RFK Jr. has destroyed over a quarter of health dept's expert panels

Ars Technica
March 19, 2026
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1 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Health Secretary RFK Jr. fired all 17 CDC vaccine experts and replaced them with allies; federal judge temporarily blocked the anti-vaccine changes.

How This Affects You

Vaccine guidance changes made without scientific backing were reversed by court order, affecting recommendations Americans receive about immunizations.

AI Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, fired all 17 independent experts from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June and replaced them with allies who share his anti-vaccine views. The reconstituted panel voted to change vaccine policies without scientific backing, prompting a federal judge this week to temporarily block Kennedy's appointees and reverse the anti-vaccine changes to CDC guidance. Kennedy has also dismantled or corrupted advisory committees beyond ACIP, though the article does not specify which other panels or the scope of those actions.

What's Being Done

A federal judge temporarily blocked RFK Jr.'s appointees and reversed the anti-vaccine changes to CDC guidance.

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