In July 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. finalized a sweeping restructure of vaccine policy leadership by removing all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This advisory group traditionally sets U.S. vaccination guidelines for illnesses such as COVID‑19, measles, flu, and RSV. Kennedy replaced the outgoing members with a new panel that includes individuals known for vaccine skepticism, including Dr. Robert Malone and Martin Kulldorff .
Kennedy defended the move, stating that it was essential to “restore public trust in vaccine science” by introducing diverse viewpoints. However, former ACIP members and health experts assert that the change undermines scientific rigor and risks contradictory public guidance .
As part of broader reforms under his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, Kennedy’s leadership team also plans to discuss reducing or eliminating the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine, citing scientific and ethical debates over its necessity for every newborn .
Amid these changes, public health and civil rights organizations urged Kennedy in May 2025 to reconsider mass layoffs and reorganizations that would affect 10,000 roles within HHS. They warned that cuts to the CDC and FDA, and other federal agencies, could erode decades of progress in areas such as tobacco control and disease prevention .
Meanwhile, this week, Senate Democrats launched an investigation into Kennedy’s overhaul of the vaccine advisory panel, probing possible conflicts of interest and the vetting process for his new appointees. They also raised alarms about the inclusion of known vaccine skeptics in the committee’s ranks .
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Kennedy defended the move, stating that it was essential to “restore public trust in vaccine science” by introducing diverse viewpoints. However, former ACIP members and health experts assert that the change undermines scientific rigor and risks contradictory public guidance .
As part of broader reforms under his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, Kennedy’s leadership team also plans to discuss reducing or eliminating the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine, citing scientific and ethical debates over its necessity for every newborn .
Amid these changes, public health and civil rights organizations urged Kennedy in May 2025 to reconsider mass layoffs and reorganizations that would affect 10,000 roles within HHS. They warned that cuts to the CDC and FDA, and other federal agencies, could erode decades of progress in areas such as tobacco control and disease prevention .
Meanwhile, this week, Senate Democrats launched an investigation into Kennedy’s overhaul of the vaccine advisory panel, probing possible conflicts of interest and the vetting process for his new appointees. They also raised alarms about the inclusion of known vaccine skeptics in the committee’s ranks .
www.34news.online
