Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has replaced every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) important vaccine advisory group, with people whose opinions on vaccine safety and effectiveness have worried many in the medical field. The ACIP has a key role in shaping public health policy by advising the CDC on which vaccines should be recommended for children and adults.
These recommendations directly affect which vaccines insurance companies cover and which ones are given for free to millions of low-income children through the government-funded Vaccines for Children program. The panel’s choices ultimately impact the health of every American, according to NPR.
