RFK Junior appoints eight new individuals to the CDC's vaccination consultation body
In a shocking turn of events, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of vaccines, has appointed eight new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent vaccine advisory committee, mere days after dismissing the previous team.
This new crew of advisors consists of vaccine skeptics and critics of Covid vaccines and lockdown measures. Kennedy, a high-profile anti-vaxxer, cheerfully announced on X that these scientists, public health experts, and accomplished physicians would assemble for a meeting on June 25.
Among the new members, Dr. Robert Malone, a notorious vaccine activist, has suggested without evidence that recent pediatric deaths from measles could be due to medical error. Vicky Pebsworth, the research and patient safety director at the National Vaccine Information Center, has been labeled a leading source of misinformation about vaccines.
Traditionally, members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) undergo an exhaustive vetting process that can span months to years. With a meeting scheduled in two weeks, this panel would be roughly half its usual size, and it remains uncertain if Kennedy plans to add more members.
Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon admitted on Wednesday evening that all newly appointed ACIP members were vetted, though details regarding the process were kept under wraps. When asked about the qualifications of members who have been critical of vaccines, Nixon referred NBC News to Kennedy's comments on X.
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, expressed concerns about the ideological balance of the new members, stating that being a vaccine skeptic is acceptable as long as the science is followed. He labeled Kennedy's policies as a threat to public health.
One fired ACIP member, Noel Brewer, revealed to MSNBC that the panel's charter requires members to be replaced on a rolling basis. Brewer, a professor in the department of health behavior at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, stated that the new panel lacks the experience to assess and analyze vaccine data effectively.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert, agreed with Brewer, stating that the new members would face a significant challenge in understanding and voting on numerous vaccine-related issues.
The panel typically consists of pediatricians, geriatricians, and other vaccine experts. However, Kennedy's selection includes a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, an epidemiologist, a biostatistician, a professor of operations management, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and an emergency medicine physician. One of these new members, Dr. Cody Meissner, served on ACIP from 2008 to 2012.
Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, the psychiatrist and neuroscientist, previously worked at the National Institutes of Health, focusing his research on omega-3 fatty acids and their impact on the neurocognitive development of children whose mothers consumed seafood during pregnancy.
Retsef Levi, the professor of operations management, who lacks a medical degree, has called for an end to Covid vaccinations, claiming that mRNA vaccines cause severe harm and death, particularly among young people. In reality, the vaccines carry a minimal risk of inflammation of the heart muscle but have overwhelmingly proven to be safe and effective.
Martin Kulldorff, the epidemiologist and biostatistician, co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, a pandemic strategy that decried lockdowns and advocated for allowing people at low risk of dying to be exposed to Covid. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, was another co-author.
ACIP is responsible for reviewing the latest data on vaccine safety and efficacy, offering recommendations for who should receive which vaccines, including the schedule for childhood vaccinations, and holding public meetings to discuss and vote on these issues. While the CDC is not obligated to adhere to these recommendations, it often does. The new members are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if necessary.
However, it remains unclear if Kennedy has mandated these disclosures for the new members. Kennedy previously published a book titled "The Real Anthony Fauci" and acknowledged Kulldorff, Malone, Meissner, and Pebsworth in its dedication.
- Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, has expressed concerns about the ideological balance of the new members on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's independent vaccine advisory committee, noting that being a vaccine skeptic is acceptable as long as the science is followed.
- Vicky Pebsworth, the research and patient safety director at the National Vaccine Information Center, has been labeled a leading source of misinformation about vaccines.
- One of the new panel members, Dr. Cody Meissner, served on ACIP from 2008 to 2012.
- Retsef Levi, the professor of operations management who lacks a medical degree, has called for an end to Covid vaccinations, claiming that mRNA vaccines cause severe harm and death, particularly among young people.
- Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, previously worked at the National Institutes of Health, focusing his research on omega-3 fatty acids and their impact on the neurocognitive development of children whose mothers consumed seafood during pregnancy.
- Martin Kulldorff, the epidemiologist and biostatistician, co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, a pandemic strategy that decried lockdowns and advocated for allowing people at low risk of dying to be exposed to Covid. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, was another co-author.
