Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday terminated every member of the scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine recommendations, announcing plans to reconvene the panel with his own appointees in two weeks.
The mass dismissal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) represents an unprecedented shift in how the nation approaches vaccine policy. Kennedy, who was a prominent anti-vaccine activist before his appointment, justified the action in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, stating: "Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028. A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science."
The decision has prompted immediate backlash from public health leaders and medical organizations. Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC director and current president of Resolve to Save Lives, characterized Kennedy's actions as "a dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe." He added: "Make no mistake: Politicizing the ACIP as Secretary Kennedy is doing will undermine public trust under the guise of improving it. We'll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts."
Committee members learned of their termination through email Monday afternoon, with no explanation provided. Noel Brewer, a behavioral scientist from the University of North Carolina who joined the panel last summer, expressed surprise at the decision. "I'd assumed I'd continue serving on the committee for my full term," he said. "Up until today, ACIP recommendations were the gold standard for what insurers should pay for, what providers should recommend, and what the public should look to."
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, called the action "a coup," stating: "It's not how democracies work. It's not good for the health of the nation." Benjamin noted that Kennedy's move contradicts assurances made during his confirmation process, adding: "He is breaking a promise. He said he wasn't going to do this."
The American Medical Association also condemned the decision. Dr. Bruce A. Scott, the organization's president, warned: "Today's action to remove the 17 sitting members of ACIP undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives."
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who had voted to confirm Kennedy despite reservations, expressed concern about the committee's future composition. "Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion," Cassidy said in a social media post. "I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case."
Kennedy cited conflicts of interest among committee members as justification for the dismissals, though current regulations already require members to declare potential conflicts and business interests. The committee, which had been scheduled to meet in February before HHS postponed the gathering, now faces an uncertain future as Kennedy prepares to install new members within two weeks.
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