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Profiles

National Advisory Committee on Immunization

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is a Canadian advisory body operating within the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).[1] It is tasked with “providing guidance on the use of vaccines currently or newly approved for use in Canada to the Government of Canada.”[2]

History

NACI was formed in 1964.[2:1]

COVID-19

On April 23, 2021, NACI recommended the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine be offered to “all Canadians over the age of 30, but only when the benefits outweigh the risks of rare, serious post-vaccine blood clots.”[3]

On June 29, 2022, NACI issued guidance recommending “booster doses” of COVID-19 vaccines for all “Canadians at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19,” regardless of how many doses they had previously received.[4]

On March 3, 2023, NACI called for “high-risk individuals” to receive another booster dose in the spring.[5][6]

On July 11, 2023, NACI once again strongly recommended that all individuals over the age of 5 receive a "primary series" of COVID-19 vaccines, with a less emphatic recommendation for those aged 6 months to five years. They also recommended an additional dose of "the new formulation of COVID-19 vaccine for individuals in the authorized age group if it has been at least 6 months from the previous COVID-19 vaccine dose or known SARS-CoV-2 infection."[7][8]

Personnel

Name Position Notes
Shelley Deeks Chair[9] Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness
Robyn Harrison Vice-chair Grey Nuns Community Hospital, University of Alberta Hospital
Melissa Andrew Member Dalhousie University
Julie Bettinger Member University of British Columbia
Nicholas Brousseau Member Laval University
Hélène Decaluwe Member Research Centre of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital
Philippe De Wals Member Laval University Department of Social and Preventive Medicine
Eve Dubé Member Institut national de santé publique du Québec
Vinita Dubey Member Toronto Public Health
Kyla Hildebrand Member University of British Columbia
Kristin Klein Member Alberta Health Services
Miranda O'Driscoll Member Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Health and Community Services
Jesse Papenburg Member McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
Anne Pham-Huy Member Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
Beate Sander Member Toronto General Hospital
Sarah Wilson Member Public Health Ontario
Natalie Dayneka Member (former)[10] Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
Soren Gantt Member (former) University of Montreal
Coleman Rotstein Member (former) University of Toronto
Althea House Member (former) Public Health Agency of Canada
Matthew Tunis Executive secretary -
Jeannette Comeau Liaison representative Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada (AMMI)
Sarah Buchan Liaison representative Canadian Association for Immunization Research and Evaluation (CAIRE)
Monika Naus Liaison representative Canadian Immunization Committee (CIC)
Lea Bill Liaison representative Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association
Lucie Marisa Bucci Liaison representative Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA)
Amanda Ung Liaison representative Canadian Pharmacists Association
Dorothy Moore Liaison representative Canadian Paediatric Society
Martin Lavoie Liaison representative Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health
Jessica MacNeil Liaison representative Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Melanie Osmack Liaison representative Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
Eliana Castillo Liaison representative Society of Obstetrics and Gyneacologists
Vacant Liaison representative Canadian Nurses Association
Jen Potter Liaison representative College of Family Physicians of Canada
Julie Emili Liaison representative (former) College of Family Physicians of Canada
Co Pham Ex-officio Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate
Robert Pless Ex-officio (former) Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate
Vincent Beswick-Escanlar Ex-officio Directorate of Force Health Protection
Ming Su Ex-officio Public Health Agency of Canada
Erin Henry Ex-officio Centre for Immunization Readiness (CIR)
Patrick Fandja Ex-officio Marketed Health Products Directorate
Deborah Danoff Ex-officio (former) Marketed Health Products Directorate
Michael Routledge Ex-officio National Microbiology Laboratory
Susanna Ogunnaike-Cooke Ex-officio Public Health Agency of Canada
Tom Wong Ex-officio First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
Mireille Lacroix Ex-officio Public Health Ethics Consultative Group (PHECG)

Publications

NACI's official statements about COVID-19 vaccines are as follows:[11]

