Overview

• RFK Jr.’s reconstituted ACIP voted to stop recommending the combined measles‑mumps‑rubella‑varicella shot for children under four, favoring separate MMR and varicella doses.
• The panel is also revisiting newborn hepatitis B guidance and plans to review COVID‑19 vaccines, with additional decisions expected during the two‑day Atlanta meeting.
• Committee chair Martin Kulldorff rejected accusations of antivaccine bias, while clinicians and scientists warned the change could sow confusion and dampen uptake.
• Experts noted that CDC‑linked recommendations drive reimbursement, and vaccines can cost hundreds of dollars, raising concerns that weakened guidance will reduce affordability and access.
• With vaccination rates down and measles deaths reported in 2025, the American Academy of Pediatrics and several states have issued their own recommendations challenging the panel’s credibility.