H.R.87 - Protecting Our Children from the CDC Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.87, the "Protecting Our Children from the CDC Act," aims to amend the Public Health Service Act. It seeks to prevent the Secretary of Health and Human Services from including any COVID-19 vaccine on the child and adolescent immunization schedule unless all clinical data related to the vaccine's safety and efficacy are publicly posted on the CDC website. The bill also mandates the removal of any COVID-19 vaccine already on the schedule upon enactment, pending compliance with the data posting requirement.
Expected Effects
The immediate effect would be the removal of any existing COVID-19 vaccines from the child and adolescent immunization schedule. This would remain until the Secretary of HHS posts all clinical data related to the vaccine's safety and efficacy on the CDC's public website. This could lead to changes in vaccination rates among children and adolescents.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency regarding the data used to support the inclusion of COVID-19 vaccines on the child and adolescent immunization schedule.
- Enhanced public trust through the release of comprehensive clinical data.
- Greater parental autonomy in making informed decisions about their children's health.
- Potential for improved vaccine confidence if the data supports safety and efficacy.
- Could encourage more rigorous data collection and analysis for future vaccines.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential delays in the inclusion of COVID-19 vaccines on the child and adolescent immunization schedule, even if safe and effective.
- Possible decrease in vaccination rates among children and adolescents due to the removal of vaccines from the schedule.
- Increased administrative burden on the Department of Health and Human Services to compile and de-identify all relevant data.
- Risk of misinterpretation or misuse of the released clinical data by the public.
- Could set a precedent for requiring similar data releases for other vaccines, potentially hindering the efficient implementation of immunization programs.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's focus on transparency and data disclosure could be argued to align with principles of informed consent and public access to information, potentially resonating with First Amendment considerations regarding freedom of information, though this is not explicitly stated in the Constitution. The power of Congress to legislate on matters of public health is generally understood, but the specific requirements imposed on the HHS Secretary could raise questions about the separation of powers and the executive branch's authority to manage public health programs. The bill does not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights, but its impact on public health policy requires careful consideration.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).