Public health sabotaged: RFK Jr. purges nation’s vaccine advisory committee
Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829
Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is alarmed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s removal of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—a body composed of independent public health experts who were vetted and appointed through a transparent, rigorous process during the previous administration. ACIP plays a critical role in evaluating the safety, effectiveness, and public health need for vaccines. Its recommendations guide immunization practices for children, seniors, and the general public—including routine vaccines such as the annual flu shot.
“Expertise is not a conflict of interest—it’s a safeguard,” said NCL CEO Sally Greenberg. “ACIP members are among the most respected scientists and physicians in the country. To remove them wholesale is reckless, and to do so without a clear plan for who will replace them, just weeks before a major meeting, puts the health of every American at risk.”
ACIP plays a critical role in determining the safety, efficacy, and recommended use of vaccines—decisions that directly impact whether lifesaving immunizations are covered by public and private insurance. Removing the entire committee without naming qualified replacements risks delaying these essential decisions, weakening public trust, and politicizing what must remain an evidence-based process.
The upcoming ACIP meeting scheduled for June 25–27 looms large, and it is unclear how newly appointed members, with no transition period or institutional knowledge, will be able to contribute to this complex and urgent work responsibly. The lack of continuity undermines the stability of our public health infrastructure and injects uncertainty into vaccine access and coverage.
We call on Secretary Kennedy to ensure that new appointees are selected transparently, based on qualifications, not ideology, and to protect the scientific integrity of one of the nation’s most trusted advisory bodies.
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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
