On Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the appointment of eight new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) independent vaccine advisory committee. This change comes shortly after Kennedy removed all 17 sitting members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing concerns over conflicts of interest and alleging that the committee acted as a mere rubber stamp for vaccine approvals.
The ACIP plays a crucial role in making recommendations regarding the safety, efficacy, and clinical necessity of vaccines. Ultimately, the CDC has the authority to accept or reject these recommendations. In a post on X, Kennedy expressed his belief that the new appointees are highly credentialed scientists and leading public health experts who adhere to evidence-based medicine and gold-standard science.
The newly appointed members are expected to participate in an upcoming ACIP meeting scheduled from June 25 to June 27. This meeting will focus on new recommendations for various vaccines, including the HPV vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, the committee will review the safety and efficacy data for the current vaccine schedule, as noted in Kennedy’s post.
While the new members bring strong credentials in areas such as medicine, public health, epidemiology, and statistics, there seems to be less emphasis on expertise in immunology, virology, and vaccinology compared to previous committees. Kennedy assured ABC News that the new appointees would not be categorized as anti-vaxxers, even though some have expressed skepticism regarding vaccines, particularly those related to COVID-19 and mRNA technology.
One notable new member, Dr. Robert Malone, who has contributed to the development of mRNA vaccine technology, gained notoriety for spreading misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He controversially claimed that individuals were hypnotized into accepting mainstream views about vaccination. Another appointee, Retsef Levi, has previously published non-peer-reviewed research suggesting that healthy individuals have died as a result of COVID-19 vaccines, alongside Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.
Additionally, Dr. Martin Kulldorff, another new member, co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, which advocated for avoiding COVID-19 lockdowns and suggested a new pandemic management strategy centered on protecting vulnerable populations while allowing the majority to resume normal activities. This declaration has faced significant criticism, including from Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization.
At least four of the newly appointed members appear to have influenced Kennedy’s own beliefs. According to Stat News, Malone, Kulldorff, and two other appointees, Vicky Pebsworth and Dr. Cody Meissner, are acknowledged in the dedication of Kennedy's book, The Real Anthony Fauci. This book aims to undermine the credibility of former health official Fauci and question his motivations throughout the pandemic.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Kennedy intends to appoint additional members to the ACIP. The future composition and direction of the committee will be closely monitored as it prepares to address critical vaccination issues in the coming months.
