JOHN DICKERSON:
00:00:16
As Elaine Quijano reports, several members of the committee share Secretary Kennedy's skepticism about vaccines.
ELAINE QUIJANO:
00:00:23
Dr. Jennifer [? Ducharme ?] has treated hundreds of RSV cases in children at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. How severe can RSV symptoms be? RSV can be extremely severe. It can send children to the ICUs. It can cause them to need intubation, a breathing tube, mechanical ventilation, constant breathing treatments.
ELAINE QUIJANO:
00:00:45
Last fall and winter, during the height of RSV season, Dr. [? Ducharme, ?] who specializes in pediatric infectious diseases, saw a drop in RSV hospitalizations compared to previous years. She says that's in part because of the RSV immunization that's given to babies after they're born. Even though fewer infants were hospitalized for RSV, it was still the leading cause of hospitalization for that age group. Preliminary estimates by the CDC show up to 23,000 people died from RSV last season. Rigorous, traditional approach--
ELAINE QUIJANO:
00:01:17
The committee that advises the CDC on vaccines announced today it plans to examine the long-established childhood vaccination schedule, including whether infants should receive an RSV immunization before eight months. Also under consideration, whether hepatitis B shots are needed for all newborns before leaving the hospital, and the timing and formulation for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. What's your reaction to what you're hearing out of Washington and this panel right now? It makes me concerned that, again, focusing on the risks as opposed to the overall benefits, which have been proven over time. The panel is expected to vote tomorrow on whether to recommend that RSV immunization for infants that we mentioned. They're also scheduled to vote on whether to recommend the flu vaccine-- and specifically, they plan to discuss a preservative that is no longer widely used in flu shots. Elaine Quijano, thank you.
