaccine mandates, their decision to limit access to the shots was not entirely surprising. Ultimately, the conducted vote followed a contentious and divisive argument, with many committee members questioning the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine shots.
