One of the newly appointed members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has sparked controversy due to her long-standing belief that vaccines caused her son's autism. This assertion has been widely discredited by numerous large-scale studies and reviews that have consistently found no causal link between vaccines and autism. Vicky Pebsworth, a registered nurse, is among the eight new members of ACIP, all of whom were selected by vaccine skeptic and former health secretary under Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Dr. David Gorski, a professor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and an expert on the anti-vaccine movement, noted, “She’s probably been anti-vax longer than RFK has.” In June, Kennedy dismissed all 17 previous members of the committee, replacing them with individuals who share his ideological views. Pebsworth and Kennedy have likely crossed paths in the past, as their respective non-profit organizations have supported each other’s initiatives.
MIT professor of science journalism, Seth Mnookin, expressed concerns about Pebsworth's position on the committee. He stated, “If I had a child who I believed had been harmed by whatever – it doesn’t have to be vaccines – I wouldn’t then trust myself to be on a federal safety commission on that issue.” Pebsworth's history also includes participation in a 2020 lawsuit against Covid-19 vaccine mandates, which aligns with Kennedy’s agenda. In a declaration to federal court, she claimed that “increases in the number of vaccines in the CDC schedule may be causally related to increases in the rates of chronic illness.” This assertion relies on a debunked study that has long been a talking point for anti-vaccine advocates.
Pebsworth has been involved with the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) since 2006, serving as its volunteer research director. The NVIC, originally founded in Virginia as Dissatisfied Parents Together in 1982, changed its name in 1995 and has since been a prominent advocate for anti-vaccine sentiments. The organization has also received substantial funding from Dr. Joseph Mercola, who has been labeled as a significant source of misinformation regarding coronavirus and vaccines.
For decades, Vicky Pebsworth has publicly asserted that her son, Sam, was injured by the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in 1998, despite overwhelming evidence disproving any connection between vaccines and autism. As early as 2001, she organized conferences focused on alternative treatments for autism, advocating methods such as restrictive diets and chelation therapy—both of which have not been proven effective in treating autism.
Dr. Gorski highlighted that during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the anti-vaccine movement was characterized by two main narratives: one stemming from Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent study linking the MMR vaccine to autism, and the other stemming from concerns about mercury in vaccines, particularly thimerosal. Despite the scientific community's consensus on thimerosal's safety, misinformation about it has persisted for decades.
In 2015, a significant measles outbreak at Disneyland in California galvanized the anti-vaccine movement, leading to stricter vaccine requirements in schools. This event drew more parents into the debate and provided a platform for anti-vaccine advocacy groups. Gorski pointed out that while anti-vaccine sentiments used to span the political spectrum, they have increasingly aligned with right-wing ideology in recent years.
Vicky Pebsworth has actively participated in legislative discussions regarding vaccine mandates. In 2017, she testified against a school mandate for a meningitis vaccine in Virginia. As the public anxiously awaited a Covid-19 vaccine in 2020, Pebsworth cautioned against potential unknown consequences of vaccines. Her testimony in 2021 before the University of Hawaii’s board of regents further underscored her opposition to Covid-19 vaccines.
Experts note that groups like the NVIC have attempted to influence vaccine policy at the state level, pushing for model legislation to be introduced. However, they have struggled to achieve their primary goal of eliminating vaccine mandates in schools. An anonymous expert in state vaccine law observed that while anti-vaccine groups are vocal, legislative support remains largely in favor of vaccine mandates.
In early January 2017, as Trump considered the influence of the anti-vaccine community, Pebsworth and her colleagues publicly opposed the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, asserting that the FDA should not recommend them until sufficient scientific evidence is available regarding their safety and efficacy.
During the first meeting of Kennedy’s reconstituted ACIP panel, discussions centered around thimerosal, with a presentation given against its use by Lyn Redwood, a former president of the World Mercury Project. A report from CDC scientists on thimerosal's safety was withdrawn from the meeting by Kennedy’s office, leading to recommendations against seasonal influenza vaccines that contain thimerosal—an outcome that shocked both the medical and scientific communities. Pebsworth abstained from voting, indicating her desire to separate the vote on influenza vaccine recommendations.
As the vaccine conversation continues to evolve, the implications of Pebsworth's role on the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices raise critical questions about vaccine safety, public health, and the ongoing battle against misinformation in the field of immunization.
