CDC vaccine advisory panel meeting canceled for next week

CDC vaccine panel meeting abruptly canceled

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent vaccine advisory committee will not meet next week as scheduled. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the cancellation, stating, “Further information will be shared as available.”

The decision was made based on HHS guidance, according to a person familiar with the situation. Committee members had not been formally notified about the meeting's status as of Wednesday night.

ACIP's critical role in public health

Since 1964, US vaccine recommendations have first gone through the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This panel of independent scientists and medical experts evaluates vaccine safety and efficacy data and advises on who should receive immunizations.

The CDC director considers ACIP's advice when making final recommendations. This process also informs coverage decisions by insurance companies and some state health policies.

A committee reshaped by political appointees

In June, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of ACIP, calling them a “rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas.” He then appointed new members, many of whom share his skeptical views on vaccines.

Kennedy has pursued a sweeping overhaul of US vaccine policy, including:

• Dropping broad recommendations for Covid-19 and hepatitis B vaccines in 2025
• Announcing a slimmer childhood vaccine schedule in January 2026
• Facing lawsuits from medical associations over these changes

These moves have drawn sharp criticism from medical experts who argue the changes lack scientific justification.

Legal challenges and political strategy

The American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups have sued the Trump administration to halt changes to federal vaccine policy. At a hearing last Friday, these associations asked a federal judge to suspend the now-canceled ACIP meeting.

It is unclear if the lawsuit directly influenced the cancellation. The decision comes as the Trump administration has been orchestrating a major shakeup of health agencies, attempting to shift focus away from polarizing topics like vaccines ahead of the midterm elections.

Controversial focus for the scrapped meeting

While no formal agenda was posted, the canceled meeting was expected to address Covid-19 vaccines. Several current ACIP members have previously made false claims about the vaccines' safety.

One member, Dr. Robert Malone, an early mRNA researcher, has falsely claimed Covid-19 vaccines may cause cancer—an assertion contradicted by global regulatory agencies. In a January podcast, Malone hinted at using ACIP to restrict access to the vaccines, stating, “If the FDA won’t act, there are other entities that will... stay tuned and wait for the upcoming ACIP meeting.”