Latest news with #AdvisoryCommitteeonImmunisationPractices
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Misinformation, guitar ballads and herbal remedies: A who's who of RFK Jr's vaccine committee
Robert F. Kennedy Jr has unveiled his choices for a critical committee whose job it will be to advise the US government on vaccine use. All 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were abruptly sacked earlier this week in the health secretary's latest assault on US vaccine policy. Mr Kennedy, a prominent vaccine sceptic, has now named the eight officials who will take over the job of developing recommendations on how to use vaccines to control diseases in the US. Among them are high-profile critics of the jabs developed to fight Covid-19, an accident and emergency doctor with little or no vaccine expertise, and a former gynaecology professor who advised a supplement company selling healing herbs. Out of the eight – the minimum number of people required to sit on the committee – at least four have actively spoken out against vaccines in the past in some form. The sudden dismissal of the original advisors, along with the swift announcement of their replacements, has sparked concern in the public health community that the usually strict vetting procedures have not been followed. Typically, the ACIP vetting process takes a year and a half. It is not clear how long the new members were vetted for – although Donald Trump took office just five months ago and RFK Jr was only confirmed as health secretary in February. The ACIP was once considered the 'gold standard for vaccine decision making,' said Helen Chu, one of the fired panel members, but now many in the field are concerned that the panel will advance an anti-vaccine agenda. Arguably the most controversial pick is Dr Robert Malone, a medical doctor and biochemist by background who became one of the most vocal critics of mRNA vaccines during the pandemic. Dr Malone actually claims to have invented mRNA technology – the technology first used during the pandemic to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines, which have been credited with saving millions of lives. Though he was involved in some early mRNA research in the late 1980s, his role has been described as minimal at best. But during the pandemic, Dr Malone made several appearances on right-wing media channels to share his views on the jabs and was temporarily banned from using X (formerly Twitter) for spreading misinformation. Dr Malone appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast in 2023 which ignited uproar in the medical community. In a three hour episode, Dr Malone and Mr Rogan discussed theories and claims about the pandemic and vaccines. The conversation included a false equivalence between the vaccine and Nazi medical experiments, that the public had been 'hypnotised' into following government Covid guidelines, and that those who are vaccinated after having Covid-19 are at greater risk of harmful side effects. After the episode aired, a group of 270 doctors, scientists, and academics wrote to Spotify, saying that 'Dr Malone used the JRE platform to promote numerous baseless claims, including several falsehoods about Covid-19 vaccines and an unfounded theory that societal leaders have 'hypnotised' the public. Many of these statements have already been discredited'. Dr Malone is closely aligned with Mr Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again movement, and joined both the health secretary and President Trump to celebrate on election night. Dr Kulldorff is a Swedish biostatistician and former professor of medicine at Harvard university. While he has been historically supportive of vaccines – and previously advised the CDC on vaccine safety – he is critical of vaccine mandates. He has argued that those who have been previously infected with Covid-19 – and children – do not need to be vaccinated. 'Study after study have shown that natural immunity after Covid infection is superior to vaccine immunity,' he wrote on X. 'Forcing the vaccine on everyone is a stain on hospitals, universities and public health officials. How can we trust them on other matters?' In October 2020, Kulldorff, along with now US National Institute of Health director Jayanta Bhattacharya, co-authored the highly controversial Great Barrington Declaration. The open letter opposed lockdowns and called for the promotion of herd immunity through infection by lifting all restrictions on lower-risk groups and shielding older people from the virus. Dr Levi is a professor of operations management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has published multiple research papers on Covid-19, including one that raises concerns about the relationship between vaccines and cardiac arrest in young people. Pinned to the top of Dr Levi's X profile is a post from 2023, in which he said: 'The evidence is mounting and indisputable that MRNA vaccines cause serious harm including death, especially among young people. We have to stop giving them immediately!' Infectious disease experts and scientists say that mRNA vaccines are safe and effective, and saved millions of lives during the pandemic. The technology is particularly useful in outbreaks of novel viruses, because the vaccines can be manufactured quickly and to scale. Dr Hibbeln is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist. He has previously worked at the US National Institutes of Health, where he focused chiefly on the link between nutrition and mental health disorders. His work has also influenced US public health guidelines on fish consumption during pregnancy. Echoing the rhetoric of RFK Jr's 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, a post on Mr Hibbeln's Linkedin says 21st century diets provide 'inadequate brain nutrients that are likely contributing to the high burden of mental illnesses worldwide.' It is not clear what Dr Hibbeln's views on vaccination are. Dr Ross is a former professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Virginia Commonwealth university. He has held board, advisory and executive positions at a wide range of private healthcare and life-science firms. He once worked as an advisor to LarreaRX, a supplement manufacturer which produces capsules made from Larrea Tridenta, a desert herb that the company claims 'can be used for immune support.' The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings about the herb, saying it can be hazardous to health. The agency says it has received multiple reports of hepatitis associated with consumption of the herb, including at least two cases in which consumers had to undergo liver transplants. