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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Overhauls CDC Vaccine Advisory Board, Sparking Controversy

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the CDC's vaccine advisory board, appointing new members, including critics of vaccines, raising concerns about public trust and safety.


Overview

A summary of the key points of this story verified across multiple sources.

  • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all members of the CDC's vaccine advisory board, replacing them with new appointees, including critics of vaccines.
  • The decision faced widespread criticism from health organizations and experts, who warned it could undermine public trust in vaccines and impact vaccine access.
  • Kennedy's new appointees include individuals known for questioning vaccine safety and efficacy, raising concerns about their influence on public health policy.
  • The overhaul of the advisory board has prompted calls for a Senate investigation into the lack of transparency in the selection process of new members.
  • Experts argue that the abrupt changes to the vaccine advisory committee could lead to increased public distrust and jeopardize the safety of vaccination programs.

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Analysis

Compare how each side frames the story — including which facts they emphasize or leave out.

Emphasizes ongoing conflicts of interest allegations against the vaccine committee without providing evidence.

Kennedy claimed that the committee members had conflicts of interest without evidence, suggesting ongoing issues with conflicts of interest.

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Sen. Bill Cassidy voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, despite reservations about his views on vaccines.

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Cassidy convinced Kennedy to maintain the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes, but RFK Jr. ultimately did not keep this promise.

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The claim that the committee has conflicts of interest is simply wrong.

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30 health and medical organizations are advocating for continued access and insurance coverage for Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant individuals.

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Articles (66)

Compare how different news outlets are covering this story.

LeftCenterRight
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Scientific American
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On CDC vaccine panel, RFK Jr. makes a bad situation much worse
MSNBCMSNBC·3d·
Left
This outlet favors left-wing views.

"…Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has approached vaccine policy in a predictably dangerous way."

Opinion | Bill Cassidy should have known not to trust RFK Jr.
MSNBCMSNBC·4d·
Left
This outlet favors left-wing views.

"…Instead, he extracted a worthless promise from a man who maintained a slipperiness throughout his confirmation hearings about the extent of his anti-vaccine opposition and advocacy."

RFK Jr.‘s new attack on vaccines, briefly explained
VoxVox·4d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy has a long history as a vaccine “skeptic,” promoting unfounded theories about the supposed health risks of vaccines responsible for saving millions of lives."

How RFK, Jr.’s Dismissal of Immunization Committee Could Change Vaccine Access
Scientific AmericanScientific American·4d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The dismissal of all sitting public health experts from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices raises significant concerns about vaccine access and public health."

Can You Still Get a COVID Vaccine This Fall? Here’s What to Know
Scientific AmericanScientific American·5d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…The recent messaging and decision-making on vaccine policy for COVID and beyond have been chaotic, with various governmental groups and officials announcing different access guidelines and restrictions."

RFK Jr. names 8 vaccine panel replacements, including a critic of COVID vaccines
PBS NewsHourPBS NewsHour·3d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

Former CDC director reacts to RFK Jr.'s firing of entire vaccine advisory panel
PBS NewsHourPBS NewsHour·4d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…This decision means that potentially we will have recommendations that aren't based in fact that result in more spread of disease, and people will have to pay hundreds of dollars that today they don't have to pay a penny for."

RFK Jr. ousts entire 17-person CDC vaccine advisory committee
PBS NewsHourPBS NewsHour·5d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy’s move, coupled with declining vaccination rates across the country, will help drive an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases."

RFK Jr. Fires Every Single Member Of CDC’s Immunization Advisory Committee
TechdirtTechdirt·4d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy thinks that ACIP was working for the big pharma industry against the interests of the American people and their health, particularly when it comes to all things vaccines."

RFK Jr announces new panel of vaccine advisers after firing entire previous team
The GuardianThe Guardian·3d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has alleged that the prior panel members, many of whom were appointed by former President Joe Biden, had conflicts of interest, without providing evidence of specific members’ conflicts, and said the move was necessary “to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science”."

RFK Jr’s ‘clean sweep’ of CDC vaccine panel experts will erode public trust
The GuardianThe Guardian·5d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Robert F Kennedy’s “clean sweep” of a critical vaccine advisory panel spread shock and dismay among health experts, as many warned the health secretary’s decision would erode trust in the US vaccine approval system."

Kennedy names 8 vaccine committee replacements, including COVID shot critic
Boston GlobeBoston Globe·3d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

Kennedy names new members of CDC vaccine advisory panel days after removing previous advisers
CNNCNN·3d·
Leans Left
This outlet slightly leans left.

