FDA Announces VRBPAC Meeting to Select 2026–2027 COVID-19 Vaccine Strain

The FDA published a Federal Register notice on April 27, 2026 announcing a Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) meeting scheduled for May 28, 2026, to evaluate and recommend antigenic composition for the 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccine formulations. The committee will assess the evolving SARS-CoV-2 variant landscape — including JN.1 descendant lineages and the LP.8.1 subvariant — and recommend updated mRNA vaccine antigens for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech's annual reformulations. The annual COVID vaccine strain selection process mirrors the influenza vaccine update model and demonstrates the maturity of the mRNA vaccine platform as a renewable public health infrastructure.