On Sept. 3, 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he will nominate seven advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a move that follows the June dismissal of the panel’s 17 members and could affect upcoming vaccine recommendations.
Key Takeaways
- Kennedy plans to nominate seven new advisers to ACIP, the federal committee that sets vaccine schedules and influences insurance coverage.
- In June he dismissed all 17 sitting ACIP members, later appointing eight advisers two days after the firings; one subsequently resigned over financial conflicts.
- The announced slate reportedly includes a cardiologist, a neurologist and a geneticist who have previously expressed skepticism about some vaccine policies.
- The story was first reported publicly by Dr. Jeremy Faust on his Substack, “Inside Medicine.”
- ACIP’s next meeting is scheduled to begin Sept. 18; advisers may consider changes to recommended childhood vaccinations and other guidance.
- At its initial meeting under Kennedy’s appointees, the panel voted to rescind a recommendation for a flu vaccine containing thimerosal; the session featured a presentation by Lyn Redwood, a former leader of Children’s Health Defense.
Verified Facts
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the existing 17 ACIP members in June, citing what he described as persistent conflicts of interest; the committee members had been vetted under established federal procedures. Two days after the June firings, eight new advisers were named, though one later stepped down because of documented financial conflicts.
Sources familiar with the matter and two former federal officials told reporters that Mr. Kennedy intends to nominate seven additional advisers. The names reported so far include Catherine Stein, an epidemiology professor at Case Western Reserve University; Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a cardiologist; and Dr. John Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist who has served as an expert witness in the federal vaccine injury program. Public statements from some nominees indicate prior criticism of vaccine mandates or policy, but detailed positions on routine childhood immunizations have not been fully disclosed.
The personnel changes come amid broader disruption at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the days before this announcement, the secretary removed the agency director; several senior CDC officials resigned; and leadership has proposed changes to budgets and department structures, according to reporting and agency statements.
At its first meeting after the June overhaul, the reconstituted ACIP voted to remove a standing recommendation for a flu vaccine formulation that contains thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. That session included a presentation by Lyn Redwood, formerly of Children’s Health Defense, who asserted that the remaining thimerosal-containing vaccine contained 50 micrograms per dose; that figure is incorrect. Federal vaccine safety materials note the commonly cited thimerosal content in multidose flu vaccine vials is approximately 25 micrograms per 0.5 mL dose for ethylmercury-based thimerosal formulations.
Context & Impact
ACIP recommendations determine which vaccines are recommended for children and adults and affect coverage decisions by Medicaid and private insurers. Changes to ACIP guidance can therefore alter access to specific vaccines and influence public health practice across the United States.
Critics of the new nominations, including former ACIP members, say the apparent lack of vaccine-specific expertise among some nominees could hinder the committee’s ability to evaluate complex safety and efficacy data. Supporters of the secretary’s moves argue that the committee benefits from a diversity of perspectives and renewed scrutiny of conflicts and assumptions.
The Sept. 18 meeting leaves little preparation time for newly nominated advisers; among agenda items is consideration of childhood immunization schedule elements that, if altered, could affect routine pediatric care. The speed and direction of changes, and whether nominees will be confirmed in time to vote, remain key questions for clinicians, state health officials and insurers.
“You will hear it from us when there are new members to announce.”
Andrew Nixon, Department of Health and Human Services spokesman
Unconfirmed
- The full list of seven nominees has not been publicly released by HHS; some names reported by observers remain to be formally confirmed.
- Public positions of several prospective members on routine childhood vaccines have not been fully documented.
- Claims linking COVID-19 vaccines to large rises in infant mortality or a 600% increase in heart problems among young men are reported by some groups but lack independent corroboration in peer-reviewed literature.
Bottom Line
The planned nominations mark another major shift in federal vaccine governance under Secretary Kennedy. With an ACIP meeting set for Sept. 18 and potential votes on longstanding recommendations, public health leaders, clinicians and insurers will be watching closely for how the new adviser slate may change vaccine policy and coverage.
Sources
- The New York Times reporting on ACIP changes and nominations
- Inside Medicine (Dr. Jeremy Faust)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — ACIP
- CDC: Thimerosal and vaccine safety
- Children’s Health Defense