Kennedy removes entire CDC vaccine panel in dramatic shake-up

• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key independent panel that advises the CDC on vaccine use, citing concerns over conflicts of interest.
• Kennedy claims the overhaul is necessary to restore public trust in vaccine oversight, which he argues has eroded due to years of poor transparency, industry influence and regulatory failures.
• The move allows the Trump administration to appoint its own members, raising fears among vaccine advocates that the new panel could include individuals more skeptical of vaccine safety and efficacy.
• Kennedy has faced significant criticism from public health experts and lawmakers, but defended his decision in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, arguing it is not anti-vaccine but pro-transparency and reform.
• Despite the shake-up, HHS says the panel will still meet later this month at the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters to review COVID-19 vaccine guidance for children.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has removed every member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the independent panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine use in the United States.

The ACIP, which only meets thrice a year, plays a crucial role in the U.S. vaccine system by reviewing scientific data and recommending how vaccines should be administered. Its members are independent experts in medicine and public health who are not employed by the CDC and serve four-year terms. They are traditionally insulated from political pressures and not considered political appointees. (Related: Wow: Former CDC head Robert Redfield endorses Trump, says he and RFK Jr. “got everything right.”)

However, Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccine policy and pharmaceutical industry influence, has frequently accused ACIP members of having conflicts of interest, raising concerns among vaccine advocates that he may push for the appointment of individuals who are significantly more skeptical about approving new vaccines.

“The public must know that unbiased science – evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest – guides the recommendations of our health agencies,” Kennedy said.

He then revealed that the removals would allow the Trump administration to appoint its own members while criticizing the entrenched ideology under the former administration. “The prior administration made a concerted effort to lock in public health ideology and limit the incoming administration’s ability to take the proper actions to restore public trust in vaccines,” Kennedy said.

The panel recently discussed the possibility of limiting Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine recommendations for children and was set to meet later this month to review and vote on those guidelines. According to a statement from HHS, the meeting will proceed as planned at the CDC headquarter in Atlanta.

Kennedy: A clean sweep is needed to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science

Kennedy has been facing mounting criticisms after removing the ACIP members, but he defended his action in his Wall Street Journal op-ed article.

In the op-ed, Kennedy acknowledged the political polarization surrounding vaccines but said the deeper crisis is one of eroding trust, not only in vaccines, but in the health agencies, regulatory bodies and pharmaceutical industry as a whole.

“Vaccines have become a divisive issue in American politics, but there is one thing all parties can agree on: The U.S. faces a crisis of public trust. Whether toward health agencies, pharmaceutical companies or vaccines themselves, public confidence is waning,” he wrote.

Kennedy cited multiple government investigations dating back more than two decades that found weak enforcement of ethics rules, undisclosed financial ties and poor transparency within vaccine advisory bodies. He pointed to a 2000 congressional report and a 2009 inspector general investigation, both of which raised concerns about widespread conflicts of interest and insufficient oversight.

According to Kennedy, the overhaul is about restoring transparency, independence and scientific rigor. He said the new appointees will not be affiliated with the vaccine industry and will be expected to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions and prioritize public welfare.

“A clean sweep is needed to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science. Public trust has since collapsed, but we will earn it back,” Kennedy concluded.

Check out Immunization.news for more similar stories.

Watch this video of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. exposing the dangers of the COVID-19 vaccines.

This video is from The Missing Link channel on Brighteon.com.

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RFK Jr.’s sweeping CDC vaccine panel purge: A trust reset or a political minefield?

Sources include:

Infowars.com

TheHill.com

WSJ.com

Brighteon.com