CDC is refusing to publish data it has collected on booster effectiveness for those aged 18-49 'over fears it might show the vaccines as ineffective': FDA expert tells CDC to 'tell the truth'
Two weeks ago the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published data about the effectiveness of boosters against COVID-19
The CDC failed to publish a tranche of their data, however - omitting the impact on those aged 18-49, who are least likely to benefit from boosters
The CDC are also being criticized for failing to publish their information about child hospitalization rates and comorbidities
A spokeswoman for the CDC said they were concerned that the data would be misinterpreted, pointing out that it was incomplete and not verified
Critics said that it was always better to publish the information rather than withhold, and allow scientists to analyze and explain what they could
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has withheld vast swaths of the information it holds about the impact of COVID-19, leading to anger from the scientific community and speculation the agency is withholding data because it weakens the case for booster shots in certain demographics.
Two weeks ago the CDC published the first significant data on the effectiveness of boosters in adults younger than 65.
But the agency, led by Dr Rochelle Walensky, omitted to share the information on those aged 18-49, who are considered to be the least likely to benefit from a booster.
They have also failed to provide information they held on child hospitalizations, scientists complained.
Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the CDC, said the agency has been slow to release the different streams of data 'because basically, at the end of the day, it's not yet ready for prime time.'
She said the agency's 'priority when gathering any data is to ensure that it's accurate and actionable,' and told The New York Times that they were concerned it might be misinterpreted to show the vaccines were ineffective.
She also said that they were reluctant to publish the data because it represents only 10 percent of the population of the United States - the same sample size the CDC has used to track influenza for years.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10537161/CDC-refusing-publish-data-collected-booster-effectiveness-aged-18-49.html