HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired the entire CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The 17 member panel was comprised of independent advisors with expertise on vaccination, immunization and infectious disease. The unprecedented move was made as the committee was preparing for its next meeting on June 25. During this 3 day convening, the ACIP was schedule to discuss recommendations regarding vaccines for COVID and other diseases.
The dismantling of the panel came not long after secretary Kennedy unilaterally revoked the agency’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant individuals, and other vulnerable populations. Experts warn this series of decisions, made without any public input or transparency, damage the integrity of public health decision making and cause direct harm to at-risk Americans.s.
In contrast to Kennedy’s top down directives with no public involvement or scientific rationale, the ACIP issues vaccine recommendations following a series of rigorous public deliberations.
In a statement justifying his decision, RFK Jr. said “a clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science,” and that “ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine.
Despite this claim, experts say the move will have the opposite effect, damaging public health and dismantling science-based policy.
“This is one of the darkest days in modern public health history,” said Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. “Science does not matter to Mr. Kennedy.
Tina Tan M.D., President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America warned that these moves would be felt by people of all ages. “Unilaterally removing an entire panel of experts is reckless, shortsighted and severely harmful”.
