Kennedy appoints seven new members to the CDC's US Vaccine Advisory Committee

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has selected seven new members for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This is according to an internal document obtained by Reuters.

In June, Kennedy dismissed all 17 previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with eight people of his own choosing – one of whom has since resigned. This decision sparked criticism, as Kennedy's well-known skepticism about vaccines raises doubts about the committee's independence.

The new candidates include Dr. Raymond Pollak, a retired transplant surgeon with a background in immunology. Other nominated members include emergency physician Dr. Joseph Fraiman, pediatric neurologist Dr. John Gaitanis, epidemiologist Catherine Stein, and pharmacist Hillary Blackburn.

The committee advises the CDC on vaccination recommendations, which are then usually confirmed by the CDC director. However, Director Susan Monarez was dismissed last week after she opposed changes to vaccination policy. Three senior CDC officials subsequently resigned.

The next ACIP meeting is scheduled for September 18.

(reuters, est)