The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has canceled a planned meeting of its vaccine advisory panel originally set for late February, according to a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, known as ACIP, was supposed to convene from February 25th through 27th. Officials have not announced when the meeting might be rescheduled.
This development occurs as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues his push to transform the nation’s vaccination policies. His initiatives include eliminating broad recommendations for six childhood vaccines such as COVID and hepatitis B shots, expanding federal support for state vaccine exemptions, and reducing funding for mRNA vaccine research.
The advisory panel plays a crucial role in determining vaccination recommendations, which typically influence health insurance coverage decisions, state school vaccination requirements, and how doctors counsel patients and families about immunizations.
The committee underwent significant changes last year when Kennedy dismissed all 17 of its members in June, leading to multiple restructuring efforts.
These changes coincide with a leadership transition at the CDC. Jay Bhattacharya, who currently serves as National Institutes of Health Director, will take over as acting CDC director, according to a Trump administration official who spoke Wednesday. He will replace the current acting director, Jim O’Neill.
