Statement: Kennedy’s Removal of ACIP Members is Shocking and Unscrupulous

The following is a statement from Sue Peschin, MHS, President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research regarding the June 9, 2025 announcement by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to remove all ACIP members from their position.

The announcement by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that he removed all members of the panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccines is shocking and unscrupulous. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has served for 50 years as a public-facing, transparent committee established by Congress and convened by the CDC, that is charged with providing expert perspectives and advice on the use of vaccines in the U.S. population.

While done under the guise of restoring public trust in vaccines, Secretary Kennedy’s abrupt move to replace everyone currently serving on the CDC’s ACIP with his chosen people will further corrode the public’s trust in medical science and government. The ACIP has consistently been a trusted advisory body that closely followed administrative rules regarding conflicts of interest, rotating terms, and transparency, and we are very concerned that this move signals that impartiality may soon be replaced by a fealty to the Secretary.

According to the CDC’s criteria for participation in ACIP, voting members must be highly qualified and must also adhere to a strict conflict of interest policy that requires disclosure of any potential conflicts at the start of their term and at the beginning of each ACIP meeting. Members who have disclosed conflicts are prohibited from participating in activities and votes on that topic. Information on the individual ACIP members and conflicts is available to the public.

We fear that this new clean sweep with no overlap will likely lead to a committee that will consist entirely of members who have no previous experience with the ACIP or with geriatrics. We hope that the new committee maintains this expertise and remains nonpartisan.

ACIP recommendations of FDA-approved or authorized vaccines are fundamental to ensuring that vaccines are not only available but also covered under both public and private insurance programs.

We call on policymakers to intervene in ACIP’s disruption. Do not be fooled—Secretary Kennedy is not advancing “public trust in vaccines,” but is instead undoing 50 years of public health achievement.