In a move that has rattled the public health community, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices CDC Vaccine in June 2025. The ACIP has long played a critical role in shaping national vaccine policies, providing evidence-based recommendations on immunization schedules, safety, and efficacy.
Kennedy defended the shake-up as necessary to rebuild public trust and eliminate what he called “conflicts of interest” among committee members. He announced plans to install new advisors aligned with his administration’s philosophy. Several of the new appointees, including vaccine-skeptical figures like Robert Malone and Vicky Pebsworth, have raised eyebrows due to their previous affiliations with anti-vaccine litigation and misinformation networks.
Former ACIP members responded swiftly. In an editorial published in The New England Journal of Medicine, they warned that the decision undermines decades of scientific integrity and weakens public confidence in national vaccine recommendations. Dr. Noel Brewer, a former panelist, told ABC News the CDC Vaccine now lacks an independent, expert body to guide Americans on critical vaccine decisions.
External Experts Also Removed From CDC Subcommittees
Further intensifying concerns, the CDC Vaccine has now barred external experts from participating in ACIP subcommittees and working groups. For decades, these panels included representatives from physician groups, universities, and public health agencies—offering independent expertise to evaluate vaccine data.
According to a Bloomberg report, the CDC justified the policy shift by arguing that outside experts could be biased based on the constituencies they represent. The agency claims this restructuring is intended to reduce special interest influence and preserve the objectivity of its internal decision-making processes.
Critics argue that excluding external perspectives removes critical scientific checks and balances. Previously, these advisors helped ACIP assess clinical trial outcomes, post-marketing safety data, and epidemiological trends before issuing recommendations. Many fear this change could lead to politically motivated decisions rather than ones rooted in medical science.
Federal Inquiries and State-Level CDC Vaccine Protections Begin
The federal overhaul has triggered strong pushback from public health leaders, state officials, and lawmakers. Several former ACIP members have proposed creating independent vaccine advisory panels to ensure continuity of scientific guidance. They are also calling for external audits of Kennedy’s appointees and transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Meanwhile, Democratic-led states including New York, Colorado, and Massachusetts are introducing legislation to uphold vaccine access, regardless of changes at the federal level. These measures aim to ensure insurance coverage and vaccine supply chains remain aligned with evidence-based recommendations, even if CDC guidance falters.
At the federal level, Senate Democrats have launched an investigation into the sweeping changes, scrutinizing the vetting of Kennedy’s new committee members and probing whether their backgrounds may compromise public health policy. Amidst this turmoil, Susan Monarez was confirmed as CDC Vaccine Director on July 29, 2025. Though she has pledged commitment to science-based policymaking, Monarez has remained silent on whether she supports or opposes the ACIP restructuring.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to overhaul the CDC’s vaccine advisory infrastructure marks a dramatic turning point in U.S. public health governance. While his administration frames the move as a step toward transparency and trust-building, critics warn it may compromise the very foundations of vaccine science. As states step in and federal inquiries intensify, the future of national immunization policy hangs in the balance.
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