Health Panel Backed by Trump Refuses to Back COVID-19 Shots, Flags Potential Risks

Trump-Backed Health Panel Refuses to Endorse COVID-19 Vaccines, Cites Risks.

A federal health advisory panel aligned with former President Donald Trump has declined to recommend COVID-19 vaccine shots, raising concerns about safety and efficacy despite scientific evidence. The Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP), now led by members appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said COVID-19 vaccination should remain a matter of “individual choice” in consultation with doctors. The panel also recommended that the CDC issue stronger warnings about potential vaccine risks.

Medical experts sharply criticized the move. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics said the discussion “focused on myths and case reports—not science,” while Sandra Fryhofer of the American Medical Association called it a troubling erosion of the panel’s integrity.

Under Trump-era policies, the FDA has restricted COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to older adults and those with underlying conditions. Earlier this year, the government stopped recommending vaccines for children and healthy pregnant women. A proposal requiring prescriptions for all COVID-19 shots narrowly failed in a tiebreak vote.

The committee also sparked confusion over other vaccines. ACIP initially opposed the combined MMRV vaccine for young children but later approved separate MMR and varicella shots. Debates over Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns were postponed, amid warnings about long-term health risks.