Meanwhile, this decision could generate economic benefits by reducing costs for the public health system and for families. It could also open the way for a more personalized approach in medical care, prioritizing vaccination for people with greater vulnerability, such as the elderly or individuals with chronic diseases.
By eliminating universal recommendations, greater transparency and public debate are encouraged regarding the real risks and benefits of vaccines in different groups. Likewise, the measure could promote research on specific side effects in sensitive populations.
This decision will seek to prioritize a more individualized approach, based on the actual risk of severe illness, reducing unnecessary exposure to vaccines in low-risk groups.
Kennedy se reunió en las últimas horas con el ministro de Salud de Argentina
The United States Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced unilaterally on Tuesday that he has removed the recommendation for healthy children and pregnant individuals without preexisting medical conditions to receive Covid-19 booster doses.
The measure, which is unprecedented, has caused strong support in society and in the medical and scientific community, and has been widely criticized by sectors affiliated with the Democratic Party in health.
The announcement was made through a brief video published on the social network X, where Kennedy appears alongside Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Kennedy se mostró junto a los miembros de su gabinete al comunicar la noticia
The decision has been strongly supported to a large extent after a vast number of adverse effects of the aforementioned vaccine became known.
Kennedy and his allies correctly argue that the decision is based on the precautionary principle and on emerging evidence suggesting that the risks of the booster in these groups might not justify its benefits in contexts of low transmission and in the presence of less severe variants. Bhattacharya, director of the NIH, described the measure as "common sense and good science."
Among the benefits highlighted by supporters of the measure is a reduction in unnecessary exposure to medications in people at low risk, less pressure on families and health professionals, and greater freedom of choice for parents and pregnant individuals.
El director del NIH destacó la importancia de la medida
It is also expected that the measure will help rebuild trust in health policies by focusing on individualized recommendations instead of universal approaches.
