CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee Meeting Postponed Following RFK Jr.’s Confirmation as HHS Secretary

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting scheduled for February 26-28, 2025, has been postponed235.

This postponement comes less than a week after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)24.

The official reason given for the postponement is "to accommodate public comment in advance of the meeting"35.

ACIP is responsible for making vaccine recommendations to the CDC, which typically adopts them for national policy5.

The postponed meeting was set to discuss and potentially vote on recommendations for new vaccines, including those for meningococcal disease and chikungunya23.

Concerns have been raised about Kennedy's history of vaccine skepticism and its potential impact on vaccine policy45.

During his confirmation process, Kennedy promised to maintain ACIP "without changes" and work within existing vaccine approval frameworks34.

The postponement has sparked speculation about potential changes to ACIP under Kennedy's leadership8.

ACIP typically meets three times a year, with the February meeting being one of these important sessions58.

The rescheduled date for the ACIP meeting has not been announced35.

Sources:

2. https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/less-week-after-rfk-jrs-confirmation-hhs-postpones-vaccine-committee-meeting

3. https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/acip-cdc-vaccine-meeting-postponed-kennedy-rfk/740561/

4. https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/rfk-jr-confirmed-hhs-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr/740054/

5. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/cdc-vaccination-committee-meeting-postponed-days-after-rfk-119016356

8. https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/acip-meeting-postponed-just-a-delay-or-a-fortelling-of-kennedy-s-vaccine-agenda-