Overview

• Secretary Kennedy last week dismissed all 17 members of CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in a move he said would restore public trust in vaccine science.
• The new panel includes prominent anti-vaccine figures such as Vicky Pebsworth from the National Vaccine Information Center and Martin Kulldorff, co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration.
• Observers warn that appointees with limited vaccine research credentials may undermine the committee’s reputation for independent, science-based recommendations.
• ACIP’s guidance informs federal vaccine coverage through programs like Vaccines for Children and health insurance formularies, raising concerns about potential policy reversals.
• The committee is scheduled to begin reviewing existing vaccine recommendations in the coming weeks, a process that could alter the U.S. immunization schedule.