RFK Jr. forced to withdraw charter that opened CDC panel to anti-vaccine quacks

The Health Department has retracted a revised charter for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) key vaccine advisory committee due to an administrative oversight, as detailed in a notice released in the Federal Register on Tuesday. This charter, proposed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faced significant backlash for its potential to permit the appointment of unqualified anti-vaccine supporters to the committee. The revisions aimed to shift the focus of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) toward purported vaccine injuries and risks, inviting fringe groups and anti-vaccine organizations to influence federal vaccine policy. Kennedy's attempts to alter the committee structure have been met with legal challenges, including a court order to reverse his actions. Last June, Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of ACIP, replacing them with individuals lacking proper vetting or qualifications. The newly formed committee conducted meetings that promoted anti-vaccine sentiments, allowed unverified presentations from activists, and voted to eliminate long-standing, evidence-based vaccine recommendations. Notably, they removed the universal recommendation for administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, despite no safety issues or advantages to postponing the dose. Subsequent modeling studies have indicated that this change could lead to an increase in infections, a rise in liver cancer cases and fatalities, and substantial healthcare expenses amounting to millions of dollars.