Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing longstanding conflicts of interest and what he called a “rubber-stamp” culture in government vaccine policy.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Monday, Kennedy said the move is intended to rebuild public confidence in vaccine oversight, emphasizing that the current advisory structure “puts industry ties over independent judgment.” Hours later, termination notices were sent to committee members.
ACIP plays a central role in shaping U.S. vaccine guidance, including the national immunization schedule. Although CDC directors can override ACIP votes, they rarely do.
Critics, including current and former public health officials, warned the unprecedented shake-up could erode scientific integrity and delay critical guidance amid falling vaccination rates and a measles outbreak. Others fear the new committee will reflect Kennedy’s well-documented skepticism of the pharmaceutical industry, potentially reshaping U.S. vaccine policy for years.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who supported Kennedy’s confirmation as HHS secretary, expressed concern over the abrupt change, while Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) called the decision “excessive.”
An HHS spokesperson confirmed new members will be seated in time for the committee’s late-June meeting.
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