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Reposted by Dr. Céline Gounder

KFF Health News @kffhealthnews.org · 20d

The decisions by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices matter, because insurers and federal programs rely on them, but they are not binding. States can follow the recommendations, or not.

@celinegounder.com reports ⤵️ kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Amid Confusion Over US Vaccine Recommendations, States Try To ‘Restore Trust’ - KFF Health News

The decisions by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices matter, because insurers and federal programs rely on them, but they are not binding. States can follow the recommendations, or not.

kffhealthnews.org

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · 23d

Parents say off-label drug helped son with autism speak

After 2-year-old Mason Connor was diagnosed with autism, his parents turn to an off-label drug being studied for its potential to help some kids improve their ability to speak. Dr. Celine Gounder has ...

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

14/ More here: www.cbsnews.com/news/celine-...

Transcript: Dr. Céline Gounder on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Aug. 31, 2025

The following is the transcript of an interview with Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and KFF editor-at-large for public health, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Aug. 31, 2025.

www.cbsnews.com

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

10/ Meanwhile, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has called for postponement of the CDC's ACIP meeting amid leadership turmoil & chaos, adding to the confusion.

Stay tuned...

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

9/ Also on the ACIP agenda:
🔹the newborn HepB dose
🔹infant RSV protection
🔹the combined MMR-V shot

Votes here can reshape real-world access quickly through coverage & provider authority.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

8/ What to expect next: CDC’s ACIP is set to meet again in mid-September.

They’ll consider COVID guidance for healthy kids/teens/adults <65 & may vote on coverage-relevant language.

They could tighten access.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

7/ Back-to-school: stay current on routine childhood immunizations.

For COVID, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises COVID vaccination for all infants 6-24 months & for older kids with at least one risk factor for severe COVID.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

6/ If you’re healthy & under 65, some clinicians may offer vaccination off-label after a risk discussion (“shared clinical decision-making”).

They may vaccinate you in the office, or give you a prescription for a COVID vaccination.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

5/ COVID shots are available in 34 states on the basis of FDA approval.

In 16 states + DC, they’re also awaiting CDC guidance. In most of those states, a prescriber’s prescription can still unlock access—except MA, NV & NM for now.

State regulations can change at any time.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

4/ Why does this matter?

When CDC recommendations narrow, health insurance, especially government health insurance, may narrow too.

And it creates confusion in pharmacies & clinics.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

3/ This season, the FDA narrowed COVID vaccine approvals:
🔹People 65+
🔹People 6m to 64y if they have at least one risk factor for severe COVID (including pregnancy)

Off-label use:
🔹Healthy people 6m to 64y in consultation with your doctor

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

2/ Normally, FDA reviews products, then CDC’s vaccine advisers (ACIP) publicly weigh evidence & vote.

CDC adopts guidance, which insurers & programs like Medicaid, the Children's Vaccine Program (CHIP), & Vaccines for Children follow.

That process has been corrupted.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

1/ Why the confusion over COVID vaccines now?

What’s changed isn’t the science. It’s the process.

Policy is increasingly announced by officials online & outside the usual evidence review, creating mixed messages for families.

on @cbsnews.com

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

13/ America has led the world in biomedical innovation because we trusted science.

The resignations at CDC are a warning flare. 🚨

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

12/ Bottom line for families: keep kids on routine measles, polio, whooping cough, & other vaccines.

Those recommendations remain in place.

Expect confusion this fall around COVID & RSV shots.

Lean on your doctor & professional medical societies for guidance.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

11/ Former CDC leaders warn of process “rigging”—cherry-picked data, pulled evidence, unvetted studies rushed in.

Weakening recommendations could jeopardize Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) & Vaccines for Children coverage, creating cost barriers.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

10/ In mid-September, CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will revisit the newborn hepatitis B dose, infant RSV protection, COVID shots for healthy kids & young adults, & the combined MMR-V.

Revisiting these in the absence of new, credible scientific evidence unprecedented.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

9/ Finally, morale & safety are collapsing.

Staff describe the CDC as “brutal” & “bleak” after layoffs, political interference, & a shooting tied to COVID misinformation.

When the people who run outbreak response are shaken, or gone, everyone’s risk goes up.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

8/ Third: America’s “radar” is dimming.

With frayed ties to WHO, the US got ~75% less flu surveillance data this year.

That makes it harder to pick the right strains for the seasonal flu shot & leaves us vulnerable to the next threat.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

7/ Example: Milwaukee’s health department couldn’t get CDC’s lead team during a crisis.

That’s how schools close, outbreaks spread, & preventable deaths rise.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

6/ Second: states are already losing CDC dollars & expert teams.

Programs on lead poisoning, drowning prevention, violence, tobacco, & maternal/infant health are being cut or stalled.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

5/ What changes for you?

First: vaccine policy is now being set by political fiat—often via social media—rather than open, evidence-first review.

That means confusing reversals, gaps in insurance coverage, & chaos at pharmacies & doctors’ offices.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

4/ Staff responded with a rare “clap-out,” hundreds lined up outside the CDC to applaud the departing scientists.

That was a public show of alarm: this isn’t normal turnover. It’s about integrity & science being pushed aside.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

3/ Within hours of the firing of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez’s, 3 leaders—responsible for vaccine safety, respiratory diseases, & the chief medical officer role—resigned.

Earlier that week, CDC’s head of data systems also stepped down.

More departures are expected.

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Dr. Céline Gounder @celinegounder.com · Sep 1

2/ These aren’t just headlines about “palace intrigue.”

What’s unraveling is the basic machinery that keeps Americans safe: vaccines, outbreak detection, lab guidance, and expert support for state health departments.

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