Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has sent a letter to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, expressing concern over his decision to cancel the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) meeting, which was scheduled to determine influenza vaccine strains for the upcoming flu season. Additionally, the letter also expresses concern over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) decision to postpone its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting in February to review, among other issues, the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Gillibrand claims the cancellations and postponements were announced with no plans to reschedule, which she says could endanger the lives of older adults and even hinder the capacity of New York hospitals to treat patients.
The letter requests answers on how the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to address the impact of meeting cancellations and postponements for at-risk populations who depend on timely vaccination and what alternative measures will decide the selection of influenza strains for vaccine production. The letter also expresses concern for hospital staff in New York’s health systems whose emergency rooms and intensive care units may be overwhelmed, diverting resources from other essential care needs.
The senator notes that “New York State… recorded 432,000 flu cases so far this season, which already far surpasses the total from last year’s flu season. The escalating severity of influenza underscores the critical need for robust and timely vaccine development and deployment. Any slowdown in this process will exacerbate the risks faced by the American public.”
She continues, “New York State’s current flu outbreak is its worst in at least 15 years. At one point in January, only 13 percent of hospital beds in New York were available due to the surge in influenza, along with other seasonal illnesses. This surge in demand not only jeopardizes the quality of care for influenza patients but also impacts the overall capacity of our health care infrastructure, potentially leading to preventable deaths across various medical conditions.”
A full copy of the letter can be found here
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