FDA unexpectedly cancels annual meeting to choose next flu vaccine

2 hrs ago

Listen

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

The FDA has unexpectedly canceled an annual meeting for advisory panelists to discuss the composition of next flu season’s vaccine. They meet yearly due to the flu changing every year, with certain strains becoming more and less prevalent.
It is not yet clear if the meeting will be rescheduled, or how next season’s vaccine will be determined without the meeting.
A World Health Organization advisory panel will meet Friday to discuss its recommendation for next year’s flu vaccine.

Full story

A meeting of Food and Drug Administration advisers set for March to discuss the composition of next flu season’s vaccine has been unexpectedly canceled.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

What happened?

In an email on Wednesday, Feb. 26, federal officials informed panelists with the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee that the meeting was canceled, but did not say why. However, that panel has been the target of criticism from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the past.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Why do we need it?

Since the flu virus changes each year, the FDA usually holds the meeting each spring to get recommendations on which strains of the flu should be included in the next iteration of the vaccine.

Deciding on the strains in the spring gives vaccine manufacturers enough time to produce all the shots they’ll need to be ready for the fall.

This 2024-25 flu season has been particularly severe. The CDC said so far, 86 children and 19,000 adults have died.

How will the next vaccine be determined?

It’s not yet clear if the meeting will be rescheduled or what the plan is if it’s not.

A World Health Organization advisory committee is set to meet Friday, Feb. 28, to discuss which strains of the flu should be included in next season’s vaccine for the northern hemisphere. The FDA usually considers the committee’s recommendations when deciding on what composition to use.

Tags: CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Death, Department of Health and Human Services, FDA, Flu, Health, Health Care, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Vaccinations, World Health Organization

[Craig Nigrelli]

A MEETING OF FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ADVISORS SET FOR MARCH TO DISCUSS THE COMPOSITION OF NEXT FLU SEASON’S VACCINE HAS BEEN UNEXPECTEDLY CANCELED.

IN AN EMAIL WEDNESDAY – FEDERAL OFFICIALS INFORMED PANELISTS WITH THE VACCINES AND RELATED BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE THE MEETING WAS CANCELED – BUT DID NOT SAY **WHY**.

HOWEVER, WE DO KNOW THAT PANEL HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF CRITICISM FROM HEALTH SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. IN THE PAST.

SINCE THE FLU VIRUS CHANGES EACH YEAR… THE F-D-A USUALLY HOLDS THE MEETING EVERY SPRING TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHICH STRAINS OF THE FLU SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ITERATION VACCINE.

DECIDING ON THE STRAINS IN THE SPRING GIVES VACCINE MANUFACTURERS ENOUGH TIME TO PRODUCE ALL THE SHOTS THEY’LL NEED TO BE READY FOR THE FALL.

THIS 20-24/20-25 FLU SEASON HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY SEVERE – THE C-D-C SAYS SO FAR, 86 CHILDREN AND 19-THOUSAND ADULTS HAVE DIED.

IT’S NOT YET CLEAR IF THE MEETING WILL BE RESCHEDULED OR WHAT THE PLAN IS IF IT’S NOT.

A WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS SET TO MEET FRIDAY TO DISCUSS WHICH STRAINS OF THE FLU SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN NEXT SEASON’S VACCINE FOR THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

THE F-D-A USUALLY CONSIDERS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN DECIDING ON WHAT COMPOSITION TO USE.

WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE FLU VACCINE – JUST DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TO STAY IN THE KNOW.

Bias Summary

The Food and Drug Administration canceled a meeting about flu vaccine strains that was set for March 13, according to committee member Paul Offit.
Committee members received an email about the cancellation, first reported by Jeremy Faust of Inside Medicine, without further details on rescheduling.
Vaccine makers rely on this meeting to determine which flu strains to include in this year’s vaccine, highlighting its importance as stated by Offit.
Offit emphasized that the meeting is a critical resource for vaccine makers to strategize for the next flu season, noting, "It’s an important meeting."

Report an issue with this comparison

Bias Comparison

Media outlets on the left emphasize the cancellation’s implications for public health, raising concerns about transparency and accountability, which could evoke distrust.

Media outlets in the center focus on the procedural aspects of the cancellation, portraying a more neutral tone without emphasizing criticism toward the FDA.

Report an issue with this comparison