The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, will gather this week for its second regular meeting of the year, but this won’t be a typical meeting.

A key panel of vaccine advisers named by U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. earlier this week is now down to seven members from the earlier announced strength of eight after one of the members opted out ahead of the committee's first meeting,

The panel’s recommendations carry significant weight. Insurance companies and government programs such as Medicaid are required to cover the costs of recommended vaccines.