Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The decision, announced through a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Monday, June 9, is the most aggressive action to date by the vaccine-skeptical health secretary to reshape federal immunization guidance.
Kennedy has no medical or health-related education or background.
Kennedy justified the wholesale dismissal of the ACIP members by claiming the committee had become “plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine”. In his Wall Street Journal op-ed, Kennedy argued that “a clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science” and stated that new committee members would “prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine”.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices maintains rigorous conflict management protocols grounded in federal regulations and transparency measures. All members must submit annual financial disclosures and immediately recuse themselves from votes involving products connected to their financial or professional interests.
During each public meeting, members verbally declare potential conflicts before deliberations begin, with enforced recusals extending to discussions and votes on relevant vaccine products. Federal guidelines explicitly prohibit members or their immediate family from holding employment with vaccine manufacturers or maintaining vaccine-related patents during their tenure.
To validate compliance, the CDC launched a public database in March 2025, cataloging all disclosed conflicts since 2000, revealing that the majority of recusals involved prior research roles as principal investigators in NIH- or industry-funded trials. The database analysis confirmed no instances of active financial ties to vaccine manufacturers among serving members, with all disclosed conflicts representing historical academic collaborations rather than ongoing commercial relationships.
The complete dismissal of ACIP represents an unprecedented intervention in the committee’s 61-year history of providing vaccine guidance to federal health agencies. While HHS secretaries have the authority to appoint and dismiss ACIP members, removing an entire panel prematurely has never occurred before. The decision effectively shortcuts the normal deliberative process that allows independent experts to review vaccine data and debate recommendations based on scientific evidence.
Kennedy’s action appears to contradict commitments he made during his confirmation process to Senator Bill Cassidy, the Republican chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Cassidy stated that Kennedy had pledged to “maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes”. Following Kennedy’s announcement, Cassidy expressed concerns on social media.
“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 post on X on Monday. “I’ve just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I’ll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.”
Republican Senator Susan Collins said it seemed excessive to ask the entire board to resign.
The advisory panel remains set to convene from June 25-27 to review immunization strategies for COVID-19, RSV, influenza, HPV, and meningococcal disease. Despite the mass dismissals, the Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the meeting will proceed as planned, leaving approximately 14 days to reconstitute its advisory body with new members. This compressed timeline raises questions about the vetting process for replacements, given that ACIP appointments typically involve months of background checks and public comment periods.
Dr. Bruce A. Scott, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement that’s Kennedy’s decision undermines trust and “upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives. With an ongoing measles outbreak and routine child vaccination rates declining, this move will further fuel the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses.”
The ACIP dismissals are the most dramatic in a series of actions Kennedy has taken to reshape federal vaccine policy since assuming his role as HHS secretary. Earlier moves have included canceling meetings of infectious disease specialists, halting discussions among vaccine experts, and announcing plans to remove COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women.
