The federal government has once again resumed its full operational duties, marking a return to normal administrative function. Yet, this resumption also signifies the re-emergence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s influence over the nation’s public health direction—an influence that, according to many experts, has increasingly undermined decades of scientific progress. In the early weeks of next month, the advisory panel that Kennedy reconstituted will convene once more, and there is growing apprehension that its actions could severely weaken or altogether dismantle critical vaccine programs that have long protected the American public.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the preliminary agenda for the upcoming meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which is scheduled for December 4 and 5. The topics slated for discussion include the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule—a cornerstone of preventive medicine—and possible so-called ‘contaminants’ in vaccines, a term that hints at conspiracy-driven rhetoric rather than objective science. While the exact nature of the votes planned for this meeting remains uncertain, there is considerable speculation that certain members of the committee will seek to overturn the longstanding recommendation that newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth. This proposal has generated bipartisan alarm, with even Republican legislators such as Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana speaking out to defend the policy. As Cassidy succinctly stated in a recent interview with CBS News’ *Face the Nation*, maintaining health across the population does not begin by abandoning practices that have demonstrably made Americans healthier and safer.
The story of how ACIP reached this point is as troubling as the consequences of its potential decisions. Earlier this year, Kennedy took unilateral action by dismissing all seventeen members of the ACIP—a group traditionally composed of independent experts in immunology, epidemiology, and pediatrics—and then swiftly appointing new advisors of his choosing. Many of these appointees share Kennedy’s long history of promoting unsubstantiated claims about vaccines. The reconstituted committee, far from being a neutral scientific body, now reflects an agenda aligned with anti-vaccination activism rather than one based on empirical evidence.
In only two meetings since this reorganization, the revamped ACIP has issued several pronouncements that have been warmly received within anti-vaccine circles. Among them was a decision to formally prohibit the use of the few remaining vaccines that still contain thimerosal, a preservative that conspiracy theorists have repeatedly and falsely accused of causing autism. Despite extensive research over two decades conclusively disproving any causal link between thimerosal and autism—studies that show autism rates continued to rise even after the compound’s removal—the new ACIP’s stance reflected ideology rather than science. The panel also voted to discourage the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children under the age of four, reversing the previous CDC policy that allowed parents to make an informed choice about it.
These decisions, emblematic of a broader retreat from evidence-based reasoning, have contributed to what many describe as an internal deterioration within the CDC itself. The situation worsened in late August when Kennedy abruptly dismissed Dr. Susan Monarez, the newly appointed CDC director, barely a month into her tenure. Reports indicate that Monarez’s refusal to endorse ACIP’s recommendations without conducting appropriate scientific review prompted her firing. In the weeks that followed, several senior CDC officials resigned in protest, leaving a visible leadership void at a time when scientific integrity is most needed.
So far, the tangible outcomes of ACIP’s controversial decisions have remained somewhat limited in scope. Because only a handful of vaccines still utilized thimerosal, and few families were opting for the MMRV combination for infants, the immediate damage has been constrained. However, the current threat—the possible abandonment of universal hepatitis B immunization for newborns—poses a far greater and more systemic danger to public health.
Hepatitis B is transmitted primarily through contact with infected bodily fluids—most often via sexual activity, needle-sharing, or from an infected mother to her child during birth. While antiviral medications can manage chronic infections, no curative therapy exists. For children who contract hepatitis B perinatally, the condition frequently becomes lifelong, with approximately one in four eventually developing serious complications such as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cancer.
Recognizing these risks, the CDC and ACIP introduced universal hepatitis B vaccination approximately three decades ago. Initial efforts that targeted only high-risk populations failed to achieve meaningful reductions in infection rates, prompting the adoption of a universal at-birth vaccination policy. Since then, hepatitis B cases—particularly among children—have dropped dramatically across the United States. The vaccine’s safety record is extensively documented, and its most severe adverse events, such as severe allergic reactions, remain exceedingly rare and readily treatable in medical settings.
At its previous meeting in September, ACIP heard detailed presentations from CDC scientists who strongly advocated retaining the at-birth immunization policy, warning that abandoning it would almost certainly lead to a resurgence of hepatitis B in infants. Despite lengthy deliberations, confusion persisted over precisely what was being voted upon, and the committee ultimately postponed its decision at the last minute. Yet, the inclusion of hepatitis B on the forthcoming December agenda suggests that the momentary delay was merely temporary and that the issue will soon return to the forefront, possibly with lasting repercussions.
Another alarming topic on the upcoming agenda is the broader review of the entire childhood immunization schedule. Over recent years, anti-vaccination advocates have made no effort to hide their desire to dismantle the existing schedule, which represents decades of careful planning and scientific consensus. Earlier this month, the Children’s Health Defense—a prominent organization founded by RFK Jr. and dedicated to spreading doubts about vaccines—hosted an event titled the “Moment of Truth” conference. During that gathering, Mark Gorton, president of the MAHA Institute, a group created to support Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy” movement, explicitly called for the complete elimination of the established childhood vaccination schedule.
As with previous meetings, ACIP has not disclosed precisely what measures will be voted on at the upcoming session, leaving the extent of possible policy reversals unclear. Nevertheless, based on its recent history and composition, few observers feel optimistic about the direction of U.S. vaccine policy under Kennedy’s leadership. The stakes extend far beyond administrative debates—decisions made in these sessions could determine whether the United States continues to protect its population through evidence-based vaccination or regresses into an era defined by misinformation, preventable disease, and diminished public trust in science.
Sourse: https://gizmodo.com/rfk-jr-s-buddies-are-back-to-undermine-vaccines-2000687069
