CDC Releases New Recommendations for RSV, Meningococcal Shots

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s website showed the agency has accepted recommendations for the use of vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and meningococcal disease. These recommendations were made by a panel of vaccine experts, known as the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), in April, before they were fired by U.S. Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK).

The CDC adopted the vaccine recommendations on June 25, Reuters reported. The CDC now recommends that those between 50 and 59 years who are at an increased risk of severe illness from the RSV virus receive a single dose of RSV vaccine. The CDC previously recommended the vaccine only for adults aged 75 and older and at-risk adults aged 60 to 74.

The agency also recommended the use of GSK’s pentavalent meningococcal vaccine in healthy persons aged 16–23 years and at-risk individuals aged 10 years and older.

As CMM previously reported, the CDC had accepted this same panel’s recommendations on vaccines for chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, in May.

Also as CMM previously reported, on June 9, RFK removed the 17 sitting members of the ACIP committee and replaced them with eight new members, which fizzled to seven during the vetting process. Many health experts don’t agree with RFK’s new ACIP members and are looking for an alternative source of unbiased information. For example, last month, the new vaccine advisory panel recommended Americans receive seasonal influenza shots that are free from the mercury-based preservative thimerosal despite decades of studies showing no related safety issues. In turn, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 79 leading medical societies reaffirm their support for vaccination as the best way to protect against the flu, COVID-19, and RSV and their potentially serious complications.