Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Overhauls CDC Vaccine Panel, Removes All 17 Members
New advisory committee to be appointed as HHS shifts focus to transparency and scientific integrity.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a sweeping reorganization of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the body responsible for making vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the committee and will appoint new experts to take their place.
The move, according to Kennedy, is aimed at rebuilding public confidence in federal vaccine policy and ensuring that advisory decisions are made independently and transparently.
“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” he 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.”
ACIP plays a key role in shaping national vaccine guidelines and coverage, including the immunization schedules for children and adults. Its recommendations often determine what vaccines are covered by federal programs and private insurance, and they influence public health policy across all 50 states.
The reconstitution of the committee comes in response to President Trump’s Restoring Gold Standard Science executive order, which directs agencies to ensure that scientific bodies are free of undue influence. HHS stated that the new appointees will be chosen for their scientific expertise and their commitment to evidence-based, conflict-free medical guidance.
All 17 ACIP members were appointed during the Biden administration, with 13 installed in 2024. HHS noted that the staggered terms would have locked in the prior administration’s influence over the committee until 2028, limiting the ability of the current administration to realign vaccine policy with its goals.
While Kennedy did not criticize the qualifications of individual members, he said the committee had become overly aligned with entrenched interests and lacked independence.
“ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine,” Kennedy stated. “The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for any agenda. Public trust has eroded, and only through radical transparency and scientific integrity can we earn it back.”
The newly formed ACIP is scheduled to hold its next public meeting from June 25 to June 27 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, where it will begin reviewing current vaccine recommendations and procedures.
Read the announcement HERE.