RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory committee
Share this @internewscast.com


Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines and pledged to replace them with his own picks.

Major physicians and public health groups criticized the move to oust all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Kennedy, who was one of the nation’s leading anti-vaccine activists before becoming the nation’s top health official, has not said who he would appoint to the panel, but said it would convene in just two weeks in Atlanta.

Although it’s typically not viewed as a partisan board, the Biden administration had installed the entire committee.

“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 in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece. “A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science. ”

Kennedy said the committee members had too many conflicts of interest. Currently, committee members are required to declare any potential such conflicts, as well as business interests, that arise during their tenure. They also must disclose any possible conflicts at the start of each public meeting.

Dr. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Kennedy’s actions were based on false conflict-of-interest claims and set “a dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe” by potentially reducing vaccine access for millions of people.

“Make no mistake: Politicizing the ACIP as Secretary Kennedy is doing will undermine public trust under the guise of improving it,” he said in a statement. “We’ll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts.”

Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, called Kennedy’s mass ouster “a coup.”

“It’s not how democracies work. It’s not good for the health of the nation,” Benjamin told The Associated Press.

Benjamin said the move raises real concerns about whether future committee members will be viewed as impartial. He added that Kennedy is going against what he told lawmakers and the public, and the public health association plans to watch Kennedy “like a hawk.”

“He is breaking a promise,” Benjamin said. “He said he wasn’t going to do this.”

Dr. Bruce A. Scott, president of the American Medical Association, called the committee a trusted source of science- and data-driven advice and said Kennedy’s move, coupled with declining vaccination rates across the country, will help drive an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases.

“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.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor who had expressed reservations about Kennedy’s nomination but voted to install him as the nation’s health secretary nonetheless, said he had spoken with Kennedy moments after the announcement.

“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 social media post. “I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”

The committee had been in a state of flux since Kennedy took over. Its first meeting this year had been delayed when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services abruptly postponed its February meeting.

During Kennedy’s confirmation, Cassidy had expressed concerns about preserving the committee, saying he had sought assurances that Kennedy would keep the panel’s current vaccine recommendations.

Kennedy did not stick to that. He recently took the unusual step of changing COVID-19 recommendations without first consulting the advisers.

The webpage that featured the committee’s members was deleted Monday evening, shortly after Kennedy’s announcement.

___

Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Devi Shastri contributed.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Senate Hits Pause on Trump Agenda Bill During Extended ‘Vote-a-Rama’ Session

WASHINGTON () The Senate is pushing through a marathon overnight session that…

Trump Administration Alleges Harvard Seriously Breached Civil Rights Act

The Trump administration says Harvard University is in “violent violation” of the…

Florida’s Budget Approved: Does it Meet the Needs?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Governor Ron DeSantis prevented a government shutdown by…

GOP Resistance Challenges Trump’s Massive Bill During Intense Voting Session

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is tasked with securing the backing…

Westville Library Secures Funding to Enhance Technology and Internet Access

WESTVILLE. (WCIA) — Every day, new research highlights the impact of technology…

Colin Allred Announces Another Bid for US Senate in Texas

DALLAS – On Tuesday, former Texas congressman Colin Allred announced he is…

“Heartbreak Strikes as Thieves Steal Trailer from Special Needs Lawn Care Worker”

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando man with special needs is reaching out…

Augusta Continues to Seek Funding for Canal Repairs

AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Even with more than three miles of trail…

Understanding the Latest Georgia State Legislation

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Several new Georgia laws are taking effect July…

Trump Administration Takes Legal Action Against Los Angeles Due to Sanctuary City Laws

() The Justice Department has sued the city of Los Angeles, Mayor…

Senate Marathon Voting Session on GOP’s Legislative Proposal

Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best experience, please…

19 Floridians Face Charges in DOJ’s Largest Ever Health Care Fraud Investigation

In Tampa, Florida, more than a dozen residents have been charged following…