Menendez, Booker Call for Equity in Vaccine Distribution Ahead of Thursday FDA Meeting  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) independent vaccine review panel meets tomorrow to consider the emergency use authorization of an initial COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker urged Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Robert Redfield to ensure a “fair and equitable vaccine distribution” and called for more federal support to states so that they fully understand and can effectively implement distribution recommendations made by the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

In recent comments, HHS Secretary Azar said states should decide who gets the first round of the federally approved COVID-19 vaccine, which would lead to varying distribution plans depending on where you live and could impact vaccine access for minority and high-risk populations disproportionately impacted by the virus. 

“As we approach potential emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for one or more COVID-19 vaccines, it is essential that we do everything we can to ensure access to the vaccine for communities and populations hit hardest by the pandemic,” the senators and eight colleagues wrote to Azar and Redfield.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a 15-member panel comprised of leading medical and public health experts with a focus on the fields of immunization practices and public health. The Advisory Committee reports to the CDC Director and is responsible for developing evidence-based public health recommendations for the safe and ethical use of vaccines. In the case of COVID-19, where initial supplies of a vaccine will be limited, ACIP will make recommendations to ensure the vaccine is equitably distributed. Historically, states and localities – in coordination with federal health authorities – use ACIP recommendations to develop their vaccination strategies. 

“Older adults, essential workers and communities of color have been particularly hard hit by this virus,” the letter continued. “Individuals 85 and older are 630 times more likely to die from COVID-19, while Black and Latino Americans are more than twice as likely to become infected with COVID-19 and at a significantly higher risk of hospitalization and death compared to white Americans. Essential workers who cannot work from home also face high potential exposure to COVID-19 – particularly Americans living and working in long-term care facilities, prisons and other congregate care facilities. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are three times as likely to die of COVID-19 compared with others.”

Throughout this health crisis, Sen. Menendez has pushed to ensure that our public health experts have data needed to understand the scope of the crisis and its disproportionate impact on communities of color. In July, he introduced legislation  requiring HHS to collect and report racial and other demographic data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, and fatality rates.  Sen. Menendez also led the call for pharmaceutical companies engaged in COVID-19-related work to prioritize diversity in any coronavirus vaccine or trial to ensure that new treatments work for all Americans.

The letter was co-signed by Sens. Warner,  Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Angus King (I-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

A copy of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Azar and Director Redfield:

We are writing to urge the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine by working closely with states to understand and appropriately implement COVID-19 vaccine distribution recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As we approach potential emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for one or more COVID-19 vaccines, it is essential that we do everything we can to ensure access to the vaccine for communities and populations hit hardest by the pandemic.

As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on millions of families and claimed the lives of more than 280,000 Americans to date. Older adults, essential workers and communities of color have been particularly hard hit by this virus. Individuals 85 and older are 630 times more likely to die from COVID-19, while Black and Latino Americans are more than twice as likely to become infected with COVID-19 and at a significantly higher risk of hospitalization and death compared to white Americans. Essential workers who cannot work from home also face high potential exposure to COVID-19 – particularly Americans living and working in long-term care facilities, prisons and other congregate care facilities. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are three times as likely to die of COVID-19 compared with others.

The CDC’s ACIP is comprised of leading medical and public health experts. The Advisory Committee is responsible for developing evidence-based public health recommendations for the safe and ethical use of vaccines. Additionally, in the case of COVID-19 – where initial supplies of a vaccine will be limited – ACIP will serve the critical role of making recommendations to ensure the vaccine is equitably distributed. ACIP’s recommendations will provide critical guidance to both the federal government and states regarding effectively targeting a COVID-19 vaccine, including to the most at-risk and in need populations. 

We ask that you work in coordination with federal, state and local partners to ensure they fully understand and implement ACIP’s recommendations in a manner that prioritizes public health, equity, and the most vulnerable communities. Should you have any additional questions regarding this request, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,