  1. December 12, 2020: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccine(s)
  2. December 23, 2020: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  3. January 12, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  4. March 1, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  5. March 3, 2021: NACI rapid response: Extended dose intervals for COVID-19 vaccines to optimize early vaccine rollout and population protection in Canada
  6. March 16, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  7. March 29, 2021: NACI rapid response: Recommended use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in younger adults
  8. April 7, 2021: Extended dose intervals for COVID-19 vaccines to optimize early vaccine rollout and population protection in Canada in the context of limited vaccine supply
  9. April 23, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  10. May 3, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  11. May 18, 2021: Recommendation on the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents 12 to 18 years of age
  12. May 28, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  13. June 1, 2021: Interchangeability of authorized COVID-19 vaccines
  14. June 17, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  15. July 2, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  16. July 22, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  17. August 27, 2021: Recommendation on the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in adolescents 12 to 17 years of age
  18. September 10, 2021: National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) rapid response: Additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised individuals following 1- or 2- dose primary series
  19. September 28, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  20. September 28, 2021: NACI rapid response: Booster dose in long-term care residents and seniors living in other congregate settings
  21. October 22, 2021: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  22. December 12, 2020-October 22, 2021: Table of updates: Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines
  23. October 29, 2021: Interim guidance on booster COVID-19 vaccine doses in Canada
  24. November 19, 2021: Recommendation on the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (10 mcg) in children 5 to 11 years of age
  25. December 3, 2021: NACI rapid response: Updated recommendation on the use of authorized COVID-19 vaccines in individuals aged 12 years and older in the context of myocarditis and pericarditis reported following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
  26. December 3, 2021: NACI updated guidance on booster COVID-19 vaccine doses in Canada
  27. January 25, 2022: NACI updated recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children 5 to 11 years of age
  28. January 28, 2022: NACI rapid response: Guidance on the use of booster COVID-19 vaccine doses in adolescents 12 to 17 years of age
  29. February 4, 2022: NACI rapid response: Updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccination timing for individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2
  30. February 17, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine
  31. March 11, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Medicago COVID-19 vaccine (Covifenz)
  32. March 17, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 to 11 years of age
  33. April 5, 2022: Initial guidance on a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada
  34. April 12, 2022: Updated guidance on a first booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada
  35. June 29, 2022: Interim guidance on planning considerations for a fall 2022 COVID-19 vaccine booster program in Canada
  36. July 14, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to 5 years of age
  37. August 19, 2022: Recommendations on the use of a first booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age
  38. September 1, 2022: Recommendations on the use of bivalent Omicron-containing mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
  39. September 9, 2022: Updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding
  40. October 7, 2022: Updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in Canada
  41. October 21, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty (3 mcg) COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to 4 years of age
  42. November 3, 2022: Summary of National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) updates of November 3, 2022: Recommendations on the use of Moderna Spikevax BA.4/5 bivalent mRNA (50 mcg) COVID-19 booster vaccine in adults
  43. December 9, 2022: Updated recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in children 5 to 11 years of age and concurrent vaccine administration
  44. January 20, 2023: Guidance on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses: Initial considerations for 2023
  45. March 3, 2023: Guidance on an additional COVID-19 booster dose in the spring of 2023 for individuals at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19
  46. June 9, 2023: Interim guidance on the use of bivalent Omicron-containing COVID-19 vaccines for primary series
  47. July 11, 2023: Guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the fall of 2023
  48. September 12, 2023: Addendum to the guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the fall of 2023
  49. October 27, 2023: Updated guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in individuals who have not previously been vaccinated against COVID-19
  50. January 12, 2024: Guidance on an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines in the spring for individuals at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19

  1. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2022, September 16). National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Terms of reference. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20230406185629/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/terms-references.html ↩︎

  2. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2022, April 22). National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Membership and representation. Government of Canada. http://archive.today/2022.04.24-045738/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/naci-membership-representation.html ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Pelley, L. (2021, April 23). Canadians over 30 should be offered AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, advisory body recommends. CBC News. http://archive.today/2021.04.24-073245/https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-over-30-naci-1.6000052 ↩︎

  4. Boynton, S. (2022, June 19). COVID-19 boosters recommended this fall ahead of future pandemic wave: NACI. Global News. http://archive.today/2023.04.19-201142/https://globalnews.ca/news/8957899/naci-covid-19-boosters-fall-canada/ ↩︎

  5. National Advisory Committee on Immunization. (2023, March 3). Guidance on an additional COVID-19 booster dose in the spring of 2023 for individuals at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. Public Health Agency of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-additional-covid-19-booster-dose-spring-2023-individuals-high-risk-severe-illness-due-covid-19/statement.pdf ↩︎

  6. Pelley, L. (2023, March 3). COVID-19 booster shots recommended for high-risk Canadians starting this spring. CBC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20230419211957/https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-booster-recommendations-1.6767057 ↩︎

  7. National Advisory Committee on Immunization. (2023, July 13). Guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the fall: NACI, July 11, 2023. Public Health Agency of Canada. http://archive.today/2023.07.20-193232/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-use-covid-19-vaccines-fall-2023.html ↩︎

  8. Ireland, N. (2023, July 11). Get another COVID-19 booster in the fall, Canada’s immunization panel recommends. CTV News. http://archive.today/2023.07.13-123458/https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/get-another-covid-19-booster-in-the-fall-canada-s-immunization-panel-recommends-1.6475413 ↩︎

  9. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2022, April 22). National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Membership and representation. Government of Canada. http://archive.today/2022.04.24-045738/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/naci-membership-representation.html ↩︎

  10. National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Membership and representation. (2020, December 18). Wayback Machine; Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218222110/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/naci-membership-representation.html ↩︎

  11. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2024, January 12). National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Statements and publications. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20240224194925/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci.html ↩︎