In response to the announcement that RFK Jr. terminated all 17 members of the CDC ACIP, AAI President, Stephen C. Jameson, released the following statement:
The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is deeply alarmed by the announcement that Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This sweeping action, taken without scientific justification, removes a critical body of well-vetted medical and public health experts at a time when their guidance is urgently needed.
While AAI acknowledges that periodic changes in committee membership are reasonable, an abrupt and total dismissal of all ACIP members undermines the integrity and continuity of evidence-based policymaking. The ACIP plays a vital role in guiding national immunization recommendations. Disbanding it entirely creates a dangerous gap—particularly alarming in the midst of an active measles outbreak and ongoing threats from other vaccine-preventable diseases.
As Secretary Kennedy moves to rebuild the ACIP, AAI urges him to ensure that any new appointments are grounded in scientific expertise and public health experience. Diverse perspectives are valuable in public health deliberations, to the extent that they are rooted in sound scientific evidence.
As the leading organization representing immunologists and the field of immunology, AAI stands ready to assist Secretary Kennedy in strengthening the nation’s immunization policy framework and ensuring that public health decisions remain guided by rigorous science.
