U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sept. 3, 2025 directed the CDC to add seven prospective members to its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), according to an internal CDC document reviewed by Reuters.
Key Takeaways
- HHS instructed the CDC to nominate seven new candidates to ACIP, per an internal document seen by Reuters.
- The prospective appointees include physicians and public health professionals such as Dr. Raymond Pollak and Dr. Joseph Fraiman.
- Kennedy fired the committee’s prior 17 members in June 2025 and installed eight hand-picked advisers; one of those has since departed.
- The ACIP is scheduled to meet on Sept. 18, 2025 and may vote on hepatitis B, MMRV and RSV vaccine recommendations.
- CDC Director Susan Monarez was dismissed last week after resisting proposed vaccine-policy changes, prompting several senior CDC resignations.
Verified Facts
The internal CDC document obtained by Reuters shows the Department of Health and Human Services asked the agency to name seven prospective ACIP members. Those named include Dr. Raymond Pollak, a semi-retired transplant surgeon with immunology experience; Dr. Joseph Fraiman, an emergency physician in New Orleans; Dr. John Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist; Catherine Stein, an epidemiology professor; Hillary Blackburn, a pharmacist; Dr. Evelyn Griffin, an obstetrician–gynecologist; and Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist.
Dr. Pollak confirmed he had been asked to serve and said he was undergoing the standard vetting process and would consider an offer carefully. Other named individuals were not reachable for comment in reporting for this story; Dr. Milhoan referred inquiries to HHS. An HHS spokesperson declined to comment to Reuters.
Secretary Kennedy dismissed all 17 ACIP members in June 2025 and named eight advisers thereafter; one of those appointees has since left the panel. The ACIP advises the CDC on which groups should receive vaccines and recommended schedules following FDA approvals. Insurers commonly use ACIP guidance to determine coverage.
Context & Impact
The ACIP meeting set for Sept. 18, 2025 is listed in the Federal Register and could include votes on recommendations for hepatitis B, measles–mumps–rubella–varicella (MMRV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. Those recommendations influence clinical practice and insurance reimbursement nationwide.
Last week the CDC director, Susan Monarez, was removed after she resisted changes to vaccine policy reportedly advanced by Secretary Kennedy. Monarez said through a spokesperson that she had been asked to endorse committee recommendations without independent review; her dismissal triggered the resignations of three senior CDC officials who cited policy disagreements.
The changes at ACIP and the CDC leadership shake-up have raised questions among public health stakeholders about the committee’s independence and the potential effect on vaccine policy continuity, program implementation and public confidence in immunization guidance.
Possible immediate effects
- Short-term disruption in CDC advisory processes and meeting workflows.
- Potential delays or shifts in vaccine recommendation finalization for the Sept. 18 agenda items.
- Insurance coverage decisions tied to ACIP guidance may face temporary uncertainty.
“I was asked to rubber stamp the committee’s recommendations,”
Statement attributed to CDC Director Susan Monarez via spokesperson
Unconfirmed
- Whether the new prospective members share Secretary Kennedy’s vaccination views is not confirmed.
- Any internal deliberations at HHS regarding selection criteria for the nominees have not been publicly disclosed.
- Long-term impacts on ACIP independence and public trust remain speculative until the new members participate in meetings and votes.
Bottom Line
The HHS directive to add seven prospective members to ACIP marks a significant personnel shift in the federal vaccine advisory process weeks after a wholesale replacement of the committee and the dismissal of the CDC director. The Sept. 18 ACIP meeting will test how quickly the agency and the new advisers can resume routine vaccine recommendation work and whether stakeholders perceive the process as maintaining scientific independence.