HHS Reinstates Childhood Vaccine Safety Task Force

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reinstated the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, a long-dormant federal panel created by Congress to oversee the safety and quality of children’s vaccines. According to HHS, the task force will work with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines to make recommendations for developing, promoting and refining childhood vaccines that result in fewer and less severe adverse reactions than current vaccines. It will also look at ways to support vaccine safety research and improve adverse reaction reporting.

“By reinstating this task force, we are reaffirming our commitment to rigorous science, continuous improvement and the trust of American families,” said National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, who will serve as chairman of the group. “NIH is proud to lead this effort to advance vaccine safety and support innovation that protects children without compromise.”

The task force was originally created by Congress under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, but was disbanded in 1998. HHS said the group, which will also include representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will send its first report to Congress within two years.