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Ross signed an open letter criticising a study which found ivermectin was ineffective for treating the disease. Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic used in both humans and livestock, was touted as a 'miracle drug' by vaccine sceptics, despite it being proven to have no effect on Covid-19 infection. 'We oppose this fixation on randomised controlled trials at the expense of other clinical and scientific evidence and urge medical policymakers to restore balance to the practice of medicine,' the letter read. Dr Pebsworth is an ICU nurse by background, and has previously served on the FDA's Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. She is a board member of the National Vaccine Information Center, formerly called 'Dissatisfied Parents Together', a Virginia-based organisation which has been widely criticised as a leading source of misinformation about vaccines. An online biography of Ms Pebsworth says her interest in vaccine safety was peaked when her son 'experienced serious, long-term health problems following receipt of seven live viruses and killed bacterial vaccines' during a health visit as an infant. Dr Meissner is a professor of paediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and previously worked as the Chief of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Tufts Children's Hospital. He has sat on multiple federal boards, including the ACIP between 2008-2012 and an advisory panel to the US Food and Drug Administration on vaccine safety. In 2021, he was a part of the FDA panel that rejected Joe Biden's plan to offer Pfizer booster jabs to Americans of all age groups, approving only their use in over 65s and those at risk of significant illness. 'I don't think a booster dose is going to significantly contribute to controlling the pandemic and I think it's important that the main message we transmit is that we've got to get everyone two doses,' he said at the time. He has also expressed doubt over whether children should be vaccinated against Covid-19. Dr Pagano is a retired emergency medicine doctor from Los Angeles 'with over 40 years of clinical experience', and is a 'strong advocate for evidence-based medicine,' according to Mr Kennedy. He has published two medical fiction books entitled The Bleed and The Drain. The latter is about 'money, medicine, miracles, and a doctor's pursuit of happiness in spite of all that,' according to a description on Amazon. According to his author's biography, Dr Pagano is also an accomplished guitarist who has composed and recorded music for motion pictures. The cover of his album 'Hopeless Romantic' depicts the doctor with a martini in one hand, with his arm around a guitar. What does it mean for vaccination in the US? Since 1964, the ACIP has deliberated on the use of new and existing vaccines and delivered their findings to the CDC, who subsequently implements their recommendations – although has the power to overrule them. The group votes on key questions about jabs, for example who should receive Covid boosters or at what ages children should receive certain vaccinations. All of the vaccines that are discussed already have to be approved by the FDA, although many health insurance companies – including Medicare, the federal insurance program for people aged 65 or older and younger people with disabilities – are required to pay for vaccinations in full if the ACIP recommends them. The Vaccines for Children Program, another federal program which provides free vaccinations for kids whose parents cannot afford them, also covers the cost of immunisations recommended by the ACIP. If the new board decides to stop recommending certain vaccinations, it is possible that insurance companies could stop funding them – meaning individuals would have to pay for the shots themselves. The ACIP's next meeting is set for later this month. A previously released agenda said the committee would discuss vaccination against Covid, HPV, and lyme disease. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vaccine sceptic RFK Jr disbands government advisory committee on immunisations
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US Health Secretary and a prominent vaccine sceptic, has dismissed all 17 members of a committee that issues official government recommendations on immunisations. In an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Mr Kennedy claimed that 'retiring' the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) was necessary to help rebuild trust in vaccines and ensure 'unbiased' health recommendations. 'The committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine,' he said, adding that he wanted to 'ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible'. The move – which some committee members found out about via the media – has been widely criticised by public health experts and scientists, who point to Mr Kennedy's long track record questioning the efficacy and safety of vaccines, sometimes based on dubious science. 'We have just watched politics bury science,' said Dr Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota. 'If you look at [Kennedy's] accusation that he's doing this because of growing problems with vaccine trust – well, that's kind of like an arsonist complaining that so many houses are on fire,' Dr Osterholm said. 'He's the one that's been seeding these doubts for the last decade.' Since he became the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Mr Kennedy has taken a number of controversial decisions related to vaccines – including from bypassing ACIP to issue new Covid vaccine guidance, to stopping adverts for seasonal influenza shots and cancelling a $766 million contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu jab for humans. Now, Mr Kennedy has claimed the ACIP needs a complete overhaul because members have too many conflicts of interest, and are immersed 'in a system of industry-aligned incentives and paradigms that enforce a narrow pro-industry orthodoxy'. But his move appears to directly contradict promises given during his confirmation hearings. Bill Cassidy, a Republican Senator from Louisiana who is also a doctor, said he only voted for the appointment after Mr Kennedy committed to maintain ACIP 'without changes'. 'Of course, now the fear is that the Acip will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,' Mr Cassidy wrote on X on Monday. 'I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.' In a statement, Dr Bruce A Scott, executive director of the American Public Health Association, added that Mr Kennedy's move would help drive an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases, at a time when vaccine coverage is declining across America. 