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By Gabe Whisnant
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday that he is dismissing all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key panel that guides national vaccine policy.
Established in 1964, ACIP operates under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and advises both the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the use of vaccines for controlling disease.
In an opinion article published in The Wall Street Journal, Kennedy wrote, "A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science."
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Why It Matters
The dismissals mark Kennedy's latest controversial move since assuming leadership at HHS. A known vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has drawn criticism for initiatives seen as challenging the scientific consensus on vaccinations in the U.S.
What To Know
ACIP reviews scientific data on vaccine safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness to develop evidence-based recommendations. These recommendations influence which vaccines are included in the routine immunization schedules for children, adolescents, and adults. They also affect insurance coverage decisions and vaccine availability through federal programs like the Vaccines for Children program.
The committee is composed of 17 voting members appointed by the Secretary of HHS, along with non-voting representatives from various medical and public health organizations. The ACIP panel holds public meetings several times a year, providing transparency and allowing for public input. ACIP's decisions have historically guided U.S. vaccination strategies for diseases such as influenza, measles, polio and COVID-19.
Although it's typically not viewed as a partisan board, the Biden administration had installed the entire committee.
Kennedy wrote in his op-ed, "We are retiring the 17 current members of the committee, some of whom were last-minute appointees of the Biden administration. Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028."
Kennedy continued, "ACIP evaluates the safety, efficacy and clinical need of the nation's vaccines and passes its findings on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine. It has never recommended against a vaccine—even those later withdrawn for safety reasons. It has failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women. To make matters worse, the groups that inform ACIP meet behind closed doors, violating the legal and ethical principle of transparency crucial to maintaining public trust."
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, condemned Kennedy's sweeping removal of vaccine advisors, calling it "a coup."
"This is not how democracies function, and it's harmful to the nation's health," Benjamin told The Associated Press. He warned that the move casts doubt on the impartiality of future committee members and accused Kennedy of backtracking on public assurances made to lawmakers during his confirmation hearings.
The association, he added, will be closely monitoring Kennedy's actions.
"He's breaking a promise," Benjamin said. "He said he wasn't going to do this."
What People Are Saying
Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, told Newsweek via email: "This decision will make it far more difficult for pediatricians and other providers to care for their patients. The idea that ACIP has failed to scrutinize vaccines being given to pregnant women and babies is absolutely absurd. Nobody has done more than Secretary Kennedy to sow unwarranted doubt about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and this decision demonstrates a complete lack of caring about the health and safety of every American."
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who had voiced concerns about Kennedy's nomination but ultimately supported his confirmation as health secretary, said on X, formerly Twitter, that he spoke with Kennedy shortly after the announcement: "The concern now is that ACIP could be stacked with individuals whose only familiarity with vaccines is rooted in skepticism. I just spoke with Secretary Kennedy and will continue engaging with him to ensure that doesn't happen."
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner during Donald Trump's first presidency, was concerned about the potential for Kennedy Jr. to dismantle critical public health infrastructure. He told Newsweek in November 2024: "I think some in Congress right now who are deeply skeptical think that they can manage this through things like appropriations riders. That's not going to be successful, because like I said, RFK can go in there with a stroke of a pen, disband ACIP, reconstitute it with like-minded people, issue a whole new bunch of recommendations."
What Happens Next
It remains uncertain who Kennedy will appoint to the restructured panel. HHS said in a press release that ACIP will still meet as scheduled from June 25 to 27.
Update: 6/9/25, 5:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 6/9/25, 5:56 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
Update: 6/9/25, 7:56 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and remarks.
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