Five new members added to CDC vaccine advisory panel

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have added five new members to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) ahead of a key meeting this week.

The appointment expands the ACIP panel, which makes non-binding recommendations to the CDC regarding U.S. immunization policy, to 12 after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 committee members in June, citing conflicts of interest and other concerns.

Kennedy later appointed eight new ACIP members, many of whom have shown at least some level of vaccine skepticism. Subsequently, one member withdrew from the committee just ahead of the panel’s June 25–26 meeting.

HHS named the latest ACIP members on Monday, as the committee is scheduled to meet Sept. 18 - 19 to discuss critical policy decisions including the eligibility requirement for the fall COVID-19 booster shots and Hep B vaccines at birth.

“ACIP safeguards the health of Americans by issuing objective, evidence-based vaccine recommendations,” RFK Jr. said, adding, “Its new members bring diverse expertise that strengthens the committee and ensures it fulfills its mission with transparency, independence, and gold-standard science.”