US vaccine panel ends broad Covid-19 vaccine recommendation for adults

WASHINGTON — The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to stop recommending that healthy adults receive the Covid-19 vaccine, ending the long-standing routine that once framed the shot as a standard yearly precaution alongside flu vaccines. The panel said adults should discuss vaccination with a clinician and make their own decision, signaling a shift in how the United States approaches Covid-19 vaccination. The decision comes as the virus continues to circulate, but public health officials have stressed that vaccination remains a personal health choice guided by medical advice rather than a blanket public-health directive.

ACIP's decision was announced after two days of meetings that also touched on the measles, mumps, rubella, varicella vaccine and a delaying vote on hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. The panel noted that in May the federal government had stopped recommending Covid-19 vaccines for healthy pregnant women and children, reflecting a narrowing of guidance as vaccination patterns and epidemiology shift. Inside the room, tensions surfaced over the weight of evidence surrounding the vaccine. One participant, an ally of Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, argued that there is little evidence the vaccine prevents serious illness, while another longtime vaccine expert contended that data show protection against infection. The deliberations highlighted the broader political and scientific debates shaping vaccine policy at a moment when Kennedy has reshaped parts of the administration 0vaccine leadership.

On the MMRV front, ACIP faced a split in its voting trajectory. On Thursday, the panel rejected a single combined shot for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella for children four and under. By Friday, however, it endorsed two separate vaccines: one for measles, mumps and rubella and another for varicella. The move aimed to simplify choices for parents, though the AMA and other medical groups said the changes could confuse families who rely on clear, consistent guidance for childhood vaccines.

The hepatitis B issue also dominated discussions. ACIP postponed a vote on whether all newborns should automatically receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth when their mothers test negative for the virus during pregnancy. For months, the panel has raised questions about the vaccine policy, even as scientists emphasize that hepatitis B vaccination remains a safe and effective tool to prevent a potentially serious liver infection. The CDC has recommended birth vaccination since 1991, and experts credit the policy with a sustained decline in cases among people under 20 years old. The panel remains divided on whether universal birth vaccination is the right approach in an era of improved screening and evolving epidemiology. In making its case, the panel cited data showing reduced transmission and disease burden among youth as a result of the birth-dose strategy, while opponents argued for a more targeted approach based on risk.

New leadership at the vaccine advisory group has sharpened the political edge of debates about vaccination policy. In June, Health Secretary Kennedy replaced all 17 members of ACIP and tapped new appointees to lead the committee path forward. He also dismissed the panel 0s former chair and abruptly removed the agency's top vaccine official in late August, prompting protests from medical colleagues. Senate testimony has since featured accounts from former staffers describing the terminations as political, with at least one former official saying she was fired for resisting changes to vaccine policy that she believed were not supported by the science. Kennedy has defended the reshaping as necessary to align policy with his broader public-health objectives, though critics argue the changes have sown confusion and eroded trust in vaccines. In remarks to lawmakers earlier this month, Kennedy said he would not remove vaccines without solid scientific justification, and he emphasized his commitment to transparent decision-making even amid controversy.

Experts watching the process note that the policy shifts reflect an ongoing recalibration of vaccination guidance as evidence evolves and as the public health landscape changes. ACIP's actions may affect how clinicians discuss Covid-19 vaccination with patients and could influence coverage decisions, messaging, and public perception of the vaccine program. Public health officials caution that while the Covid-19 vaccine may no longer be broadly recommended for all adults, vaccination remains a key tool for those at higher risk or in specific clinical situations, and guidance could shift again if new data emerge. As the CDC continues to monitor variants and transmission patterns, authorities say vaccination policy will continue to evolve to reflect current science and the needs of the population.