Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a sweeping move he says is intended to restore public confidence in vaccine policy and eliminate perceived conflicts of interest within federal health agencies.
The abrupt overhaul, announced Monday, follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last month directing agencies to “restore integrity and reproducibility” in government-funded scientific research. The executive order specifically called for transparency in public health decision-making, which Kennedy says the current ACIP has failed to uphold.
“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The public must know that unbiased science — evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest — guides the recommendations of our health agencies.”
Longstanding Critic of Public Health Institutions
Kennedy, a longtime critic of what he describes as the “revolving door” between federal regulators and the pharmaceutical industry, has frequently alleged that vaccine safety decisions have been shaped more by industry profit than by public interest. Since taking over HHS earlier this year, Kennedy has doubled down on his “Make America Healthy Again” platform — a set of health reforms aimed at addressing chronic disease, environmental toxins, and what he sees as institutional corruption in public health policy.
Although Kennedy has repeatedly rejected the “anti-vaccine” label, he has questioned the safety of some vaccine schedules and has called for more independent oversight and research. His appointment by President Trump drew intense criticism from medical groups and bipartisan concern in Congress. His decision to now dismantle ACIP is expected to further polarize the public health debate.
Breaking a Promise?
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said Monday that he spoke directly with Kennedy to raise concerns about the future of ACIP.
“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 post on X (formerly Twitter). “I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”
Cassidy, a physician who previously worked in child immunization programs, had opposed Kennedy’s nomination over vaccine concerns. During Kennedy’s confirmation, Cassidy said he received assurances that the incoming secretary would not interfere with ACIP or alter the CDC’s official vaccine guidance. At the time, Kennedy also promised not to remove CDC materials explaining that vaccines do not cause autism.
“This is a significant departure from what we were promised during his confirmation,” Cassidy noted Monday.
Political and Scientific Ramifications
The ACIP is a critical body that advises the CDC on vaccine schedules, including which immunizations are recommended for children, adolescents, and adults. The committee’s decisions have historically guided public and private insurance coverage and shaped school vaccination policies across the country.
All 17 of the recently dismissed members were appointed under the Biden administration, with most joining the committee in 2024. Without this move, the Trump administration would have been unable to appoint a majority to the committee until 2028.
In his statement, Kennedy defended the firings as necessary for public health reform. “ACIP’s new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas.”
He added, “The entire world once looked to American health regulators for guidance, inspiration, scientific impartiality, and unimpeachable integrity. Public trust has eroded. Only through radical transparency and gold standard science will we earn it back.”
Who’s Next?
HHS has not yet released the names of any new appointees to ACIP, but a spokesperson said the committee will be reconstituted “in time for its next meeting,” scheduled for later this month at CDC headquarters in Atlanta. The agency emphasized that new members will include scientists, physicians, and public health experts committed to “evidence-based medicine and open dialogue.”
Public health groups have expressed alarm, warning that wholesale changes could destabilize vaccine confidence and undermine longstanding protections against preventable diseases.
“We must protect the independence and scientific rigor of ACIP,” said Dr. Lisa Stern, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Children’s health depends on it.”
