A federal vaccine panel that has been fully selected by health secretary and anti-vaccin activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On Wednesday before the first meeting and immediately announced that it would evaluate the entire vaccination schedule for children, as well as that for adults.
The meeting in general was full of anti-vaccine discussion points and arguments of the new panel members, which confirms the fear of public health experts that the reverse panel is now critically damaged and that the controversial choices of Kennedy will only work to fulfill its long-term anti-vaccine agenda.
Controversial committee
An hour before the meeting started, the American Academy of Pediatrics came out of the new panel and said that the work of the panel is “no longer a credible process.” The organization mite the meeting and refused to send a contact person to the meeting of the panel, who has done it for decades.
“We will not borrow our name or expertise to a system that is being politized at the expense of children's health,” said Aap president Susan Kressly in a video on social media.
The panel in question, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), has given rigorous public scientific assessment, discussion and trusted recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than 60 years about how vaccines in the US should be used from the Food and Drug Administration. The CDC usually accepts ACIP's recommendations, and as soon as that happens, insurance providers are obliged to cover the costs of the recommended shots.
The system is highly regarded worldwide. But on June 9, Kennedy unilaterally and briefly fired all 17 valued ACIP members and two days later they replaced by eight new people. Some have clear anti-vaccine views, others have controversial and counterparts of public health, and several have little to no expertise in the field that is relevant to vaccines.
Last night it came to light that one of the eight new arrangements – Michael Ross, a obstetric and gynecology – doctor – had been withdrawn from the committee during a financial possession that ACIP members are obliged to complete before they start working on the panel.
