RFK Jr. removes all members of CDC panel advising US on vaccines

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the removal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This move aims to "re-establish public confidence in vaccine science," according to Kennedy.

ACIP advises the CDC on vaccine recommendations and eligibility. The shake-up is coupled with controversial changes by Kennedy, who has stopped recommending routine Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.

Critics warn that new appointments may politicize vaccine recommendations and increase distrust in public health authority. Kennedy claims the current committee suffers from conflicts of interest and that a "clean sweep" is necessary.