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yesterday

RFK Jr.’s New Vaccine Advisory Panel Draws Calls for Postponement

Set to convene this week, the newly appointed panel has drawn criticism for its members’ limited vaccine expertise in the absence of a confirmed CDC director

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A general view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Tami Chappell/File Photo
U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services budget, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo

Overview

  • Secretary Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June and replaced them with eight appointees, including known vaccine skeptics
  • Senator Bill Cassidy urged that the June 25-26 meeting be delayed until the panel is fully staffed and a CDC director is confirmed to review its recommendations
  • Observers note several new members lack significant experience in microbiology, epidemiology or immunology and may hold preconceived biases against mRNA vaccines
  • The initial agenda includes votes on recommendations for COVID-19, RSV and influenza vaccines alongside debates over thimerosal-containing flu shots and combined MMRV doses
  • Experts warn ACIP guidance shapes vaccine policy, insurance coverage and clinical practice, raising concerns that potential biases could undermine public confidence in immunizations