RFK Jr. rewrites CDC panel's charter, opening door to anti-vaccine quacks
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The Bottom Line
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revised the CDC's vaccine advisory panel charter, allowing more anti-vaccine influence.
How This Affects You
This change could alter federal vaccine policy and state requirements, potentially affecting public health guidance on immunizations.
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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has significantly rewritten the charter for the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The notice in the Federal Register on Monday indicated the biennial renewal of ACIP's charter, which last ended April 1, would include major changes. The new charter grants Kennedy more power to appoint allies, shifts the panel's focus to alleged vaccine injuries, and welcomes fringe groups to the CDC. ACIP members will now be responsible for "considering analysis of cumulative effects of vaccines and their constituent components." This change redirects advisors toward topics and terms favored by anti-vaccine activists, influencing federal vaccine policy and state requirements.
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The charter, published on Thursday, alters the makeup and purpose of the panel, opening the door for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reclaim his revision of national vaccine policy.
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