Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday that he is “retiring” all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine policies. Kennedy described the move as necessary to “re-establish public confidence in vaccine science” in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal.
ACIP plays a critical role by reviewing vaccine data and making recommendations about eligibility for immunizations and insurance coverage. The committee consists of independent medical and public health experts who base their guidance on thorough scientific review and evidence. However, final approval of recommendations rests with the CDC director.
Uncertainty Surrounding New Appointments
It remains unclear who will fill the vacancies left by the dismissed members. HHS stated that the committee will proceed with a scheduled meeting from June 25 to 27, and a source familiar with the matter told CNBC that new appointees will be running this session.
Kennedy’s action follows a pattern of significant changes since he took charge at HHS. His tenure has seen the cessation of routine COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women, as well as the cancellation of programs aimed at developing vaccines to prevent future pandemics.
Kennedy emphasized that the department will prioritize “the restoration of public trust above any pro- or antivaccine agenda.”
Kennedy criticized the current ACIP members, calling some last-minute Biden administration appointees and asserting that without his intervention, the Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of members until 2028. He accused the panel of suffering from “persistent conflicts of interest” and becoming “little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.”
However, all federal vaccine advisory committees have stringent conflict-of-interest policies in place, and no such issues have been reported in recent years. Committee members are required to disclose potential conflicts according to federal regulations.
Concerns from Health Experts and Recent Resignations
The announcement came shortly after Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, a pediatric infectious disease expert and co-leader of ACIP, resigned citing concerns that she was “no longer able to help the most vulnerable members” of the population.
Health policy experts warn that a shake-up of the advisory panel could lead to politicized vaccine recommendations, potentially emphasizing risks over benefits. Such shifts could erode trust not only in the CDC but also in the broader public health community and the Trump administration.
Contrary to claims that the panel unquestioningly approves vaccines, ACIP has previously recommended restrictions stricter than those approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For instance, the FDA approved Merck’s HPV vaccine for people aged 9 to 45, while ACIP recommends the vaccine only for ages 9 to 26, citing lower public health benefits for the older age group.
What The Author Thinks
The sweeping removal of the entire vaccine advisory committee risks deepening public skepticism toward vaccines and public health institutions. While Kennedy cites restoring trust, abruptly replacing experts with unknown appointees could politicize vaccine guidance and weaken the rigorous scientific basis that has historically guided immunization policy. The challenge ahead will be balancing the demand for transparency and confidence with the need for credible, evidence-based recommendations that protect public health.
Featured image credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
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