'Today's action to remove the 17 sitting members of ACIP undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives,' Dr Scott said. The committee is attached to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and included 17 experts – including epidemiologists, infectious disease doctors, vaccine experts and paediatricians – who typically serve overlapping four-year terms. Eight of the members were appointed in January 2025. But it has been in flux since Mr Kennedy assumed office, with its first meeting delayed by the department, before the Health Secretary announced new Covid-19 recommendations in a video posted on social media – unilaterally changing the guidance without an ACIP consultation. Still, retiring all panellists – and deleting a webpage listing the members – has come as a shock to some. Dr Noel Brewer, a professor in public health at the University of North Carolina who was a member of the ACIP, told the Telegraph his removal was 'very unexpected,' given he was meant to serve for three more years. He added that he heard about it only when 'received a copy of the Wall Street Journal article from a journalist', and later received an email confirming it at 5:48pm. 'The most immediate impact of this action is to destroy trust among healthcare providers in ACIP,' said Dr Brewer, a behavioural scientist who specialises in research about why people do or don't get vaccinated. 'The top priority right now is to restore trust in ACIP recommendations. If that is not possible, then it is time for medical organisations to create an alternative vaccine advisory committee for the nation.' On this, there has already been some progress. Earlier this year, CIDRAP launched the Vaccine Integrity Project, which aims to facilitate conversations and offer advice about US vaccine policy – almost like a version of ACIP that's not aligned to the government. 'When I started the vaccine integrity project, there were a lot of doubters that anything of major consequence would happen… [especially after] Kennedy promised in his Senate hearings that he would not take vaccines away from anyone,' said Dr Osterholm. 'Well, look at all this change. 'We are watching the very rapid destruction of critically important vaccine evaluation oversight efforts of the US government, both at the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] and the CDC. These are committees that have performed marvellously well.' He added: 'It's terribly significant. The real victims are the public, specifically young children, who are going to face a very different world of vaccine preventable diseases than even a decade ago… I don't know what happens next, but it doesn't bode well.' Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
eNCA
10-06-2025
- Health
- eNCA
RFK Jr ousts entire US vaccine panel over alleged conflicts
USA - US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced he was dismissing all current members of a key federal vaccine advisory panel, accusing them of conflicts of interest - his latest salvo against the nation's immunisation policies. The removal of all 17 experts of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) was revealed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed and an official press release. Kennedy, who has spent two decades promoting vaccine misinformation, cast the move as essential to restoring public trust, claiming the committee had been compromised by financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. "Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda," he said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. "The public must know that unbiased science - evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest - guides the recommendations of our health agencies." In his op-ed, Kennedy claimed the panel was "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest" and had become "little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine." He added that new members were being considered to replace those ousted - all of whom were appointed under former president Joe Biden. ACIP members are chosen for their recognised expertise and are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest. "RFK Jr. and the Trump administration are taking a wrecking ball to the programs that keep Americans safe and healthy," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in response. "Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion," Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a medical doctor who expressed concern about Kennedy's track record during his Senate nomination but ultimately voted in his favor, wrote on X. "I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case." - 'Silencing expertise' - The decision drew sharp criticism from Paul Offit, a pediatrician and leading expert on virology and immunology who served on the panel from 1998 to 2003. "He believes that anybody who speaks well of vaccines, or recommends vaccines, must be deeply in the pocket of industry," Offit told AFP. "He's fixing a problem that doesn't exist." "We are witnessing an escalating effort by the Administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines," added Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement. Once a celebrated environmental lawyer, Kennedy pivoted from the mid-2000s to public health -- chairing a nonprofit that discouraged routine childhood immunisations and amplified false claims, including the long-debunked theory that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Since taking office, he has curtailed access to Covid-19 shots and continued to raise fears around the MMR vaccine - even as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in years, with three reported deaths and more than 1,100 confirmed cases. Experts warn the true case count is likely far higher. "How can this country have confidence that the people RFK Jr. wants on the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices are people we can trust?" Offit asked. He recalled that during US President Donald Trump's first term, several states formed independent vaccine advisory panels after the administration pressured federal health agencies to prematurely approve Covid-19 vaccines ahead of the 2020 election. That kind of fragmentation, Offit warned, could happen again. ACIP is scheduled to hold its next meeting at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta from June 25 to June 27. Vaccines for anthrax, Covid-19, human papillomavirus, influenza, Lyme disease, respiratory syncytial virus, and more are on the agenda.
