The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seeking comments through Sept. 20 on whether federal vaccine-recommendation categories should change and what evidence and principles should guide them.
Comal ISD families have a local stake because the district provides student immunization services, while any change in federal recommendation categories could carry legal and program consequences identified by HHS.
The notice identifies three categories now used in federal recommendations: routine recommendations, risk-based recommendations and shared clinical decision-making, which the document also calls individual-based decision-making. HHS is asking whether those categories are adequate or whether different categories should be adopted.
The inquiry also asks what weight the government should give the availability and strength of scientific evidence, including how to proceed when randomized controlled-trial evidence is limited or absent. Other requested considerations include individual autonomy, religious freedom and public communication.