In a bold and controversial move, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP). He pledged to appoint new members of his choosing in the coming weeks.
Kennedy, a long-time critic of vaccine mandates before taking office, argued that the existing committee members held “too many conflicts of interest.”
“Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028,” Kennedy wrote. He added that “a clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.”
So far, Kennedy has not revealed the identities of his replacements but stated that the newly reformed panel will convene in Atlanta in two weeks.
This sweeping removal has drawn sharp criticism from leading medical organizations.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, called the move “a coup.”
“It’s not how democracies work. It’s not good for the health of the nation,” Benjamin told The Associated Press, expressing concern over the impartiality of the future committee members. He further accused Kennedy of breaking a prior promise, saying, “he said he wasn’t going to do this.”
Dr. Bruce A. Scott, President of the American Medical Association, also condemned the decision, warning that the change could negatively impact the nation’s vaccine defenses.
“Today’s action to remove the 17 sitting members of ACIP undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives,” Scott said in a statement.
The controversy comes shortly after Kennedy unilaterally altered COVID-19 recommendations without consulting the ACIP panel—another move that has stirred debate within the medical community.
As the nation awaits the announcement of new appointees, concerns remain high regarding the future direction of U.S. vaccine policy.