Overview
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on June 9 that he dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, marking the first time an HHS secretary has fully overhauled the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel
- He justified the mass dismissal by citing pervasive conflicts of interest and noting that Biden-era terms would have blocked Trump administration appointments until 2028
- Sen. Patty Murray and the American Medical Association warned the unprecedented move risks politicizing vaccine guidance and undermining a data-driven review process
- Sen. Bill Cassidy said Kennedy broke a pledge to preserve the panel’s membership and cautioned that replacements could hold anti-vaccine views
- HHS must fill the vacant seats before the committee reconvenes in Atlanta from June 25 to 27 to review recommendations on COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other immunizations