America Dismisses Members of Advisory Committee on Vaccines

Update

On Monday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced that he has decided to dismiss all 17 experts who were members of a key vaccine advisory group, citing “conflicts of interest.” This move represents another blow from the Trump administration to the country’s vaccination policy.

Kennedy stated in a press release: “Today, we prioritize restoring public trust over any pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine agenda. The public must know that our health agencies’ recommendations are based on neutral science and evaluated through a transparent process free of conflicts of interest.”

In an article published by The Wall Street Journal, the skeptical minister described the committee as “filled with conflicts of interest,” alleging that its members have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies and accusing it of being “merely a room for rubber-stamping any vaccine.”

“Fueling Distrust”

Kennedy pointed out that the experts he removed will be replaced by others. Members of this committee are appointed for their acknowledged expertise and are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest beforehand.

Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and expert in virology and immunology, who served on the committee from 1998 to 2003, commented on the decision to AFP, stating: “Robert Kennedy believes that anyone who speaks positively about vaccines or recommends them is benefiting from this sector,” adding, “He is addressing a problem that does not exist.”

Offit questioned: “How can we ensure that the people Robert Kennedy Jr. wants on the vaccine advisory committee are trustworthy?”

For her part, Susan Chrietzberg, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated: “We are witnessing an escalation of government efforts to silence independent medical expertise and fuel distrust in life-saving vaccines.”

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for June 25-27 at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta.

“Unwise Move”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated in a press release that “dismissing experts who have dedicated their lives to protecting children from deadly diseases is not reform; it is an unwise, extreme action rooted in conspiracy theories, not science,” adding that “dismissing an entire committee of vaccine experts does not build trust; it destroys it.”

Leftist Senator Bernie Sanders commented: “At a time when we should be building trust in science and expanding healthcare access, this administration is doing the exact opposite. What is occurring is a continuation of Trump and Kennedy’s dangerous war on science. This cannot continue.”

Robert Kennedy Jr. has been promoting false information about vaccines for two decades, including the discredited claim that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism.

Since taking office, the U.S. Health Secretary has restricted access to COVID-19 vaccines and continued to raise doubts about the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine even as the United States faces the worst outbreak of measles in years, reporting three deaths and over 1,100 cases. Experts say this figure may be significantly lower than the actual toll.