Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of an influential committee, including the appointment of new members, has created concern about vaccine access.
The U.S. health secretary’s dismissal of an influential vaccine advisory committee this week sowed uncertainty about the future of vaccine recommendations nationwide.
On Wednesday, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced eight new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which makes recommendations that are adopted by doctors, pharmacists, insurers and patients. His nominations included a physician who previously served on the committee, a scientist who has spread unfounded claims about Covid-19 vaccines and an epidemiologist who denounced Covid lockdowns.
Mr. Kennedy’s decision to overhaul the committee raised concerns among some medical experts, given his history of vaccine skepticism.
For decades, ACIP has been a “very important system to ensuring the health and safety of the country,” said Dr. Nancy Bennett, an emeritus professor of medicine and public health sciences at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and a former chair of the committee. “It’s hard to know what this huge disruption in the system will cause in the future,” Dr. Bennett said.
How does the committee shape vaccine policy?
Since 1964, ACIP has issued recommendations on the use of new and existing vaccines. ACIP usually meets three times a year, in discussions that are open to the public.
The committee’s voting members, who are medical experts with significant expertise in vaccines, virology and public health, are typically appointed by the health secretary for four-year terms. (The committee also has one consumer representative with an understanding of the social and community aspects of vaccination programs.) The group discusses and votes on key questions about vaccines, such as who should receive Covid boosters or at what ages children should receive certain shots.