Key facts
- Senate Democrats are investigating Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s changes to vaccine policy.
- The investigation focuses on the restructuring of the federal vaccine advisory panel, ACIP.
- Sens. Ron Wyden and Maggie Hassan are demanding records regarding the decision-making process and vetting of new ACIP members.
- The senators cited Kennedy's statements that President Trump and senior White House officials approved the termination of previous ACIP members.
- A federal court previously blocked Kennedy's overhaul of the panel, deeming it unlawful.
Senate Democrats have launched an investigation into Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial overhaul of vaccine policy, specifically targeting the restructuring of the federal vaccine advisory panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
In a letter addressed to Kennedy, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) requested communications and records to ascertain the rationale behind the changes, who within the Trump administration determined the legal and public health consequences, and the vetting process for new panel members. The senators noted that Kennedy had previously stated that President Trump and senior White House officials personally approved the termination of the 17 sitting ACIP members, contradicting earlier claims of unilateral decision-making.
Wyden and Hassan expressed concern that the panel was deliberately dismantled and replaced with individuals holding vaccine-skeptical views, some of whom have a history of undermining vaccines. They set a deadline of July 17 for the production of these records.
The senators also linked Kennedy's actions to a rise in measles cases and a decline in overall vaccine confidence. Public opinion polls reportedly indicate a lack of support for the types of vaccine changes Kennedy has pursued. The White House has reportedly attempted to keep Kennedy's vaccine initiatives low-profile ahead of the midterm elections.
Kennedy's changes to ACIP have been previously blocked by a federal court, which ruled the administration's overhaul of the panel unlawful. This ruling has frozen all vaccine-related work by the committee, though the HHS has since appealed the decision.