Article Summary:
A coalition of major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, has filed a lawsuit against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for unilaterally changing federal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, claims that Kennedy’s revised policies have already caused confusion and seeks to freeze his directive to remove COVID-19 vaccines from immunization schedules for healthy children and pregnant women.
The medical associations argue that Kennedy’s actions violate federal administrative law. They also note that he has fired members of the federal independent vaccine advisory commission, though this is not a formal charge in the complaint. The updated CDC guidance now states that healthy children from 6 months to 17 years old may get COVID-19 vaccines after consulting with a healthcare provider, and there is no recommendation for healthy pregnant women.
The plaintiffs, which also include the American College of Physicians, American Public Health Association, and a pregnant woman, allege that Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya have acted in violation of federal law. The medical organizations assert that parents and patients should follow the guidance of qualified medical professionals, and they provide evidence-based resources to help inform decision-making.
An HHS spokesperson has stated that the Secretary stands by his CDC reforms, setting the stage for a legal battle over the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine policies.
Article Excerpt:
“We will not stand by while a single federal official unilaterally and effectively strips Americans of their choice to vaccinate with actions that thoroughly disregard overwhelming scientific evidence and decades of established federal processes,” Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said in a statement.