HHS Secretary RFK Jr. fires CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Capitol Hill on May 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

In an unprecedented move, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the dismissal of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). For the past 60 years, the ACIP has advised the federal government on vaccine policy by shaping guidance on safety, efficacy, and clinical need. 

Why is this unprecedented? 

This is the first time since the advisory committee was established in 1964 that an entire committee has been dismissed at once, with members typically serving a four-year term. As Secretary of HHS, Kennedy has full authority to appoint and dismiss ACIP members. Secretary Kennedy frames this change as a “bold step in restoring public trust,” citing a Trump-era executive order to appoint members that are unbiased and without conflicts of interest. The ACIP committee is expected to convene for its next meeting June 25-27, 2025 with its new members.

Public Health & Vaccine Policy Implications

The dismantling of the entire ACIP committee poses significant risks, paving the way for Secretary Kennedy to appoint advisors aligned with his vaccination ideology. This raises serious concerns among public health officials and medical associations who warn that replacing experienced experts with ideologically-driven appointees undermines transparency and best practices, particularly during a time where preventable diseases like measles are resurging. ACIP recommendations influence vaccine access and insurance coverage nationwide. 

Bottom line

The HHS press release poses this overhaul as a trust-restoring effort to eliminate conflicts of interest to prioritize “gold standard science.” However, many experts see this as a destabilizing move creating confusion around vaccine policy and opening the door to political interference with public health guidance.