(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made recommendations to vaccine manufacturers on Thursday for viral strains used in flu vaccines in the U.S. 2025-2026 flu season.
Traditionally, the recommendations have been voted by the Advisory Committee, but the agency decided on its own this year. Regulators say it will not expect any impact on the public’s time or the availability of the vaccine.
The move comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was identified as Secretary of Health and Human Services in February, despite criticism of agency oversight, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Kennedy denied it was “anti-vaccine” and said he would not stop Americans from getting vaccinated.
The agency’s flu vaccine recommendation is the same day its vaccine and related bioproducts advisory committee plans to meet and then be cancelled.
The U.S. flu rate has reached or approached its highest level for at least 15 years and is still rising.
(Reported by Michael Erman and Gursimran Kaur; Editor of Leslie Adler)
