Flu Vaccine Panel Meeting Canceled Ahead of Winter Season, FDA Confirms

livewell
February 28, 2025
Noah Bennett

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that the flu vaccine composition meeting has been canceled. The agency will independently issue recommendations at a later date. Furthermore, the statement verifies an earlier report regarding the cancellation of the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory.

Committee meeting was originally set for March 13. Significantly, the recommendations for the flu strains also included 2025-26 flu shot or nasal spray for the Northern Hemisphere.

Insights Into FDA Flu Vaccine Cancellation

The FDA advisory committee relies on recommendations to guide vaccine manufacturers in determining the composition of flu shots. It required approximately six months to produce. The organizers informed the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) members about the meeting’s cancellation.

Significantly, the FDA forwarded an email which did not provide any explanation for the decision. The cancellation of flu vaccine update sparked concerns about potential impacts on the timing and availability for the next season.

Official’s Statements

Infectious Diseases Society of America President Tina Tan’s statement also came forward:

“Cancelling this meeting means vaccine makers may not have the vital information and time. They need to produce and distribute targeted vaccines before the next flu season. If the FDA meeting is not immediately rescheduled, many lives that could be saved by vaccination will be lost.”

Former U.S. health official Rick Bright minimized the impact of the flu meeting’s cancellation. Furthermore, he emphasizes that U.S. experts have already taken part in WHO meetings on selection for FDA flu vaccine.

Bright also wrote on X:

“FDA has rarely (if ever) not agreed with WHO strains. This is not the place to burn midnight oil fretting about a meeting.”

Second Vaccine Meeting Updates

The VRBPAC meeting is the second vaccine-related federal advisory group meeting to be canceled by HHS within the past week. Previously, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting set for February 26-28 was postponed with no flu shot update. Additionally, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a 90-day stop-work order with a company developing an oral COVID vaccine.

Protection For The Season’s Flu Vaccine

A team of researchers from the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases reported interim vaccine effectiveness. The data indicates the 2024-25 flu vaccine provides modest protection against infection but has been more effective in preventing hospitalizations.

An analysis of data highlighted vaccine effectiveness, among children and adolescents, for any flu in outpatient settings up to 60%. Additionally, data from two networks showed VE of 63% and 78% in preventing flu-related hospitalizations.

For adults, data from two VE networks indicated 54% against any flu in outpatient settings. Moreover, effectiveness against flu-related hospitalization was 41% and 55%.

In The End

The Department of Health and Human Services assures that the FDA will decide on the next flu vaccine composition. There is still time to ensure the shots are ready. A federal official stated that the FDA would collaborate with the CDC, vaccine manufacturers, and other stakeholders for a decision.