HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Dismisses Vaccine Advisory Committee: All 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) have been removed, sparking controversy. This unprecedented move follows previous actions undermining vaccine policy and funding, raising concerns about the future of vaccine safety guidance in the US
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the unprecedented dismissal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This expert panel, comprised of independent medical and public health professionals, evaluates vaccine safety, efficacy, and clinical need. The decision, revealed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, is part of a broader effort to restructure vaccine policy within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dissolved the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing conflicts of interest. All 17 members, including leading epidemiologists and public health experts, were replaced with new members chosen by the Trump administration. This unprecedented move raises concerns about future vaccine safety guidance and continues a pattern of undermining U.S. vaccine policy
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s unprecedented decision to remove all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) dismantles key vaccine policy infrastructure. This action replaces expert epidemiologists, physicians, and public health professionals—who typically serve four-year terms advising on vaccine safety, efficacy, distribution, and eligibility—with yet-to-be-named replacements. This controversial move follows other actions undermining U.S. vaccine programs and raises concerns about future vaccine guidance
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s unprecedented decision to disband the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) raises serious concerns. This action, following billions in vaccine program funding cuts, HHS layoffs, and altered testing protocols, further undermines public health efforts. Kennedy's history as head of Children's Health Defense, known for anti-vaccine misinformation and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, casts doubt on the motivations behind this move and its impact on vaccine safety recommendations. Replacing expert ACIP members with yet-to-be-named individuals risks prioritizing unscientific viewpoints over evidence-based public health policy
HHS Vaccine Safety Guidance Undermined: Expert Warns of Misinformation After Kennedy's Committee Purge. Following the dismissal of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, vaccine expert Richard Hughes warns of future HHS guidance based on misinformation and non-scientific viewpoints
Science-based vaccine decisions are crucial for public health. Ignoring scientific evidence risks preventable disease outbreaks and deaths, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of Americans
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Controversial Vaccine Advisory Committee Overhaul: The HHS Secretary dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing concerns about pharmaceutical industry funding and conflicts of interest in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. However, NBC News reports that ACIP members already disclosed conflicts and recused themselves when necessary. This unprecedented move follows other actions undermining U.S. vaccine policy
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dissolves the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing conflicts of interest and a need to restore public trust in vaccine science. This unprecedented move replaces 17 expert members with new appointees, marking a significant shift in US vaccine policy and raising concerns about the future of vaccine safety recommendations
Secretary Kennedy replaced the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing concerns over conflicts of interest and the Biden administration's appointees preventing Trump administration selections from achieving a majority for years to come. This unprecedented move replaces 17 medical and public health experts with new members currently under consideration
Senate Republicans offered varied responses to Kennedy's unprecedented decision to replace the vaccine advisory committee
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician and Senate HELP Committee Chair, initially hesitated to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. due to his anti-vaccine stance. However, Cassidy ultimately voted for Kennedy after Kennedy pledged to retain the vaccine advisory panel he'd previously disbanded
Cassidy challenged HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim that he hadn't broken his promise regarding the vaccine advisory committee
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s HHS shake-up: Dismissing the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, he declared his intention wasn't to reform the committee's process, but to replace its members entirely
Louisiana Republican Senator assures constituents, after speaking with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., that the new vaccine advisory committee will not be filled with anti-vaccine individuals lacking scientific expertise
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), meanwhile, questioned the HHS secretary’s decision, telling HuffPost that it seemed “excessive to ask for everybody’s resignations” from the panel.
“Generally, I think vaccine and other advisory committees are very helpful to the public,” Collins said. “So to cancel all of the people or cancel the meetings raises serious questions.”
Democrats, all of whom opposed Kennedy’s confirmation to lead HHS, torched his decision to strip medical experts from the panel in charge of keeping people safe from vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Firing experts that have spent their entire lives protecting kids from deadly disease is not reform ― it’s reckless, radical, and rooted in conspiracy, not science,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
“Wiping out an entire panel of vaccine experts doesn’t build trust — it shatters it, and worse, it sends a chilling message: that ideology matters more than evidence, and politics more than public health,” he said.
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Igor Bobic contributed reporting.
Source: Original Article