WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be reshaping another little-known piece of federal vaccine infrastructure, a move that could have big consequences for the availability of immunizations in the U.S.
Kennedy has removed at least four of the nine members of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccinations (ACCV) ahead of the scheduled end of their terms. The panel advises on a program that compensates people who are injured by vaccines, and stacking it with allies could help Kennedy if he wants to change the injuries that it covers.
Thus far, Kennedy has not named replacements for the people fired from the panel, and the Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment. However, the abrupt firings mirror actions Kennedy took last year to remake the main federal vaccine panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, adding members who are skeptical of vaccines. And he’s previously indicated an interest in changing the vaccine injury compensation system, such as by adding autism to its list of covered injuries.
