US Health Secretary RFK Jr. Reshapes CDC Vaccine Panel with Skeptics

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has significantly reshaped the nation's vaccine advisory landscape by disbanding the established Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appointing new members, several of whom are known critics of vaccines or promoters of misinformation. This move has alarmed public health experts and organizations, who warn it could undermine vaccine policy and public health efforts. Kennedy, who has a history of rejecting germ theory and promoting alternative health views, insists the new panel members are highly credentialed scientists, despite their controversial stances, such as skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines and the promotion of unproven treatments. In response, public health specialists have formed an independent shadow group to provide vaccine recommendations and encourage insurers to maintain coverage for vaccines amid uncertainty. The new appointees include figures like Dr. Robert Malone and Vicky Pebsworth, both associated with conspiracy theories and vaccine misinformation, raising concerns about the future of vaccine guidance in the U.S. Kennedy's actions are seen by critics as politically motivated and dangerous to public health, with experts fearing a rollback of established vaccination standards and research.