FDA sets May meeting to review next COVID-19 booster shot lineup

The American medicines regulator will convene its vaccine advisory committee on May 22 to weigh in on which strains should be used for the next round of COVID-19 booster shots, amid heightened interest in the new administration’s stance toward vaccines.

The recommendations will shape the formulation for vaccines rolled out in the 2025-2026 immunization season. The agenda is focused on the composition of booster shots, and supporting materials are expected to be published online at least two days before the meeting.

The meeting comes at a time of transition inside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier this week, newly installed commissioner Marty Makary appointed Vinay Prasad to head up the agency’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which regulates vaccines and gene therapies.