A group of vaccine experts in the United States has unanimously supported a more flexible plan for the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine. These experts, who advise the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recommended that the agency be free to choose the most suitable strain of the virus for the next vaccine update. This approach gives the FDA the choice to either keep using the current vaccine formula or adjust it to match the latest virus mutations.
The vote happened during a meeting on Thursday. Experts from the committee discussed what this flexible plan could mean for the approval process. Some raised concerns that picking a new strain might cause delays in making the vaccines available this fall. This is because the FDA has new rules that require more steps for approving updated shots.
One of the key questions came from Dr. Sarah Meyer. She works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and asked whether selecting a new virus strain would mean new trials are needed. Dr. Jerry Weir, a senior official at the FDA, answered by saying the main goal is still to choose the right strain. He added that the details about testing and approval would be handled later.
The new rules say that updated vaccines will only need extra studies for healthy adults and children. People at higher risk, like older adults or those with health problems, will not need to wait for full trials. This rule is similar to the one used for yearly flu shots. But the new trials for healthy groups could take more time and slow down the process.
Some committee members worried about what that might mean. Dr. Stanley Perlman, an immunologist, said that changing the strain might cause the vaccine to come out too late. FDA officials couldn’t give a clear answer but said they are doing everything they can to make sure the shots are ready by fall.
The committee chose the JN.1 virus family as the best choice for the fall season. This group of viruses comes from the Omicron family. Last year, it replaced the older XBB strains and is now the most common in new infections. Even though the original JN.1 and the KP.2 subvariant are no longer spreading, their newer forms still are. That’s why a vaccine based on JN.1 should still work well.
Experts from around the world also agree that shots based on JN.1 or KP.2 are still helpful. Vaccine companies showed new data at the meeting. They said the JN.1-based vaccines can still create strong protection, even against newer versions of the virus. They also showed that vaccines based on LP.8.1, a newer version of JN.1, might work even better.
Dr. Hayley Gans from Stanford University said that using LP.8.1 in the fall vaccine could help the immune system fight the virus more effectively. She said it’s better to plan for what the virus might do next, rather than what it is doing now. Dr. Eric Rubin agreed. He said the goal should be to pick a vaccine that will protect people in the near future.
Dr. David Kaslow, who leads the FDA’s vaccine office, ended the meeting by saying the agency will soon decide which strain to use in the 2025–2026 vaccine. This will give vaccine makers time to prepare millions of doses before the fall season begins.
This new flexible system gives the FDA more room to make smart choices based on how the virus changes. It also shows how important it is to act quickly and carefully when protecting public health.