US Health Secretary RFK Jr. Removes Entire CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee

In a controversial move, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the CDC's vaccine advisory panel, citing persistent conflicts of interest and the need to restore public trust in vaccine science. Kennedy, who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccines, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the committee had become a "rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas" and that the purge was necessary to allow the current Trump administration to appoint a new majority, which otherwise would not have been possible until 2028. The abrupt overhaul has drawn sharp criticism from public health experts and organizations, including former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden and the American Medical Association, who warn that politicizing the ACIP risks undermining public health and could fuel vaccine-preventable diseases. The ACIP plays a critical role in recommending vaccines for the CDC’s immunization schedule, influencing federal policy and insurance coverage, and the decision to remove all members before their terms ended is highly unusual. Kennedy argues that the new appointees will ensure that government vaccine recommendations are informed by impartial scientific evidence, while critics fear the move may erode trust in established vaccine policies. This shakeup reflects broader tensions over vaccine policy and public confidence in health agencies following the COVID-19 pandemic.