RFK Jr. Packs CDC with Anti-Vaccine Members

In a move that has public health experts alarmed, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed five additional individuals with documented anti-vaccine views to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The committee is scheduled to meet this week to vote on critical vaccine recommendations that could dramatically reshape America’s immunization landscape.

The Latest Appointments

The five new appointees join a committee that was already reshaped by Kennedy earlier this year when he dismissed all 17 existing members and replaced them with his own selections. According to reporting by Ars Technica, the new members include:

Catherine Stein – A professor at Case Western Reserve University who has publicly advocated against vaccine mandates and made religious arguments about COVID-19, suggesting people should not fear contracting the virus because “our Lord has given us a mission to share the gospel.” She wrote in a 2021 article that people should not be afraid of contracting COVID-19 because “Our Lord has given us a mission to share the gospel. If we live in fear of death, that weakens our testimony.”
Kirk Milhoan – A pediatric cardiologist affiliated with the Independent Medical Alliance (formerly Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance), which promotes misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and advocates for unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. Milhoan has stated that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines should be removed from the market.
Evelyn Griffin – An obstetrician and gynecologist from Louisiana who reportedly lost her job for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. In a speech at a Louisiana Health Freedom Day in May 2024, Griffin claimed that doctors “blindly believed” mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were safe and that the vaccines cause “bizarre and rare conditions.”
Hillary Blackburn – A pharmacist in St. Louis and daughter-in-law of Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who has opposed vaccine mandates.
Raymond Pollak – A semi-retired transplant surgeon who filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the University of Illinois Hospital in 1999, which settled for $2.5 million while the hospital denied wrongdoing.

Understanding ACIP’s Critical Role

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is far more than just a collection of medical advisors. As an official federal advisory committee, ACIP plays a pivotal role in American public health by developing recommendations on how to use vaccines to control vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. These recommendations are critical because they determine:

Which vaccines are recommended for different age groups and populations
Insurance coverage requirements for private health plans under the Affordable Care Act
Vaccine access through the Vaccines for Children program, which covers approximately half of American children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, or underinsured

Without ACIP recommendations, vaccines may not be covered by insurance, creating significant barriers to access for children and vulnerable populations. This makes the composition of the committee a matter of critical public health importance.

Upcoming Meeting and Potential Consequences

The ACIP committee is scheduled to meet on September 18-19, 2025, with an agenda that includes voting on recommendations for:

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) combination vaccine
Hepatitis B vaccine
This year’s updated COVID-19 vaccines

Vaccine experts widely fear that the newly composed committee may move to rescind or weaken recommendations for these critical vaccines, potentially creating new and insurmountable barriers for people to access immunization. Such moves could have cascading effects throughout the healthcare system, as ACIP-recommended vaccines are required to be covered by private health insurance plans and the Vaccines for Children program.

Medical Community Response

The medical community has expressed significant concern about these appointments, building on concerns raised after Kennedy’s initial dismissal of the previous ACIP members in June 2025. Major medical organizations including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Infectious Diseases Society of America issued statements expressing alarm about the dismantling of scientific expertise at the CDC.

In a June 2025 statement, the AMA criticized Kennedy’s earlier actions, calling them “a dangerous precedent that puts political ideology ahead of scientific evidence and public health.” The AAP warned that the changes “undermine the credibility and effectiveness of the CDC’s vaccine program.” Following the latest appointments, these concerns have only intensified within the medical community.

Historical Context and Precedent

Kennedy’s approach to vaccine policy represents a dramatic departure from historical norms for federal advisory committees. Traditionally, ACIP members are selected through a rigorous process that prioritizes scientific expertise, diverse professional perspectives, and absence of significant conflicts of interest. The committee typically includes experts in pediatrics, infectious diseases, public health, epidemiology, immunology, and other relevant fields, representing decades of combined experience in vaccine research, development, and implementation.

The previous committee consisted of 17 highly qualified and thoroughly vetted members who brought diverse backgrounds and expertise to their recommendations. Kennedy’s dismissal of all members and replacement with a new slate lacking traditional scientific credentials has raised serious concerns about politicization of public health decision-making.

Potential Public Health Impacts

The implications of these appointments extend far beyond the immediate committee meetings. If the new ACIP members succeed in weakening vaccine recommendations, the consequences could be severe and long-lasting:

Reduced vaccination rates – Without clear, science-based recommendations, vaccination rates could decline, particularly among vulnerable populations who rely on public programs
Disease resurgence – Measles, hepatitis B, and other vaccine-preventable diseases could re-emerge in communities with lower immunization rates
Healthcare system strain – Outbreaks of preventable diseases would strain healthcare resources and increase costs
International implications – The U.S. has historically been a global leader in vaccination efforts; these changes could affect international public health partnerships
Erosion of trust – Weakening of trust in public health institutions could have lasting effects on numerous health initiatives beyond vaccination

Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore health commissioner, noted in a recent interview, “When you politicize science, especially when it comes to something as fundamental as protecting children from preventable diseases, you’re not just changing policy—you’re changing the fabric of public health in America.”

Government Justification and Public Response

In announcing these appointments, Jim O’Neill, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Acting Director of the CDC, stated that “the new ACIP members bring a wealth of real-world public health experience to the job of making immunization recommendations.” However, critics point out that “real-world experience” in this context appears to refer to experience opposing established vaccine policies rather than expertise in vaccine science or public health.

Public response to these appointments has been overwhelmingly critical, with public health advocates, medical professionals, and concerned citizens expressing alarm on social media and in traditional media outlets. The controversy surrounding these appointments reflects broader tensions in American society about the role of science in public policy.

Looking Ahead

As the ACIP committee prepares for its September meeting, all eyes will be on the voting patterns and recommendations that emerge. The decisions made by this newly constituted committee may have lasting impacts on the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans, particularly children who depend on the Vaccines for Children program for access to life-saving immunizations.

Public health experts continue to emphasize that vaccination remains one of the most effective tools for preventing infectious diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines prevent 2-3 million deaths a year globally, and an additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided if global vaccine coverage improved.

Conclusion

The appointments of these five additional anti-vaccine voices to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices represent a significant shift in America’s approach to vaccine policy. What was once a respected scientific advisory body is now viewed by many as potentially compromised by political ideology.

As the United States continues to navigate the complex landscape of public health in the post-pandemic era, the integrity of scientific advisory processes remains crucial to protecting the nation’s health security. The decisions made in the coming days by this committee will signal whether science or politics will guide America’s vaccine policy going forward.