US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory committee, Reuters reported.
The abrupt removal of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP), which shapes critical vaccine recommendations for Americans, was announced on Monday as an effort to “restore public trust,” though Kennedy provided no evidence of misconduct by ousted members.
Kennedy, a long-time vaccine sceptic, justified the purge by claiming ACIP was plagued by conflicts of interest and functioned as a “rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas.” In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, he asserted a “clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cited no specific ethical violations, despite ACIP’s stringent transparency protocols requiring members to disclose funding sources and recuse themselves from conflicted votes, as one member did for vaccines linked to her clinical trial work.
However, the American Medical Association warned the dismissal “undermines trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives,” particularly amid declining childhood vaccination rates.
Kennedy’s restructuring coincides with controversial policy shifts. Last month, he unilaterally revoked COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women—bypassing ACIP’s scheduled June review—sparking confusion among insurers and physicians. Healthcare consultant Sarah Moselle said that payers now await ACIP’s emergency meeting June 25–27 for clarity.
The surprise announcement has created uncertainty for payers and providers about whether the video posting constitutes an official policy change.
Vetting new members typically takes months, yet HHS insists replacements will be seated for the June meeting. With all ousted members appointed under ex-President Joe Biden, the move ensures the Trump administration can swiftly install a majority.
