Health officials to testify on measles response

The measles outbreak spreading across the West Coast will be the new focus of Tuesday’s hearing by a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee that was initially planned as an update on flu season.

Federal health officials will be grilled about their response to the measles outbreak that has infected 100 people since December, nearly all stemming from a Disneyland theme park.

The issue of vaccine requirements, especially among children, is likely to be the center of debate. The heads of agencies within the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration – which each play a role in vaccinations – will each testify.

“Too many children and young adults are not getting a safe vaccine that works to prevent measles,” Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Penn.), who leads the oversight and investigations subcommittee, wrote in a statement.

“Federal agencies are facing a significant challenge in vaccine development and education that must be addressed in the interest of public health,” he added.

Lawmakers will also ask questions about the government’s response to this year’s worse-than-expected flu season, which Murphy called a “major public health threat.”  

Each official will likely be asked about their role in developing this year’s flu vaccine, which is estimated to be about half as effective as the typical year.

Murphy announced Monday – after the Department of Health and Human Services officials had submitted their written testimonies – that measles would take on a larger role in the hearing.

The issue appears to be creating a split among Republican lawmakers, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) saying Monday that they believed parents should be able to exempt their childrens for personal or religious reasons, though Christie later walked back his statements.