A vaccine panel appointed by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will revisit long-settled science and spotlight rare risks linked to childhood immunizations in a meeting beginning Wednesday, raising fears that fringe theories could seep into national policy.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent body that reviews scientific evidence to recommend which groups should receive vaccines and when, rarely makes headlines.
But these are no ordinary times. Kennedy, who spent two decades spreading vaccine misinformation before becoming President Donald Trump's top health official, has brought that skepticism into the federal government.
Earlier this month he abruptly dismissed all 17 ACIP members before their terms had expired, accusing them of financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry -- despite a vetting process meant to minimize conflicts of interest.
He then appointed eight new members, including scientist Robert Malone, widely known for spreading false claims during the Covid-19 pandemic and promoting the deworming drug ivermectin.
The posted agenda includes standard topics like influenza and Covid-19 vaccines -- but the addition, on the second day of discussions, of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccines for young children, along with thimerosal-containing flu shots, has alarmed experts.
Ahead of the meeting, US senator and physician Bill Cassidy -- a Republican whose reluctant support was key to Kennedy's...
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent body that reviews scientific evidence to recommend which groups should receive vaccines and when, rarely makes headlines. Bu...