Kennedy Replaces CDC Vaccine Panel With Smaller Team Including Critics

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has replaced the entire 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with a new eight-member panel that includes several prominent vaccine skeptics and critics of COVID-19 vaccine technology. Notable appointees include Robert Malone, known for opposing mRNA vaccines, and Martin Kulldorff, co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration advocating herd immunity. Kennedy justified the overhaul by alleging conflicts of interest among previous members and emphasized the new panel's commitment to reviewing vaccine safety and efficacy data. This controversial move has drawn criticism from public health organizations and led to market reactions affecting vaccine manufacturers. The new panel is set to meet on June 25 to discuss COVID-19 vaccine guidance, raising questions about future vaccine recommendations. Kennedy's actions align with his Make America Healthy Again movement and reflect a significant shift in U.S. vaccine policy advisory dynamics.