N Engl J Med

FDA shifts to risk-based COVID-19 vaccination strategy

May 21, 2025

“An Evidence-Based Approach to Covid-19 Vaccination,” an article recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, supports FDA’s updated stance on COVID-19 vaccination, which now prioritizes annual boosters for high-risk groups rather than the general population. Authors Drs. Vinay Prasad and Martin A. Makary argue that this pivot reflects the current evidence on hybrid immunity, contending that most healthy, non-elderly individuals possess durable protection from prior infection and vaccination. The piece critiques the earlier universal booster strategy as overly broad and potentially detrimental to public trust. It calls for greater transparency in vaccine data and a more nuanced, risk-stratified approach to public health policy. The authors commend FDA’s move as a step toward restoring scientific credibility and optimizing resource allocation by focusing on those most vulnerable to severe outcomes—particularly the elderly and immunocompromised.

Source:

Prasad V, Makary MA. (2025, May 20). N Engl J Med. An Evidence-Based Approach to Covid-19 Vaccination. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40392534/