"…Kennedy had said Monday that the previous 17-member panel that makes recommendations on who should get vaccines and when was rife with conflicts of interest and that he would appoint new “highly credentialed” experts in time for the panel’s June 25 meeting."

RFK Jr. taps eight new members for CDC's vaccine advisory panel
NBC NewsNBC News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…The new members include well-known vaccine skeptics and others who have been critical of Covid vaccines or pandemic interventions like lockdowns."

AMA calls for Senate investigation into RFK's move to overhaul key CDC vaccine advisory committee
Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-Times·2d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…The American Medical Association is calling for an investigation into Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to upend a major vaccine advisory committee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

RFK Jr. names new slate of vaccine advisers after purging CDC panel
NPRNPR·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy's decision to replace the entire roster of the ACIP jolted the public health and medical establishment, who feared the move cleared the way for a committee that will take steps to undermine vaccine policy."

RFK Jr. announces eight new members of vaccine panel after firing all 17 members
USA TODAYUSA TODAY·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy’s list of picks includes some widely-respected experts, such as Dr. Cody Meissner, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Tufts Children’s Hospital."

RFK Jr. names 8 vaccine committee replacements, including COVID shot critic
Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

Unpacking RFK's lengthy social media post after firing vaccine committee members
USA TODAYUSA TODAY·4d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy criticized the process by which the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommends new vaccines, implying that "adequate safety trials" were not being conducted before recommending new vaccines to children, a notion that was strongly disputed by vaccine experts."

RFK Jr. fired all 17 members of key vaccine committee ACIP. What exactly does that mean?
USA TODAYUSA TODAY·4d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy's decision marks a reversal from what a key Republican senator said the Trump Cabinet member had promised during his confirmation hearings earlier this year."

Department of Health and Human Crackpots
The BulwarkThe Bulwark·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…It’s been a disheartening week for those of us who care about the American experiment in self-government."

RFK Jr. Is as Bad as We All Imagined
The BulwarkThe Bulwark·5d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…At this point, we should be alarmed but hardly surprised."

Kennedy's new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation
ABC NewsABC News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy's decision to “retire” the previous 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

RFK Jr. appoints 8 new members to CDC's vaccine advisory committee, including some critics of shots
ABC NewsABC News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…The new members appear to have strong credentials related to medicine, public health, epidemiology and statistics, but with less of an emphasis on credentials related to immunology, virology and vaccinology in comparison with previous committees."

What may be next for CDC's vaccine advisory committee after RFK Jr. removed all its members?
ABC NewsABC News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy suggested that the current list of vaccines that are recommended for children would be re-analyzed by the new ACIP members, because he doesn't trust the science that led to their initial approvals."

CDC purges career officials from oversight of vaccine committee
CBS NewsCBS News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…The move amounted to "putting RFK like-minded people and removing all potential internal CDC opposition" in the committee, calling it far from normal."

RFK Jr.’s new CDC panel dominated by skeptics of Biden-era vaccine policies
FortuneFortune·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…RFK Jr.’s new CDC panel is characterized by a significant presence of individuals who are skeptical of the Biden administration's vaccine policies."

RFK Jr. announces 8 appointees to CDC vaccine panel—they’re not good
ARS TechnicaARS Technica·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…The appointments are likely to increase concern that federal vaccine recommendations will be corrupted and lead to Americans losing access to lifesaving vaccines."

Kennedy names 8 vaccine committee replacements, including COVID shot critic
Associated PressAssociated Press·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

Hundreds of laid-off CDC employees are being reinstated
Associated PressAssociated Press·4d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Bringing a few hundred people back to work out of thousands fired is a start, but there are still countless programs at CDC that have been cut, which will lead to increased disease and death."

Takeaways from AP's report on financial interests of RFK Jr. adviser who runs wellness platform
Associated PressAssociated Press·5d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Means’ heated rhetoric against the medical mainstream often dovetails with the interests of his company Truemed, which features vendors who are prominent supporters of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement."

RFK Jr picks new US vaccine committee after sacking previous members
BBC NewsBBC News·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy said reconstituting the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip) was a "major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines.""

RFK Jr. Replaces Vaccine Advisory Panel
The DispatchThe Dispatch·3d·
Center
This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.

"…Kennedy's decision to clean house seems to bypass the thorough, nonpartisan vetting process typically used to select new members."

Kennedy guts CDC vaccine recommendation panel
World News GroupWorld News Group·5d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…The American Public Health Association on Monday condemned Kennedy’s decision, calling the changes a coup by the Trump administration."

