In a historic shakeup at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and appointed a new slate of experts, signaling a dramatic shift toward what he calls “evidence-based, common-sense public health.”
The newly announced members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) comprise a diverse group of seasoned medical professionals and scientists recognized for their commitment to scientific rigor and medical transparency. Among the appointees are Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln, epidemiologist Martin Kulldorff, MIT professor Retsef Levi, mRNA pioneer Dr. Robert Malone, and pediatrician Dr. Cody Meissner, who previously served on the ACIP. Also joining are Dr. Michael A. Ross, Dr. James Pagano, and public health advocate Vicky Pebsworth.
“All of these individuals are committed to gold-standard science,” Kennedy said on X. “They will not rubber-stamp pharmaceutical products without unimpeachable data.”
This move comes amid long-standing concerns over conflicts of interest on vaccine advisory panels. By appointing members with no current ties to vaccine manufacturers and a history of questioning policies around mandates and mass vaccination, RFK Jr. aims to restore public trust in the CDC’s immunization guidance.
Critics in the medical establishment are already voicing alarm, accusing the new panel of harboring anti-vaccine sentiments. However, Kennedy’s team insists that the goal is not to suppress vaccines, but to scrutinize them with the same rigor applied to any other medical intervention.
Dr. Meissner, for example, has previously served on both the CDC and FDA vaccine committees and publicly questioned universal masking and COVID-19 vaccination for low-risk populations—positions now supported by newer data.
With the next ACIP meeting scheduled for June 25–27, the panel will begin its work under a spotlight. Though Kennedy has appointed only eight of the required nineteen voting members, additional HHS representatives may temporarily fill the gap to achieve a quorum. For RFK Jr., this is a bold first step in rethinking public health policy through the lens of transparency, accountability, and medical freedom.
