Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday the removal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine use in the United States.
The move marks a sweeping and controversial change in federal vaccine policy oversight. In an opinion piece, Kennedy described the action as a “clean sweep” aimed at restoring public trust in vaccine science. However, the removal of ACIP’s independent experts—responsible for reviewing vaccine data and guiding national immunization recommendations—has sparked concern among public health officials and experts.
While Kennedy has promised to prioritize trust over “any pro- or antivaccine agenda,” his actions continue a trend of vaccine-skeptical policies. Since assuming leadership of HHS, Kennedy has halted federal support for routine COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women and canceled programs to research future pandemic vaccines.
HHS confirmed that the committee’s scheduled June 25–27 meeting will proceed under new appointees, though it has not announced who those individuals will be. Some experts warn the overhaul could lead to politicized decision-making and diminished confidence in the CDC and its recommendations.
Kennedy has claimed the previous panel had longstanding conflicts of interest and accused it of rubber-stamping vaccine approvals. However, federal advisory members are subject to strict ethics rules, and no significant issues have been reported in recent years.
The announcement follows the recent resignation of pediatric infectious disease expert Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, who expressed concerns about being unable to support vulnerable populations under the current leadership.
Public health advocates caution that destabilizing ACIP may weaken evidence-based vaccine policy and amplify skepticism at a time when trust in public health remains fragile.
Source: CNBC