US Health Secretary Kennedy guts vaccine advisory committee

WASHINGTON - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has fired all 17 members sitting on a US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel of vaccine experts and is in the process of replacing them, his department said on June 9, drawing protest from many vaccine scientists.

The move is the most far-reaching in a series of actions by Mr Kennedy, a long-time vaccine sceptic, to reshape US regulation of vaccines, food and medicine.

Scientists and experts said the changes to the vaccine panel, which recommends how vaccines are used and by whom, would undermine public confidence in health agencies.

Mr Kennedy promised the move would raise public confidence.

“Today we are prioritising the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” Mr Kennedy said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Mr Kennedy has for years sown doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, but he pledged to maintain the country’s existing vaccine standards to secure his appointment in President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Food and Drug Administration, which is overseen by Mr Kennedy’s department, has approved a number of vaccines during his tenure despite concerns over his stances.

Even so, at least one senior Republican member of Congress expressed doubts about the changes in the panel.

Mr Kennedy said the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (Acip) is rife with conflicts and has never turned down a vaccine, even though the decision to approve vaccines rests with the US Food and Drug Administration.

The CDC panel provides guidance to the CDC on which groups of people would most benefit from an already-approved vaccine.

“That’s a tragedy,” former FDA chief scientist Jesse Goodman said of the firings. “This is a highly professional group of scientists and physicians and others... It’s the kind of political meddling that will reduce confidence rather than increase confidence.”

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America called Mr Kennedy’s action concerning for public health.

“Upending the Acip membership increases uncertainty and vaccine scepticism, undermining the health gains achieved through vaccination,” the industry body said in a statement late on June 9.

Shares of vaccine makers Moderna and US-listed shares of BioNTech fell more than 1 per cent, while Pfizer was down marginally in extended trading on June 9.

Mr Kennedy said most panel members receive funding from drugmakers although members are required to declare any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that arise in the course of their tenure and any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with organisations relevant to the committee’s work.

Mr Kennedy and HHS provided no specific evidence of industry conflicts of interest among departing Acip members.

The CDC’s web page for conflicts of interest, last updated in March, showed that one current member had recused herself from votes on a handful of vaccines because she had worked on clinical trials for their manufacturers.

Biden appointees

All 17 sitting Acip members were appointed under former President Joe Biden’s administration, including 13 in 2024, HHS said.

Without their removal, the Trump administration would not have been able to choose a majority of the committee until 2028.

“This is not a political committee, it’s never been partisan,” said Professor Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC Law San Francisco. “It’s an expert committee. Presidents have never been involved in Acip membership.”

The decision drew criticism from Democrats in Congress, and one key Republican expressed concern.

“Of course, now the fear is that the Acip will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,” said Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy in a post on X. “I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”

Dr Cassidy, a doctor from Louisiana who had expressed wariness about Mr Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views before clearing the path for him to become the nation’s top health official, said at the time he had received assurances Mr Kennedy would protect existing vaccination programmes.

The CDC panel will convene its next meeting from June 25 to 27 at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, the department said.

Vetting new panel members typically takes months, said one expert with close ties to the committee, who expressed doubts the newly appointed panel would be able to meet on time unless Mr Kennedy and his team “have been working in the shadows” to onboard them months ahead of the announcement.

Mr Kennedy has drawn condemnation from health officials for his vaccine policies, including what they say is a weak endorsement of the measles shots during an outbreak that has infected more than 1,000 mostly unvaccinated people and killed three.

He announced in May the government was dropping its recommendation that

healthy children and pregnant women should receive Covid-19 shots

, sidestepping the typical process.

Traditionally, once the FDA approves vaccines for sale to the public, Acip’s role is to review data in a public meeting and vote on vaccine recommendations, which are then sent to the CDC director to sign off.

The Affordable Care Act generally requires insurers to cover vaccines that are listed on the CDC vaccine schedules for adults and children.

The recommendations also determine which vaccines the CDC’s Vaccines for Children programne will provide free of charge to those without insurance. REUTERS