A federal panel of vaccine experts on Wednesday recommended expanded use of RSV vaccines for certain adults and endorsed a new meningitis shot for teens, but the final decision on those recommendations will be made by someone with no background in medicine: a former federal prosecutor currently serving as chief of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Traditionally, the CDC director makes the final call on how vaccines should be used based on guidance from the agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. However, with the CDC lacking a Senate-confirmed director, that responsibility now falls to Matthew Buzzelli, the agency’s chief of staff. Buzzelli, whose professional background is in law enforcement and prosecution, will decide whether to accept the expert panel’s recommendations. His CDC biography highlights his experience as an attorney, including his work as a federal prosecutor.
The panel recommended that adults aged 50 to 59 with underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should now be eligible for vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Until now, the shot had been approved primarily for those aged 60 and older. The committee also endorsed a new combination vaccine developed by GSK that protects against five strains of meningococcal bacteria, including one linked to a series of college campus outbreaks approximately a decade ago. The new shot would offer an additional option to existing meningitis vaccines.
In addition to the RSV and meningitis guidance, the panel approved a second chikungunya vaccine for individuals aged 12 and older who are traveling to regions experiencing outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness. U.S. health officials typically record between 100 and 200 cases annually, almost all among travelers. The panel also recommended a new precaution for the original chikungunya vaccine, which uses a weakened but live virus. For individuals aged 65 and older, the panel advised weighing the risks and benefits before receiving this version. This caution came after an ongoing investigation into six cases involving older adults—most with underlying medical conditions—who developed neurological or cardiac symptoms shortly after being vaccinated.
It is unclear how quickly Buzzelli will act on the panel's recommendations. Although the Biden administration appointed Dr. Susan Monarez as acting CDC director in January and formally nominated her for the permanent post last month, her role remains limited. Because of restrictions tied to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Monarez—who holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology—has effectively recused herself from key decision-making while her confirmation is pending. Two CDC officials, speaking anonymously out of concern for job security, confirmed that her involvement in agency operations is minimal during this period.
This unusual arrangement, placing critical vaccine policy decisions in the hands of a non-physician administrator, marks a rare departure from decades of science-led leadership at the CDC and raises concerns about how public health guidance is being managed during a time of ongoing global health challenges.
Source: AP
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
