U.S. CDC Vaccine Committee Focuses on Pneumococcal, Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines

The U.S. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting for October 20, 2021, has posted its draft agenda. The CDC has established this webcast link for those who want to attend the open session.

The ACIP intends to review the pneumococcal vaccines. Dr. Katherine Poehling will lead the presentation on considerations for age-based and risk-based use of PCV15/PCV20 among adults and proposed policy options.

Then, the ACIP will focus on zoster vaccines. Dr. Camille Kotton will lead the interpretation of the EtR regarding the use of RZV in immunocompromised adults, considerations for use, and proposed policy options.

In the afternoon, Dr. Keipp Talbot will lead a discussion on Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine and a third dose of Moderna's SpikeVax mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine.

Additionally, the committee will discuss an expanded age indication for Flucelvax Quadrivalent.

Before adjourning for the day, the ACIP may vote on the proposed recommendations.

Once the recommendations are reviewed by the CDC Director and Department of Health and Human Services, the recommendations, if approved, are published in the CDC's MMWR.

Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, is the 19th Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new ACIP Chair is Grace M. Lee, MD, MPH, Associate Chief Medical Officer for Practice Innovation, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine.

In addition to the 15 voting members, the ACIP includes eight ex officio members who represent other federal agencies responsible for immunization programs in the United States and 30 non-voting representatives of liaison organizations that bring related immunization expertise.