Democrats in the House call for explanations from the CDC concerning recent modifications to the Vaccine Advisory Committee
**Urgent Changes in CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices: Controversy Surrounds New Appointees**
In a move that has sparked controversy, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made significant changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The changes, announced in June 2025, saw the removal of all 17 existing members and the appointment of eight new ones.
The new members include: - Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist. - Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist. - Dr. Retsef Levi, an MIT professor specializing in healthcare analytics and vaccine safety. - Dr. Robert W. Malone, a physician-scientist and biochemist. - Dr. Cody Meissner, a professor of Pediatrics at Dartmouth and former ACIP voting member. - Dr. James Pagano, a board-certified emergency medicine physician. - Dr. Vicky Pebsworth, OP, PhD, RN, the regional director of the National Association of Catholic Nurses. - Dr. Michael A. Ross, a clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The selection process was initiated by Secretary Kennedy, who argued that the previous committee was plagued by conflicts of interest and failed to scrutinize vaccines critically. However, Kennedy's choices have raised concerns as several new members have been critical of vaccines, particularly COVID-19 vaccines, and have been associated with groups spreading vaccine misinformation.
The changes come amidst ongoing concerns about the motivations behind the selection process. Some speculate that Kennedy's actions were influenced by his political ideology, given that all previous members were appointed by former President Joe Biden and had political affiliations.
Recently, a letter from the Oversight Committee Democrats criticized Kennedy for putting personal political ideology ahead of public health and safety, without regard for genuine scientific evidence. The letter warns that Kennedy's attacks on the independent scientific public health process will make Americans sicker. It also states that Kennedy's efforts have drawn serious criticism from even Republican public health experts.
The letter comes just a few days after a lawsuit was filed by major medical organizations against the HHS and Kennedy, accusing them of unlawful, unilateral vaccine changes. The organizations allege that these changes undermine the public health system and endanger the health of millions of Americans.
In response to the controversy, House Democrats on the Oversight Committee have requested an urgent briefing with staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They have also requested certain information and documents by specific dates, including communications and documents related to the ACIP meeting held last month and the selection of the new ACIP members, a detailed description of how and why each member was selected, and communications between any individual at HHS or CDC with any of the seven new members between Jan. 20 and June 25.
The ACIP is currently examining the child immunization schedule, including the hepatitis B vaccine given at birth, and is aiming to determine if the decisions align with science and if there are potential conflicts of interest compromising the public health system. The controversy surrounding the new ACIP members could have significant implications for vaccine policy in the United States.
References: [1] https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/robert-kennedy-jr-s-anti-vaccine-organization-reportedly-met-cdc-n1271843 [2] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/29/robert-kennedy-jr-cdc-vaccine-committee-00051078 [3] https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/29/health/robert-kennedy-jr-cdc-vaccine-committee/index.html
- The new members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. include scientists, such as Dr. Robert W. Malone, a physician-scientist and biochemist, and Dr. Retsef Levi, an MIT professor specializing in healthcare analytics and vaccine safety.
- The surprisingly controversial selection of the new ACIP members has raised concerns about their stance on health-and-wellness issues, particularly medical-conditions related to vaccines, as several new members have been critical of vaccines, and have been associated with groups spreading vaccine misinformation.
- As U.S. politics plays a role in policy-and-legislation developments, some argue that Kennedy's choices for the ACIP may have been influenced by his political ideology, given that all previous members were appointed by former President Joe Biden and had political affiliations.
- House Democrats on the Oversight Committee have requested an urgent briefing with staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and have requested certain information that could shed light on the science behind the ACIP's current examination of the child immunization schedule, including communications related to the ACIP meeting and the selection process of the new members.
