RFK Jr. Guts Vaccine Advisory Committee

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all 17 members of a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel of vaccine experts and is in the process of replacing them, his department said.

Kennedy argued that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is rife with conflicts of interest and has never rejected a vaccine, even after FDA approval. I Photo: Pamela Drew Flickr

The move has drawn protests from many vaccine scientists, Ahmed Aboulenein, Michael Erman, and Julie Steenhuysen reported for Reuters. The move is the most sweeping in a series of actions by Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, aimed at reshaping U.S. regulation of vaccines, food, and medicine.

Scientists and experts warned that changes to the vaccine panel—which recommends how vaccines are used and by whom—would undermine public confidence in health agencies.

Kennedy claimed the decision would actually raise public trust, prompting critics to accuse the health secretary of being completely ignorant about vaccines.

“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Kennedy said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy has, for years, sown doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines but pledged to maintain the country’s existing vaccine standards to secure his appointment in President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is overseen by Kennedy’s department, has approved several vaccines during his tenure despite ongoing concerns about his stance on the issue.

Even so, at least one senior Republican member of Congress expressed concern over the panel changes.

Kennedy argued that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is rife with conflicts of interest and has never rejected a vaccine, even after FDA approval. The CDC panel provides guidance on which populations should receive an already-approved vaccine.

“That’s a tragedy,” said former FDA Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman. “This is a highly professional group of scientists and physicians... It’s the kind of political meddling that will reduce confidence rather than increase it.”