US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known anti-vaxxer, has fired all 17 members of a committee that advises the government on vaccines.
Announcing the decision in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy said that conflicts of interest on the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) were responsible for undermining trust in vaccinations.
The secretary penned that he wanted to "ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible."
Health experts have criticised Kennedy's longstanding questioning of the safety and efficiency of vaccines.
On Monday, June 9, he shared he was "retiring" all of the ACIP panel members; eight of the 17 panellists were appointed in January 2025, in the last days of President Biden’s term.
Kennedy pointed out that removing committee members was necessary to allow President Donald Trump to appoint a majority on the panel before 2028.
RFK Jr.'s contradictory step
The move appears contrary to the assurance Kennedy provided during his confirmation hearings.
Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator from Louisiana who is also a doctor, reported that he received commitment from the health secretary that Acip would be maintained "without changes."
Notably, Kennedy did not share who would replace the board members.
The ACIP has a meeting scheduled starting June 25, at which members are to vote on recommendations for vaccines for flu, Covid, meningococcal disease, RSV, and other illnesses.
