Trump administration set to limit COVID-19 shot approvals to the elderly, highest-risk
Share this @internewscast.com


Top officials in the Trump administration on Tuesday announced they will limit the approval of new COVID-19 vaccines to adults over 65 and people who are high risk.

The move is a significant shift away from the current universal recommendation, and comes just two days before the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) independent advisers are set to vote on the formula that vaccine makers should use to potentially adjust their shots for the current strain.  

In a commentary published in the New England Journal of Medicine, FDA leaders wrote they will require companies to conduct lengthy clinical trials to compare the vaccine against a placebo before approving shots for healthier people. 

The shots will continue to be streamlined for people over the age of 65 and as well as children and younger adults with at least one health problem that puts them at higher risk. 

It’s not entirely clear what the news means for people under 65 who are not considered high-risk.

According to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Vinay Prasad, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the American “one size fits all” approach to COVID vaccination is the most aggressive compared to the rest of the world and may no longer be needed, given that people have immunity from multiple doses and likely multiple inflections.  

“The U.S. policy has sometimes been justified by arguing that the American people are not sophisticated enough to understand age- and risk-based recommendations. We reject this view,” they wrote.  

Officials said the more targeted approach still could keep annual vaccinations available for between 100 million and 200 million people. 

The new framework comes after weeks of administration officials scrutinizing the use of COVID-19 vaccines, including the delayed approval of Novavax’s shot for a much smaller population than its competitors.  

Regulators have taken a similar approach to the COVID-19 shots as they have for seasonal influenza vaccines. The FDA has approved yearly updates to COVID shots when manufacturers provide evidence they can protect against the new strain just as well as the previous year’s iteration.  

Makary and Prasad said that will be changing. 

“The FDA will approve vaccines for high-risk persons and, at the same time, demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk,” Prasad and Makary wrote. 

Over the past two seasons, uptake of the annual COVID-19 booster has been poor. Makary and Prasad suggested the broad booster recommendations have also contributed to declining trust in vaccination, including the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.  

In the administration’s most forceful declaration to date, Makary and Prasad wrote that the MMR shot “has been clearly established as safe and highly effective.” They noted reduced MMR vaccination rates in recent years “have been a growing concern and have contributed to serious illness and deaths from measles.” 

An expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccines will vote next month on COVID vaccine recommendations.  

The panel has already indicated it would likely move to recommend a risk-based vaccination approach; boosters for people 65 and older and anyone aged 6 months and older with health conditions that puts them at high risk of severe illness. 

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Thunder on Vermilion Boat Race Hosted by Gao Grotto

This past weekend, Danville, Illinois hosted the annual Thunder on the Vermilion…

Trump Announces ‘Temporary Pass’ for Migrant Farm and Hotel Workers

(The Hill) — President Donald Trump announced that a temporary permit will…

Bears Enter Northern California Home Following Infamous ‘Den of Thieves’ Burglary: District Attorney

(KRON) — A “den of thieves” involving 17 suspects repeatedly targeted the…

Guide to Fourth of July Fireworks Displays and Celebrations in the Tri-Cities

TRI-CITIES, Tenn./Va. (WJHL) — The Fourth of July is right around the…

ICE Agents Arrest Mother in Pasadena Without Presenting Warrant, Children Present

(KTLA) A mother walking with her children in Pasadena was taken into custody…

Israeli Settlers Cause Havoc at West Bank Military Base

TEL AVIV – Several Israeli settlers launched an aggressive attack on a…

Jury Set to Start Deliberations in Sex Trafficking Case Involving Sean “Diddy” Combs

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury will begin deliberations on Monday in…

Idaho: Man Fatally Shoots 2 Firefighters After They Request Him to Move His Car, Sheriff Reports

A man in northern Idaho opened fire on firefighters after they requested…

Details Uncovered About the Suspected Sniper Involved in Idaho’s Firefighter Ambush

() The gunman accused of fatally shooting two firefighters and wounding a…

Hong Kong’s Security Measures Affect Small Businesses Beyond Arrests

HONG KONG – Pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong has largely been subdued…

Champaign County Salvation Army Faces Shortage of Canned Goods

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Salvation Army in Champaign County is…

GOP Resistance Challenges Trump’s Massive Bill During Intense Voting Session

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is tasked with securing the backing…