On June 9, 2025, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the removal of all 17 voting members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The entire committee, which provides critical guidance on vaccine dosing, schedules and safety, was dismissed in a single directive from HHS. Kennedy said the “clean sweep” was intended to rebuild public trust and eliminate perceived conflicts of interest.

The next day, the American Medical Association (AMA) passed an emergency resolution at its annual House of Delegates meeting, calling for an “immediate reversal” of the decision and urging the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to investigate the removals.

In its resolution, AMA reaffirmed that “vaccines have been proven to dramatically reduce hospitalization and death,” and warned that vaccine guidance must remain independent and evidence-based. The resolution also directed AMA to “initiate sustained public advocacy” in support of the ACIP’s current structure and to explore alternative models for vaccine advisory, should the integrity of the existing system be further compromised.

The California Medical Association (CMA) issued a strong response the same day, calling RFK Jr.’s action “reckless, anti-science and deeply harmful to public trust.”

“This move is part of a dangerous effort to undermine the institutions that safeguard our nation’s public health,” said CMA President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D.  “These experts are independent, rigorously vetted, and play a critical role in protecting our communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

Americans expect vaccine guidance that is based on science – not ideology. Removing the nation’s most trusted vaccine experts jeopardizes that fundamental expectation of safety.

“We are already seeing the consequences of vaccine misinformation, with preventable diseases like measles seeing a resurgence across the country,” said Dr. Udovic-Constant. “Public health should never be sacrificed to political theater.”

ACIP’s next meeting is scheduled for June 25. Secretary Kennedy announced eight new advisers on June 11. The appointees include individuals who have previously expressed skepticism about established vaccine policies. The abrupt dismissal of all prior ACIP members has raised serious concerns about the committee’s ability to deliver apolitical, science-based recommendations. Both AMA and CMA continue to monitor the situation closely and are advocating for transparent, science driven vaccine oversight.