The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not commit to changing a definition of “fully vaccinated” that he has objected to.
The CDC defined “fully vaccinated” in 2006 to mean a person had received two of the three recommended vaccination regimens for measles, mumps and rubella. A GAO report last year said the definition was outdated and could lead to people not being properly immunized, including pregnant women.
On Monday, Dr. Tom Frieden, the CDC director, told reporters at the National Press Club that any suggestion of altering the definition should be “first and foremost, for our parents to think about and for us to think about.”
When pressed, Mr. Frieden did not disclose if he would be lobbying for a change. “We might modify it,” he said. “We might loosen it up and strengthen it. We want to make sure every person is fully vaccinated.”
The GAO has proposed a new definition of “fully vaccinated,” which would include pregnant women. Mr. Frieden told reporters he would “keep an open mind on” a revision.