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Senators Condemn HHS Secretary's Decision to Gut ACIP Committee

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján, Raphael Warnock, and Lisa Blunt Rochester led a group of 19 Senate colleagues in condemning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to gut the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appoint several members to the committee with a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. The senators raised concerns about the dangers of gutting the ACIP and urged Secretary Kennedy to immediately reappoint the members of the committee he fired.

Key Takeaways:

  • 19 Senate colleagues, including Luján, Warnock, and Blunt Rochester, condemned HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to gut the ACIP committee.
  • The senators expressed concerns about the dangers of gutting the ACIP, which would strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about vaccinations.
  • The ACIP committee is a trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease.
  • The committee members serve on the committee for a limited time, undergo extensive vetting, and disclose any conflicts of interest.
  • The senators urged Secretary Kennedy to restore legitimacy to the committee by immediately reappointing the members he fired and removing those with a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence.
  • The decision to gut the ACIP committee is particularly concerning given the largest measles outbreak in over 30 years.
  • 80% of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations, but a divide based on political ideology is growing.
  • The senators pointed out that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently taken several actions to undermine vaccine confidence, including reversing CDC recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination and terminating a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine.
  • These actions have real consequences, and people will die without access to vaccines.

Statistics:

  • 80% of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations.
  • The largest measles outbreak in over 30 years is ongoing.
  • 19 Senate colleagues signed the letter condemning HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to gut the ACIP committee.
  • The ACIP committee advises everyday Americans on their health decisions.
  • ACIP recommendations also influence whether insurance will cover certain vaccines, making them accessible to insured Americans.
  • The Vaccines for Children program, which ensures underinsured and uninsured children can access vaccines at no cost, relies on ACIP recommendations.

Sources:

  • US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
  • US Senator for Georgia Raphael Warnock
  • US Senator for Delaware Lisa Blunt Rochester
  • Kaiser Family Foundation
  • US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Moderna
  • Senate Finance Committee

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