Kennedy names 8 vaccine committee replacements, including COVID shot critic
Boston HeraldBoston Herald·3d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…Kennedy’s decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors’ groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy’s desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

Hundreds of laid-off CDC employees are being reinstated
Boston HeraldBoston Herald·4d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…The reinstatements don’t undo the damage being done by Kennedy and the Trump administration to federal public health."

RFK Jr. picks eight for vaccine panel after firing all 17 members
FOX NewsFOX News·3d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…Kennedy revealed that he "took a major step towards restoring public trust in vaccines" on Monday by reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP)."

Meet RFK Jr.’s eight new picks for vaccine advisory committee
Washington ExaminerWashington Examiner·2d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…The new Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices members have been met with criticism from experts and the media who claim they don’t have enough vaccine expertise to be on the committee."

RFK Jr. appoints eight new members of CDC vaccine panel after cleanout
Washington ExaminerWashington Examiner·3d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…Kennedy announced that Drs. Martin Kulldorff, Robert Malone, Cody Meissner, Retsef Levi, James Pagano, Joseph Hibbeln, Vicky Pebsworth, and Michael Ross will now make up the ACIP, which will hold its next meeting on June 25."

Fired vaccine panel experts received thousands from Big Pharma
Washington ExaminerWashington Examiner·4d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…Kennedy justified his decision to fire all 17 ACIP members and hire new ones by writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that the board “has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.”"

Doctors ask Senate to investigate RFK Jr. over vaccine panel firings
Washington ExaminerWashington Examiner·4d·
Leans Right
This outlet slightly leans right.

"…Members of the medical community have sounded the alarm that Kennedy, who has long been skeptical of vaccines, will replace members of the committee with professionals who oppose vaccines."

RFK Jr. Announces Eight New Vax Panel Members Days After Stunning, Wholesale Firing of ‘Malevolent’ Board
New York SunNew York Sun·3d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Mr. Kennedy’s removal of all 17 board members marked a reversal from his promise to Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican from Louisiana, to maintain ACIP “without changes” during his Senate confirmation hearing in January."

RFK Jr. Catches Senators Off-Guard With Mass Firing at CDC’s Vaccine Advisory Board
New York SunNew York Sun·5d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Mr. Kennedy claimed in his opinion piece that the advisory committee has been nothing more than a “rubber-stamp” for all vaccines regardless of their efficacy or safety."

RFK Jr.'s revenge: CDC vaccine board FIRED after years of COVID lies
The BlazeThe Blaze·2d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just pulled one of his boldest moves yet under the Trump administration and fired the CDC’s vaccine advisory board after removing COVID shots from children's and pregnant women’s vaccine schedules."

RFK Jr. Names 8 Vaccine Panel Replacements, Including COVID Shot Critic
NewsmaxNewsmax·4d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Kennedy's decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

RFK Jr. Names 8 Vaccine Panel Replacements, Including COVID Shot Critic
NewsmaxNewsmax·4d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Kennedy's decision to “retire” the previous 17-member panel was decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations."

CDC Reinstating Hundreds of Laid-Off Employees
NewsmaxNewsmax·4d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…The reinstatements don't undo the damage being done by Kennedy and the Trump administration to federal public health."

CDC Reinstating Hundreds of Laid-Off Employees
NewsmaxNewsmax·4d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…The reinstatements don't undo the damage being done by Kennedy and the Trump administration to federal public health."

Experts Claim Firing of CDC Advisers Undermines Vaccine Confidence
NewsmaxNewsmax·5d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Wiping out an entire panel of vaccine experts doesn't build trust — it shatters it, and worse, it sends a chilling message: that ideology matters more than evidence, and politics more than public health."

Experts Claim Firing of CDC Advisers Undermines Vaccine Confidence
NewsmaxNewsmax·5d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Wiping out an entire panel of vaccine experts doesn't build trust — it shatters it, and worse, it sends a chilling message: that ideology matters more than evidence, and politics more than public health."

RFK Jr. Hires All New Panel of Experts to Advise on Vaccines—Here’s Who They Are
Epoch TimesEpoch Times·2d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…The new members of the committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include an inventor, a Catholic nurse, and a former committee member."

RFK Jr. Removes All 17 Members of Vaccine Advisory Committee
Daily SignalDaily Signal·5d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Kennedy wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Monday saying he was “taking a bold step in restoring public trust by totally reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices.”"

Senate Report Confirms the Wisdom of Secretary Kennedy’s Revised COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule
Daily SignalDaily Signal·5d·
Right
This outlet favors right-wing views.

"…Kennedy’s revision of the COVID-19 vaccine schedule comports with the fact that the risks of COVID-19 and the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines are highly dependent on age and medical condition."

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