Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has added five new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, just days before it reconvenes to vote on COVID-19 shots and other routine pediatric vaccine recommendations.
Vaccine Skeptics Among New Members
The appointments follow Kennedy's decision in June to dismiss every member of the ACIP, replacing them with individuals who, in the past, have questioned or opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates, while being skeptical of vaccines in general.
The panel is set to meet later this week in Atlanta. It is expected to take calls on softening or eliminating mandates relating to the COVID-19 vaccine and other routine pediatric shots, such as the combination shot for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, alongside hepatitis B vaccines, according to a report by The Hill.
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Among the newly appointed members is Catherine Stein, a Case Western Reserve epidemiologist who testified against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and argued the state's dashboard inflated death counts.
Followed by Pediatric cardiologist Kirk Milhoan, who claimed mRNA vaccines caused more myocarditis cases than COVID itself and called for their removal. Milhoan has also been affiliated with groups promoting ivermectin as a treatment, despite its lack of effectiveness during clinical trials.
Another new panelist, Evelyn Griffin, an OB-GYN from Louisiana, previously spoke at a “Health Freedom Day” event advocating for the repeal of vaccine mandates. The vaccination views of two other panelists, pharmacist Evelyn Griffin and transplant immunobiologist Raymond Pollak, aren’t that well known.
Vaccine Stocks Vulnerable
Leading vaccine stocks have been under pressure throughout this year, with policy uncertainties and growing regulatory headwinds taking a toll.
Last month, the FDA decided not to renew Pfizer Inc.’s (NYSE:PFE) authorization for COVID-19 shots for younger children, between the ages of 5 and 11.
This was followed by the ending of emergency use authorizations for all COVID-19 vaccines, including those made by Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) late last month. Kennedy, however, noted that these vaccines “are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors.”
Two companies in the U.S. currently make the measles vaccine, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), which is currently the sole supplier of the MMR or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, followed by GSK PLC (NYSE:GSK), with a recently approved alternative to Merck’s MMR.
Both Merck and GSK are also major producers of the Hepatitis B vaccine, making them vulnerable to the outcome of the upcoming ACIP meeting.
| Stocks | Year-To-Date Performance |
| Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) | -18.30% |
| GSK PLC (NYSE:GSK) | +18.70% |
| Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) | -9.92% |
| Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) | -43.14% |
| Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) | -5.72% |
Photo Courtesy: Maxim Elramsisy on Shutterstock.com
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