ATLANTA, GA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) concluded a two-day meeting this past week at CDC headquarters, voting on several key vaccine-related recommendations and reaffirming its commitment to transparency and evidence-based public health practices.
The ACIP, composed of leading experts in medical and public health fields, issued a series of recommendations, including the following votes:
- Clesrovimab for RSV: By a 5-2 vote, the committee approved one dose of clesrovimab, a monoclonal antibody, for infants whose mothers are not protected by maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination.
- Vaccines for Children Program: Approved unanimously with a 7-0 vote to update the program’s resolution for RSV prevention.
- Influenza Vaccination Recommendations: Reaffirmed, 6-0, for annual influenza vaccination for everyone aged six months and older, barring contraindications.
- Thimerosal-Free Vaccines: Voted 5-1 to recommend that influenza vaccines for children, pregnant women, and adults be provided only in single-dose, thimerosal-free formulations.
The outcome of these votes will be forwarded to the CDC Director for review and, if adopted, published as official federal recommendations in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
At the meeting’s conclusion, ACIP members issued a statement emphasizing their focus on public health and scientific rigor. “Honesty, transparency, and compassion with regard to public health. These are the three pillars that we, the new ACIP members, are guided by,” the statement read. Members added that decisions are made with an evidence-based approach and supported by scientific data to ensure safety and efficacy.
The committee stressed the importance of data collection, indicating plans to assess data from large populations across the country for a broad risk-benefit analysis. “We pledge not to hold a vote if there is not sufficient information to enable evaluation of the risks and benefits,” the statement added.
ACIP affirmed its dedication to collaboration across stakeholders, from healthcare providers and public health agencies to families and manufacturers, in the fight against infectious diseases. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.
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