Updated September 19, 2025 at 3:38 PM MST

A panel of vaccine advisers to the federal government debated several changes to COVID-19 vaccine access in a chaotic meeting Friday, marked by confusion over processes, technical difficulties and passionate disagreement among members and other experts in attendance.

Ultimately, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, backed away from its most controversial proposal that called for states to require those who want a COVID-19 vaccine to get a prescription. But the end result is that the COVID-19 vaccine could be less available than it has been the last few years.

The group, which crafts recommendations on vaccine policy for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voted to recommend vaccination for adults 65 and older an

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