Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removes entire CDC vaccine panel, cites need to ‘restore trust’

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday (June 9) that all 17 members of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are being retired and replaced.

The decision was revealed in an opinion piece authored by Kennedy and published in The Wall Street Journal.

“A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy wrote.

“Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028.”

In an opinion piece for the publication, Kennedy stated that the committee members had numerous conflicts of interest.

ACIP: A crucial public health body

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices plays a pivotal role in US public health. It advises both the CDC and HHS on vaccine use, determines eligibility for vaccinations, and shapes insurance coverage guidelines for immunizations.

By removing the entire panel, Kennedy has upended a longstanding institutional framework for federal vaccine guidance and oversight.

RFK Jr. cites public distrust

Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccine mandates and pharmaceutical industry influence, defended the controversial decision as necessary to restore credibility.

The move is likely to spark significant backlash from public health experts over the removal of the seasoned advisory panel that could destabilise US vaccination strategy.

What’s next for vaccine oversight

HHS is yet to announce who will fill the newly vacated seats on the ACIP.  Kennedy did not provide specific names or a timeline.

The overhaul marks the latest shift in federal vaccine policy under Kennedy, who has pursued an agenda focused on “medical freedom” and reforming health institutions since taking office.

Policy change ahead of CDC panel meeting

Kennedy, previously a prominent anti-vaccine activist before assuming his role as the nation’s top health official, recently made the unprecedented move of altering COVID-19 guidelines without prior consultation with the panel.

Kennedy Jr. announced on May 27 that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a sharp departure from previous guidance issued by public health authorities.

Kennedy in a 58-second video posted on X (formerly Twitter), declared: “I have removed COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s recommendations for healthy kids and pregnant women.”

The change in policy comes ahead of a scheduled June meeting of a CDC advisory panel.