NDTV
10-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
US Health Secretary RFK Jr Fires Entire Vaccine Advisory Panel
Washington: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced he was dismissing all current members of a key federal vaccine advisory panel, accusing them of conflicts of interest -- his latest salvo against the nation's immunisation policies. The removal of all 17 experts of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) was revealed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed and an official press release. Kennedy, who has spent two decades promoting vaccine misinformation, cast the move as essential to restoring public trust, claiming the committee had been compromised by financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. "Today we are prioritising the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda," he said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. "The public must know that unbiased science -- evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest-- guides the recommendations of our health agencies." In his op-ed, Kennedy claimed the panel was "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest" and had become "little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine." He added that new members were being considered to replace those ousted -- all of whom were appointed under former president Joe Biden. ACIP members are chosen for their recognised expertise and are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest. "RFK Jr. and the Trump administration are taking a wrecking ball to the programs that keep Americans safe and healthy," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in response. "Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion," Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a medical doctor who expressed concern about Kennedy's track record during his Senate nomination but ultimately voted in his favour, wrote on X. "I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case." 'Silencing Expertise' The decision drew sharp criticism from Paul Offit, a paediatrician and leading expert on virology and immunology who served on the panel from 1998 to 2003. "He believes that anybody who speaks well of vaccines, or recommends vaccines, must be deeply in the pocket of industry," Offit told AFP. "He's fixing a problem that doesn't exist." "We are witnessing an escalating effort by the Administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines," added Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Paediatrics, in a statement. Once a celebrated environmental lawyer, Kennedy pivoted from the mid-2000s to public health -- chairing a nonprofit that discouraged routine childhood immunisations and amplified false claims, including the long-debunked theory that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Since taking office, he has curtailed access to COVID-19 shots and continued to raise fears around the MMR vaccine -- even as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in years, with three reported deaths and more than 1,100 confirmed cases. Experts warn the true case count is likely far higher. "How can this country have confidence that the people RFK Jr. wants on the Advisory Committee for Immunisation Practices are people we can trust?" Offit asked. He recalled that during US President Donald Trump's first term, several states formed independent vaccine advisory panels after the administration pressured federal health agencies to prematurely approve COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the 2020 election. That kind of fragmentation, Offit warned, could happen again. ACIP is scheduled to hold its next meeting at the headquarters of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta from June 25 to June 27. Vaccines for anthrax, COVID-19, human papillomavirus, influenza, Lyme disease, respiratory syncytial virus, and more are on the agenda.
New Straits Times
10-06-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
RFK Jr. removes entire vaccine panel, blasts 'Big Pharma ties' in Trump-style shake-up
WASHINGTON: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced he was dismissing all current members of a key federal vaccine advisory panel, accusing them of conflicts of interest – his latest salvo against the nation's immunisation policies. The removal of all 17 experts of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) was revealed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed and an official press release. Kennedy, who has spent two decades promoting vaccine misinformation, cast the move as essential to restoring public trust, claiming the committee had been compromised by financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. "Today we are prioritising the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda," he said in a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. "The public must know that unbiased science – evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest - guides the recommendations of our health agencies." In his op-ed, Kennedy claimed the panel was "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest" and had become "little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine." He added that new members were being considered to replace those ousted – all of whom were appointed under former president Joe Biden. ACIP members are chosen for their recognised expertise and are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest. "RFK Jr. and the Trump administration are taking a wrecking ball to the programs that keep Americans safe and healthy," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in response. "Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion," Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a medical doctor who expressed concern about Kennedy's track record during his Senate nomination but ultimately voted in his favor, wrote on X. "I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case." The decision drew sharp criticism from Paul Offit, a pediatrician and leading expert on virology and immunology who served on the panel from 1998 to 2003. "He believes that anybody who speaks well of vaccines, or recommends vaccines, must be deeply in the pocket of industry," Offit told AFP. "He's fixing a problem that doesn't exist." "We are witnessing an escalating effort by the Administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines," added Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement. Once a celebrated environmental lawyer, Kennedy pivoted from the mid-2000s to public health – chairing a nonprofit that discouraged routine childhood immunisations and amplified false claims, including the long-debunked theory that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Since taking office, he has curtailed access to Covid-19 shots and continued to raise fears around the MMR vaccine – even as the United States faces its worst measles outbreak in years, with three reported deaths and more than 1,100 confirmed cases. Experts warn the true case count is likely far higher. "How can this country have confidence that the people RFK Jr. wants on the Advisory Committee for Immunisation Practices are people we can trust?" Offit asked. He recalled that during US President Donald Trump's first term, several states formed independent vaccine advisory panels after the administration pressured federal health agencies to prematurely approve Covid-19 vaccines ahead of the 2020 election. That kind of fragmentation, Offit warned, could happen again. ACIP is scheduled to hold its next meeting at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta from June 25 to June 27.
