RFK Jr. Says He Fired Entire Vaccine Advisory Group to Install New Members

Removing the entire vaccine advisory group will have far-reaching effects, including the coverage of vaccines by insurance.

RFK Jr.’s op-ed, published in the Wall Street Journal, announced a total overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), scheduled to meet later this month, under the guise of restoring public trust. He’s breaking public promises to do it.

“If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.”

Senator Bill Cassidy, Feb 4, 2025

While he claims to be rejecting partisanship and prioritizing scientific integrity, his op-ed misrepresents the history, function, and current governance of vaccine oversight in the United States. He also openly states he is removing members because otherwise, they could not appoint a majority until 2028.

The criticism relies on outdated views and overlooks existing reforms to address conflict-of-interest issues, such as public disclosures, recusal protocols, and ethics reviews. By pretending that these efforts never occurred, Kennedy distorts the record and contributes to a broader narrative of institutional collapse. This is not the first time he has done so.