RFK Jr. Vaccine Panel: New Members & COVID Vaccine Criticism
News Directory 3 reports that Health Secretary RFK Jr. has appointed eight new members to the vaccine advisory panel, sparking debate across the medical community. These new appointees, some of whom are critics of COVID-19 vaccines, replace the prior 17-member committee, raising concerns about potential shifts in vaccination recommendations. The choices include a former mRNA vaccine researcher and a biostatistician, signaling a potential shift in the panel’s approach.Kennedy defended his choices by mentioning his intention to appoint “credentialed scientists.” Discover what’s next as these new members begin to make recommendations.
Kennedy Reshapes Vaccine Advisory panel with Controversial Picks
Updated June 12, 2025
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday unveiled eight new members of the vaccine policy advisory panel, replacing the previous committee. The move has sparked debate among doctors’ groups and public health organizations.
The appointees include figures known for their critical views on COVID-19 vaccines and pandemic-era policies. Among them is a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and became a prominent voice questioning the COVID-19 shots, as well as a vocal critic of lockdown measures and a professor specializing in operations management.
Kennedy’s decision to replace the 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has raised concerns about a potential shift in longstanding vaccination recommendations. Before announcing his selections, Kennedy stated his intention to appoint “credentialed scientists” who are not “anti-vaxxers” to the ACIP panel.
One appointee, Vicky Pebsworth, is a regional director for the National Association of Catholic Nurses and has been associated with the National Vaccine Details Center, a group often cited as a source of vaccine misinformation.
Dr. Robert Malone, a former mRNA researcher, also joins the panel. Malone gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for promoting unproven treatments and conspiracy theories related to the outbreak and vaccines.
Dr.Martin Kulldorff,a biostatistician and epidemiologist who co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration,is another appointee. The declaration argued that pandemic shutdowns caused irreparable harm.
Dr. Cody Meissner,a former ACIP member,was also named to the new panel. Kennedy announced the appointments via social media.
Established in 1964, the ACIP advises the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine use. The CDC typically adopts the committee’s recommendations, which guide vaccination programs and are widely followed by doctors.
Other appointees include:
- Dr. James Hibbeln, formerly of the National Institutes of Health, specializing in nutritional neurosciences.
- Retsef Levi, a professor of operations management at MIT.
- Dr.James Pagano, an emergency medicine physician from los Angeles.
- Dr. Michael Ross, an obstetrician and gynecologist from Virginia.
Meissner brings important experience in vaccine policy, having served on both the ACIP and the food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) vaccine advisory panel. During his FDA tenure, he participated in reviews of COVID-19 vaccines. In 2021, he opposed the Biden administration’s plan for extra vaccine doses for all adults, advocating rather for limiting them to seniors and high-risk individuals. The FDA ultimately disregarded the panel’s recommendation.
ACIP members typically serve staggered four-year terms. Kennedy, who previously voiced skepticism about vaccine policies, has criticized the committee for alleged close ties to vaccine manufacturers. ACIP policies require members to disclose collaborations with vaccine companies and recuse themselves from relevant votes.
Jason Schwartz, a health policy researcher at Yale university, noted that excluding experts with any industry collaboration would substantially limit the pool of qualified candidates.
Kennedy’s actions follow his confirmation in Febuary, during which he pledged not to alter the vaccination schedule. Though, he later expressed intentions to investigate childhood vaccines.
Kennedy has previously disregarded ACIP recommendations, including those for a new meningococcal vaccine and expanded RSV vaccinations. In May, he announced changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, diverging from the committee’s stance.
The agenda for the next ACIP meeting in late June has not been released, but a federal notice indicates potential votes on flu, COVID-19, HPV, RSV, and meningococcal vaccines.
A HHS spokesman did not immediately clarify whether the ACIP will consist of only eight members or if additional appointments are forthcoming.
What’s next
The composition and direction of the new ACIP panel will be closely watched as it considers future vaccine recommendations and policies.