ACIP Members Criticize RFK Jr.’s Decisions
Summary of Recent Developments
On June 9, 2025, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly dissolved the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the federal body that for over six decades has steered national vaccine policy. Two days later, he announced eight new appointees—several known for anti-vaccine views and undisclosed conflicts of interest—bypassing the previous two-year vetting process. In an editorial published in JAMA, all 17 former ACIP members united to denounce these “destabilizing decisions,” warning of potential setbacks in US immunization achievements.
Background on ACIP and Federal Vaccine Policy
Established in 1964 under the Public Health Service Act, ACIP provides recommendations on vaccine schedules, dosing, and target populations. Its process relies on the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) framework, which evaluates evidence quality (randomized controlled trials, real‐world effectiveness studies) and balances benefits versus risks.
- Transparent conflict‐of‐interest disclosure: All members must file annual financial disclosures, open to public review.
- Data sources: CDC’s National Immunization Survey (NIS), Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), and the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD).
- Review intervals: Updates to schedules occur every 6–12 months, allowing rapid response to emerging pathogens.
Technical Analysis of Vaccine Policy Shifts
Kennedy’s dismissal of ACIP sidesteps the GRADE methodology and CDC’s multistage data analysis pipeline—comprising signal detection algorithms in VAERS and near–real-time cohort analyses in VSD. By announcing policy changes on social media rather than through the CDC’s formal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), he undermines peer‐reviewed dissemination and eliminates the public comment period.
“Such unilateral actions reflect a troubling disregard for the scientific integrity that has historically guided US immunization strategy,” the former advisors write.
Impact Assessment: Epidemiological and Economic Modelling
Between 1994 and 2023, routine childhood vaccinations—administered per ACIP guidelines—are estimated to have averted:
- 508 million lifetime cases of vaccine‐preventable illnesses.
- 32 million hospitalizations.
- 1.13 million deaths.
Using cost‐effectiveness analyses based on Quality‐Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and direct cost savings from reduced hospitalization, the CDC projects net savings of $540 billion in medical expenses and $2.7 trillion in societal costs. Disruption of these programs risks reversing these gains.
Legal and Regulatory Implications
By dissolving ACIP without public notice, the Secretary may have violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which mandates open meetings, charter renewals, and transparent member selection. On August 5, 2025, the House Energy & Commerce Committee is scheduled to hold oversight hearings questioning the legality of this purge. Legal experts warn potential injunctions or court orders could restore ACIP pending litigation.
Global Context: WHO Recommendations and International Comparisons
The World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization maintains a similar evidence‐based review process, with additional modeling on herd immunity thresholds. Countries such as Germany and Japan publicly publish all vaccine trial data and advisory meeting minutes—practices at risk of erosion in the US. At the recent GAVI summit (June 2025, Geneva), several nations voiced concerns over US policy instability affecting global supply chains and joint pandemic response initiatives.
Expert Opinions and Future Outlook
Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, COVID‐19 technical lead at WHO, commented: “Fragmenting established advisory mechanisms jeopardizes both domestic and international trust in vaccines during critical outbreaks.” Meanwhile, Peter Marks—former FDA vaccine chief—resigned under pressure, stating that “truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary.”
With additional departures at CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) and proposed budget cuts of 12% for fiscal 2026, US vaccine infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. The coming months will reveal whether Congress or the courts can reinstate rigorous, science‐driven policy making.