Bill Overview
Title: Protecting Our Children from the CDC Act
Description: This bill prohibits the inclusion of any COVID-19 vaccine on the child and adolescent immunization schedule (which lists the vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice for those populations) unless all clinical data related to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is published on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sponsors: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Target Audience
Population: Children and adolescents potentially impacted by COVID-19 vaccination on immunization schedules
Estimated Size: 74000000
- COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, affecting billions of people, including children and adolescents.
- This bill specifically targets the child and adolescent population in regard to COVID-19 vaccination schedules.
- There are approximately 2.2 billion children and adolescents globally.
- Parents, caregivers, legal guardians, and families of these children are also stakeholders who will be impacted by this bill.
- Healthcare systems internationally rely on immunization schedules set by agencies like the CDC, meaning the changes will affect how vaccines are administered globally.
Reasoning
- The policy affects a large number of children and adolescents but will have varying impacts on different groups based on their views and access to healthcare.
- Parents who value transparency in vaccination data might support this policy, believing it ensures safer healthcare practices.
- Healthcare providers might experience increased workloads due to the need to update vaccination procedures and liaise with concerned parents.
- Children unaffected by COVID-19 vaccinations (due to medical conditions or other factors) are less impacted by this policy.
- The impact on wellbeing scores will vary but may see slight improvements among families who feel reassured by increased transparency.
- We've included a range of perspectives, including those not directly impacted to reflect a true cross-section of the target population.
Simulated Interviews
Pediatric nurse (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think having transparent data is important for maintaining trust in public health.
- As a nurse, I trust the current vaccines' safety, but understanding and addressing parental concerns is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
IT Specialist (Austin, TX)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want to make informed decisions on my child's health and believe this bill could help with that.
- I'm generally supportive of vaccines but value transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
High School Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel anxious about vaccines and hope this bill ensures we have all the necessary data for decision-making.
- Having more information would give me peace of mind about my child's vaccine decisions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Public Health Official (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Transparency is critical for public trust, though I believe the system already ensures safe vaccines.
- The policy can help improve public perceptions, which might encourage more people to vaccinate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Stay-at-home mom (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often worry about vaccines and wish the process was clearer.
- This bill might help me trust the vaccines more if there's full transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Business consultant (New York, NY)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't have kids, so this doesn't directly affect me.
- I think transparency is generally good but I'm otherwise uninvolved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
School Principal (Miami, FL)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this can help address parent concerns about vaccines and help schools make informed health policy decisions.
- I'd prefer comprehensive data to make the best choices for my children and students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Pharmaceutical Researcher (Portland, OR)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am confident in vaccine safety due to rigorous testing, but more transparency is generally a positive move to foster trust.
- This policy should carefully weigh the costs of publishing elaborate data sets on public health resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
College Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I get that some people are worried about vaccines, but I think they're safe as is.
- However, I do support any steps that would make healthcare practices more transparent, especially when it comes to kids.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Family Physician (Denver, CO)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe vaccines are generally very safe and support efforts to provide clear, comprehensive information to parents.
- This can help diminish doubts and encourage more vaccinations if handled correctly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $12000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $15000000)
Year 3: $13000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $16000000)
Year 5: $13000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $16000000)
Year 10: $14000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $17000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Effective implementation depends on the capacity of the CDC to manage and disseminate comprehensive clinical data transparently.
- Public reception of the published data might affect vaccination rates, impacting both public health objectives and pharmaceutical industry strategies.
- Cross-agency coordination may be necessary to ensure data accuracy and comprehensiveness.