Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may replace the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the CDC, according to a leaked statement from ally Robert Malone. Malone initially claimed the committee was disbanded but later retracted the assertion, calling it a miscommunication. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed no official decision has been made. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon emphasized that any claims about upcoming changes are baseless speculation unless officially announced. The advocacy group Defend Public Health urged adherence to federal law, stating that if ACIP is dissolved, it must be reconstituted properly or a new panel formed through legal channels. The move raises questions about science-based policymaking.
Kennedy’s shift follows growing scrutiny of his past anti-vaccine rhetoric and controversial appointments.