United States: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its official recommendation of virus strains that will compose the 2025-2026 influenza vaccines. This year marked a policy deviation from past practice when the FDA chose to make the decision without holding a committee vote before taking its own authorized actions, as reported by Reuters.
Reuters reports that the agency has maintained the unmodified availability and distribution schedules for vaccines despite this new procedure change.
Policy Shift Under New HHS Leadership
The decision from FDA to bypass the advisory committee process emerges shortly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. assumed his position as HHS Secretary in February. The current HHS Secretary Kennedy opposes CDC and its fellow agencies’ tight working relationships yet confirms he supports vaccines while advocating for individual control of vaccination decisions.
Flu Season Sees Surge in Cases
The FDA’s decision coincides with what health experts describe as one of the worst flu seasons in the past 15 years, with infection rates continuing to climb, as reported by Reuters.
The announcement was made at the same time the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee had originally planned to meet—before its session was unexpectedly canceled.