US health secretary Kennedy to remove all CDC outside experts on vaccines
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Kennedy overhauls US CDC vaccine panel, replacing all 17 members
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all members sitting on a U.S. panel of vaccine experts. Kennedy removed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Kennedy: “Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda” All 17 sitting ACIP members were appointed under former President Joe Biden’s administration, including 13 in 2024, HHS said.. The CDC’s role is to review data in a public meeting and vote on vaccine recommendations. The FDA approves vaccines for sale to the public, not the committee.
WASHINGTON, June 9 (Reuters) – Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all members sitting on a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel of vaccine experts and is reconstituting the committee, his department said on Monday.
Kennedy removed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement, and is in the process of considering new members to replace them.
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“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Kennedy said. “The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies.”
All 17 sitting ACIP members were appointed under former President Joe Biden’s administration, including 13 in 2024, HHS said. Not removing them would have prevented President Donald Trump’s administration from choosing a majority of the committee until 2028.
“That’s a tragedy,” said former Food and Drug Administration Chief Scientist Jesse Goodman. “This is a highly professional group of scientists and physicians and others …. It’s the kind of political meddling that will reduce confidence rather than increase confidence.”
ACIP members are required to declare any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that arise in the course of ACIP tenure and any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with organizations relevant to the work of the ACIP.
ACIP will convene its next meeting June 25-27 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, the department said.
The FDA approves vaccines for sale to the public, not the committee. ACIP’s role is to review data in a public meeting and vote on vaccine recommendations, which are then sent to the CDC director for approval.
The approved vaccines are incorporated in the CDC’s vaccine schedule, which helps determine insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which generally requires insurers to cover vaccines that are listed on the vaccine schedule.
Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington and Michael Erman in New York; Additional reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Shumaker
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