RFK Jr. Removes Entire CDC Vaccine Panel, Drawing Fire From Medical Community

In a sweeping and controversial move, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday dismissed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory committee — a decision that’s sparking intense backlash from health experts and public officials.

The advisory group, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), plays a crucial role in guiding how vaccines are used across the country. Traditionally, the panel operates with bipartisan respect and scientific independence. But Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccine mandates and former anti-vaccine activist, says the current committee is riddled with conflicts of interest.

“A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science,” Kennedy wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, adding that without such a move, the administration couldn’t appoint a new majority until 2028.

He pledged to appoint a new slate of members within two weeks, with plans to reconvene the panel in Atlanta. However, no replacement names have been announced.

Public Health Leaders Call It a Dangerous Power Grab

The decision has drawn swift and fierce condemnation from leading voices in public health and medicine.

“This is a dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC director and current president of Resolve to Save Lives. “Politicizing the ACIP will undermine public trust under the guise of improving it.”

Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, went further, calling the mass firing “a coup.”

“It’s not how democracies work. It’s not good for the health of the nation,” he said, adding that Kennedy is breaking his promise not to interfere with the committee. “We plan to watch him like a hawk.”

Trust in Vaccine Guidance at Risk, Doctors Warn

The American Medical Association (AMA) also voiced alarm. Its president, Dr. Bruce A. Scott, said the ACIP has long been a “trusted source of science- and data-driven advice” that helped guide the nation through decades of immunization efforts.

“Today’s action undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives,” Scott said, warning that this could accelerate a rise in vaccine-preventable illnesses.

Even GOP Allies Are Concerned

Even Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician and Republican who supported Kennedy’s confirmation despite reservations, expressed concern over the move.

“Now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,” Cassidy posted on social media. He said he spoke with Kennedy shortly after the announcement and vowed to keep the dialogue open.

Committee Already in Limbo

This isn’t the first sign of instability under Kennedy’s leadership. The ACIP’s first meeting of the year was delayed without explanation back in February. More recently, Kennedy bypassed the panel entirely when he altered federal COVID-19 vaccine guidance — a break from long-standing protocol.

Adding to the secrecy, the CDC’s website listing ACIP members was quietly taken down Monday evening, shortly after Kennedy’s announcement.

Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s unprecedented ousting of the CDC’s top vaccine advisory panel is sending shockwaves through the medical community. While he claims the move is necessary to restore public trust, critics argue it’s a dangerous politicization of science that could erode confidence in vaccines — and public health more broadly.