In a major shift under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has notified physician groups, infectious disease experts, and public health professionals that they will no longer participate in private working groups that shape national vaccine policy.
According to an internal CDC email reviewed by Bloomberg, outside medical experts will be excluded from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) working groups — the key subcommittees responsible for analyzing vaccine data and crafting policy recommendations. While these experts may still attend public meetings, their role in behind-the-scenes discussions has been eliminated.
The move is part of Kennedy’s broader effort to tighten control over the vaccine advisory process. In June, he dismissed all ACIP members and appointed replacements, including several individuals who have publicly criticized COVID-19 vaccine safety.
The panel’s recommendations directly influence which vaccines are offered to Americans at no cost, as insurers rely on ACIP guidance to determine coverage.
“It is important that ACIP workgroup activities remain free of influence from any special interest groups,” the CDC email stated, adding that some of the excluded organizations were considered biased due to the populations they represent.
The CDC declined to comment and referred inquiries to the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS has not yet issued a public response.
Critics of the move say it undermines the integrity of vaccine policymaking. Noel Brewer, a University of North Carolina public health professor and former ACIP member removed by Kennedy, warned: “This is a huge loss that will be very damaging to medical care.”
Organizations now barred from internal discussions — including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America — have already filed a lawsuit against Kennedy over his unilateral changes to federal COVID-19 vaccine guidance for children and pregnant women.
The advisory panel’s reshaping has drawn heightened attention as Kennedy’s approach to vaccine policy continues to generate controversy. During his Senate confirmation, Kennedy reportedly told lawmakers — including Republican Senator Bill Cassidy — that he would preserve the CDC’s advisory structure “without changes.”
That promise now appears in doubt.
