RFK Jr. Overhauls CDC Vaccine Panel and Childhood Shot Guidance
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged sweeping changes — including an overhaul of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and new guidance on childhood shots — but NPR reports he has broken many of the promises he made to secure the post. Axios adds Kennedy says the FDA "will act on" a petition about ultra‑processed foods, while indicating that such action would not involve new regulatory rules.
📌 Key Facts
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as HHS secretary on Feb. 13, 2025 after assuring senators he would support the existing childhood vaccine schedule and preserve ACIP recommendations.
- Soon after taking office, he fired all sitting members of ACIP and installed new ones, including opponents of some vaccines.
- Last month CDC, under that reconstituted ACIP, removed universal child recommendations for seven vaccines (RSV, meningococcal, flu, COVID‑19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and rotavirus), limiting them to high‑risk children or case‑by‑case doctor–parent decisions.
- Within weeks of Kennedy’s arrival, CDC began pulling back about $11 billion in COVID‑era grants that local health departments had been using for vaccination and other public‑health work.
- HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon claims Kennedy is "following through on his commitments" to Sen. Cassidy, while Cassidy’s office has declined to answer whether he thinks those commitments were honored.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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February 16, 2026
February 13, 2026