Takeaways from RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel meeting on COVID-19 and childhood vaccines
September 19, 2025
A vaccine advisory committee handpicked by U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. met in Atlanta for two days this week to consider various vaccine recommendations. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, recommended new restrictions for a vaccine that protects against chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella. In a surprise move, it put off an expected vote on hepatitis B shots. The group also declined to recommend COVID-19 shots for any Americans, saying they could make individual decisions. The lengthy and at-times chaotic meeting struck a different tone from past gatherings of the committee. Critics worried the panel’s makeup and agenda could sow distrust in vaccines.