Key US vaccine panel meeting delayed, agenda unclear

Oct 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will reschedule a vaccine panel meeting that was planned for later this month, according to the health agency's website.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting was previously scheduled for October 22 and 23. The CDC has not indicated when a future meeting will take place.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time anti-vaccine activist, fired all 17 members of the committee of outside vaccine experts earlier this year and replaced them with his own hand-picked nominees.

The agenda for the meeting is not yet clear, but acting CDC head Jim O'Neill earlier this week called for the combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine to be broken up into three separate shots, in line with President Donald Trump's views.

That drew a quick rebuke from vaccine maker Merck MRK.N, which said there is no scientific evidence that shows any benefit to doing so, and from other public health experts.

Trump has also said children should not get the hepatitis B vaccine before the age of 12. It is normally given in the first 24 hours after birth.