US Health Secretary Kennedy Replaces Vaccine Panel With Critics Amid Expert Concerns

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appointed eight new members, including several who have expressed skepticism about vaccines and opposed mRNA technology. This unprecedented shake-up has raised alarm among former ACIP members, public health experts, and Democrats, who warn that the new panel's anti-vaccine views and lack of qualifications threaten to undermine vaccine science and public trust. Critics say Kennedy's stated rationale of eliminating conflicts of interest lacks evidence and that the abrupt changes have weakened the U.S. vaccine program by stripping it of institutional knowledge and continuity built over decades. The new panel's upcoming meeting will consider recommendations on COVID-19 boosters and other vaccines, sparking concerns that lifesaving mRNA vaccines may not be recommended despite supporting data. Kennedy, founder of a major anti-vaccine nonprofit, has repeatedly promoted vaccine misinformation, prompting fears his leadership could roll back accomplishments in immunization policy and put public health at risk. The firing and replacement have been described as an attack on medical expertise, destabilizing the US immunization program and raising questions about the future of vaccine recommendations.