Meningococcal Vaccination Schedule Changes Could Be Coming

During the recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine committee meeting, changes to the adolescent meningococcal vaccination schedule were discussed to optimize protection against meningitis.

These discussions are very important since the number of meningococcal disease cases in the U.S. has increased sharply since 2021. In 2023, there were 416 confirmed and probable cases of meningitis.

Furthermore, outbreaks are unpredictable, and the outcomes can be devastating, according to the CDC.

For example, from June 2022 to March 2024, there have been 35 confirmed cases of meningococcal disease, including six deaths in Virginia.

On February 29, 2024, Jamie Loehr, M.D., the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meningococcal Work Group Chair, led the Introduction session, followed by presentations on 'Revising the Adolescent Meningococcal Vaccine Schedule: Term of Reference and Considerations' and 'GSK Pentavalent MenABCWY Vaccine: Term of Reference.'

Amy B. Middleman, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.Ed., FAAP, liaison from the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine to ACIP, said a recent discussion showed many did not favor removing vaccine doses from the existing schedule.

"There was pretty clear concern about potentially eliminating the 11- to 12-year vaccination for multiple reasons," said Dr. Middleman in an article.

The ACIP is scheduled to continue these discussions during their June 2024 meeting.

The ACIP develops recommendations on how to use vaccines to control disease in the U.S.

The Committee's recommendations are forwarded to the CDC's Director and, once adopted, become official policy. They are then published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.