Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On Tuesday, the CDC reorganized its powerful vaccine committee and named two obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs) as part of a push to overhaul the nation’s immunization policy.
President Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic and supporter of “Make America Healthy Again,” has appointed Adam Urato, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in maternal-fetal medicine, and Kimberly Biss, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist based in St. Petersburg, Fla., to a committee that will play a central role in developing the federal government’s vaccine recommendations.
Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary of Health and Human Services and acting CDC director, said the changes are part of a broader effort to ensure vaccine policy is driven by scientific data.
“President Trump told us, Pediatric immunization schedule “In line with the gold standard of science,” O’Neill said, “ACIP is doing just that. Our new ACIP members have the clinical expertise to make decisions based on evidence, not dogma.”
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The committee, formally known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), advises the CDC director and HHS secretary on vaccine use and national immunization schedules.
In June, Kennedy fired everyone existing. Vaccine committee members said the move was necessary to restore public trust and reduce conflicts of interest. The committee has since been reconstituted with new appointees aligned with his views on vaccine safety, transparency and scientific rigor.
Urato, one of the new appointees, had previously criticized the CDC’s coronavirus vaccine guidance for pregnant women, arguing that safety guarantees were made before sufficient data was available. Supporters say his appointment brings needed scrutiny to federal health guidance, while critics warn it could undermine confidence in vaccines.
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The reconstituted committee then revisited several long-standing recommendations, including guidance traditionally supported by mainstream public health authorities. These changes culminated in a major revision of the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule earlier this year.
In January 2026, CDC officials working under the direction of the Trump administration and President Kennedy revised the U.S. pediatric vaccine schedule, reducing the number of widely recommended vaccines from about 17 to about 11.
Some vaccines, such as influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, some meningococcal vaccines, and RSV, are no longer widely recommended and are subject to shared decision-making or only recommended for high-risk groups.
Last week, the administration also made new announcements. dietary guidelines Prioritize high-quality protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
The guidelines encourage Americans to avoid highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates, another of President Kennedy’s pillars. A broader agenda to “Make America Healthy Again”.
