U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on 9 June 2025 dismissed all 17 voting members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that recommends which vaccines should be given to Americans. Kennedy said the shake-up was necessary to eliminate “conflicts of interest” and comply with an executive order by President Donald Trump intended to strengthen scientific integrity across federal agencies. On 11 June, Kennedy named eight replacements: Dr. Robert W. Malone, Dr. Martin Kulldorff, Dr. Retsef Levi, Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln, Dr. Cody Meissner, Dr. James Pagano, Dr. Vicky Pebsworth and Dr. Michael A. Ross. Several of the appointees are well-known critics of COVID-19 vaccination policies. Kennedy said the new lineup comprises “highly credentialed physicians” who will review the childhood immunization schedule and assess upcoming products before the committee’s next meeting later this month. The overhaul has drawn immediate pushback from the medical establishment and on Capitol Hill. The American Medical Association passed an emergency resolution urging the Senate to investigate the mass dismissal, while Democratic lawmakers warned the move could erode public confidence in vaccines. Reuters reported that at least two of the new advisers have been paid expert witnesses in litigation against Merck’s Gardasil vaccine, raising fresh questions about potential conflicts. Supporters, including several Republican members of Congress, praised the reboot as a long-needed corrective to what they view as an overly industry-friendly panel. Public-health experts counter that replacing a seasoned 17-member committee with a smaller group that includes vaccine skeptics risks delaying evidence-based guidance and could disrupt state immunization requirements if trust in federal recommendations falters.