Washington D.C. – In contrast to the Trump White House claims to have put the HHS on a “tighter leash” involving RFK Jr.’s politically toxic anti-vax agenda ahead of the midterm elections, today, Trump’s Health Secretary quietly published a ‘Notice of Charter Renewal’ for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It’s the ‘first step’ in Kennedy’s effort to resuscitate the committee after ACIP’s membership (made up mostly of RFK Jr’s hand-picked fellow vaccine skeptics) and all of its decisions were blocked last month by a federal judge. Judge Brian Murphy found Kennedy’s picks were “distinctly unqualified”, with less than half who “appear to have any meaningful experience in vaccines — the very focus of A.C.I.P.”
“It’s clear the unpopular and unfounded Trump-RFK Jr. anti-vax agenda is here to stay despite the White House’s effort to keep it quiet for the next few months,” said Kayla Hancock, Director of Protect Our Care’s Public Health Project. “Kennedy appears ready to play a game of legal semantics to gut vaccine safety and let a new slate of science-deniers tear apart the child vaccine schedule without cause or credible evidence. And whether or not RFK Jr.’s scheme passes legal muster, the effort will only create more confusion among parents and contribute to a further decline in vaccination rates – all the while making it easier for preventable diseases like measles to spread, harm children, and explode health costs.”
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