US health chief says Sen. Cassidy promised pick on vaccine panel
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
US health chief says he promised Senator Cassidy a vaccine panel member selection
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he will pick a candidate for a panel of vaccine advisers. Kennedy earlier abruptly fired all 17 members who had been serving on the independent expert panel. At least half of the replacements Kennedy announced on Wednesday have a history of anti-vaccine advocacy. Kennedy: “What I told Senator Cassidy is that I would allow him to put one of his candidates on,” he said of the ACIP panel in an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum” The American Medical Association called on Cassidy’s committee to investigate Kennedy for the firings earlier this week, and on Thursday urged a reversal of the changes.
Item 1 of 2 U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services budget, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) – U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday he promised to allow U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy to pick a candidate for a key panel of vaccine advisers.
Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, named eight members on Wednesday to serve on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, including some who have advocated against vaccines. Kennedy earlier abruptly fired all 17 members who had been serving on the independent expert panel.
Sign up here.
“You had posted the criticism of my choice by Senator Cassidy and a claim that I had promised Senator Cassidy not to change the vaccine panels. That’s not true,” Kennedy said during an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum.”
“What I told Senator Cassidy is that I would allow him to put one of his candidates on, which we’re going to do,” he said of the ACIP panel.
Cassidy, a Republican doctor from Louisiana who had expressed wariness about Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views before clearing the path for him to become the nation’s top health official, serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Cassidy explained his reversal at the time by saying he had received assurances Kennedy would protect existing vaccination programs.
“If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes,” Cassidy said in a Senate floor speech after receiving assurances from Kennedy.
The senator expressed concern on Monday following the firings that the outgoing members would be replaced by vaccine skeptics and said he would speak to Kennedy to ensure that does not happen. At least half of the replacements Kennedy announced on Wednesday have a history of anti-vaccine advocacy.
The American Medical Association called on Cassidy’s committee to investigate Kennedy for the firings earlier this week, and on Thursday urged a reversal of the changes to the committee, which advises the CDC on who should get vaccines after they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Kennedy justified the firings by claiming the panel was rife with conflicts of interest , though he did not provide examples of any such conflicts for any individual adviser or say how that may have influenced specific recommendations.
Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Bill Berkrot
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Share X
Link Purchase Licensing Rights
US health chief says he promised Senator Cassidy a vaccine panel member selection
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fires panel of vaccine advisers. Kennedy named eight members on Wednesday to serve on the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. At least half of the replacements Kennedy announced on Wednesday have a history of anti-vaccine advocacy. American Medical Association called on Cassidy’s committee to investigate Kennedy for the firings earlier this week.”What I told Senator Cassidy is that I would allow him to put one of his candidates on,” Kennedy said.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday he promised to allow U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy to pick a candidate for a key panel of vaccine advisers.
Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, named eight members on Wednesday to serve on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, including some who have advocated against vaccines. Kennedy earlier abruptly fired all 17 members who had been serving on the independent expert panel.
“You had posted the criticism of my choice by Senator Cassidy and a claim that I had promised Senator Cassidy not to change the vaccine panels. That’s not true,” Kennedy said during an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum.”
“What I told Senator Cassidy is that I would allow him to put one of his candidates on, which we’re going to do,” he said of the ACIP panel.
Cassidy, a Republican doctor from Louisiana who had expressed wariness about Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views before clearing the path for him to become the nation’s top health official, serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Cassidy explained his reversal at the time by saying he had received assurances Kennedy would protect existing vaccination programs.
“If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes,” Cassidy said in a Senate floor speech after receiving assurances from Kennedy.
The senator expressed concern on Monday following the firings that the outgoing members would be replaced by vaccine skeptics and said he would speak to Kennedy to ensure that does not happen. At least half of the replacements Kennedy announced on Wednesday have a history of anti-vaccine advocacy.
The American Medical Association called on Cassidy’s committee to investigate Kennedy for the firings earlier this week, and on Thursday urged a reversal of the changes to the committee, which advises the CDC on who should get vaccines after they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Kennedy justified the firings by claiming the panel was rife with conflicts of interest, though he did not provide examples of any such conflicts for any individual adviser or say how that may have influenced specific recommendations.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Bill Berkrot)