Kennedy's Vaccine Panel Backs New RSV Shot

The first vote of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new vaccine panel ended up being a surprising one, reports USA Today. The panel, which includes known vaccine critics, gave the green light to a new shot to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Though two members disagreed, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as a whole recommended Merck's Enflonsia shot—found to reduce RSV-related hospitalized by more than 84%—for infants. The ACIP also voted unanimously to include it in the official list of childhood immunizations covered by most insurance, per CNBC.

The outlet describes the votes as a "sigh of relief" for public health officials and drugmakers after Kennedy, in his capacity as health secretary, replaced all members of the panel. Dr. Retsef Levi, a professor of management who voted against recommending the shot, said he didn't think it was "ready to be administered to all healthy babies," per CNBC. Pediatrics professor Dr. Cody Meissner countered that the vaccines are safe, effective, and "truly remarkable." Enflonsia is designed to protect infants during their first RSV season and will compete with a similar shot, Beyfortus, developed by Sanofi and AstraZeneca; both are monoclonal antibodies but target different parts of the virus.