Former CDC Director, NC native reacts to RFK Jr. removal of vaccine advisory committee members

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced sweeping changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, removing all seventeen of its members, in an announcement made Monday.

"Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda. The public must know that unbiased science-evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest-guides the recommendations of our health agencies," said Kennedy, in a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"This is really an unprecedented action to remove all of the members of this committee at once. They're an advisory body to the CDC director, which is what I was until January of this year. I'm most concerned that it is casting doubt and causing confusion on a process that is transparent, that is made up of experts and has been keeping this country and, frankly, the world safe with vaccines for decades. I'm deeply disappointed at the actions today. But I think we still have more to understand how this really is going to play out for families," said Dr. Mandy Cohen, during a one-on-one interview with ABC 11 on Tuesday.

Cohen served as CDC Director from July 2023 to January 2025, and explained she worked closely with the Committee during that time period.

"Ultimately, it was the CDC Director's job to make a decision about what vaccines folks should get for free. That's what you need to understand because the decision of the CDC director is what makes vaccines available for free for children in the Vaccines for Children's program. That covers about half of the children in the country to get free vaccines, and it's also what says insurance companies need to cover with no co-pay. (It) essentially (makes) it free for others. (The) ACIP is really your stop for getting independent expert advice on what vaccines should be free, meaning recommended to make sure it's covered for free," Cohen explained.

Until Monday, Dr. Noel Brewer, a professor at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, was a member of the Committee.

"It was a bit shocking because this has never really been done before. I can't think of a time a member was removed, let alone the whole board fired," said Brewer, who noted he first learned of the news from an op-ed article published by Kennedy in The Wall Street Journal. Nearly two hours after the story was published, he received an email notifying him of his removal.

The Department of Health and Human Services said they plan on holding this month's previously-scheduled ACIP meeting, and are in the process of considering new members.

"I don't know how that is possible. I could just tell you that the amount of vetting and onboarding that we needed to do for ACIP members was extensive, not something we could do in two weeks and thus if the Committee's not able to meet, you don't get those expert independent pieces of advice for the CDC Director," Cohen said.

"I am hopeful that the new ACIP will have a stronger relationship with the Department of Health and Human Services," said Brewer.

A spokesperson did not provide specifics when asked by ABC 11 about the appointment process, and if the plan was to have all 17 new members in place for that meeting.

"We don't want to have a vaccine policy one set of four years, it's one thing, another set of four years, it's another thing. We don't really want that. We just want to have a vaccine policy that is based on the best evidence that doesn't have a political character to it," said Brewer.

Kennedy cited several reasons behind the decision to remove all 17 members, including concerns of conflicts of interest and the timing associated with four-year terms, which meant it would not be until 2028 that the current administration could choose a majority of the committee.

"A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science. ACIP's new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas. The entire world once looked to American health regulators for guidance, inspiration, scientific impartiality, and unimpeachable integrity. Public trust has eroded. Only through radical transparency and gold standard science will we earn it back," said Kennedy.

"Members had to disclose all of their affiliations publicly before these meetings. They had to then post it. There was even a review just this year to make sure that folks were being transparent about any conflicts of interest. And there were no concerns," said Cohen, who added the four-year terms are standard practice which existed in prior administrations.

Cohen was the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from January 2017 to December 2021, a period that included the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine rollout.

Bishop Joe Stevenson, who leads Macedonia New Life Church in Raleigh, initially had reservations over the COVID-19 vaccine, though ultimately chose to receive it.

"I wanted to demonstrate a kind of leadership to my congregation that I did it," said Stevenson.

Ultimately, Macedonia New Life Church served as a vaccination site.

"Our church has served this community now for a very long time, literally in this location, for almost 50 years. The church is 147 years old this year. We are literally in the heart and the opening of what we call the Gateway to Southeast Raleigh," Stevenson said.

He acknowledged the historical nature of distrust and marginalization surrounding vaccines within the Black community, expressing concern over the impact this decision could have.

"To remove scientists who represented the voice of credibility, if you will, without transparency doesn't help us to encourage people to make good decisions and to choose wisely when it comes to vaccines," said Stevenson.

"It's definitely going to require some readjustment if the information that we're getting at least from the federal level becomes ambiguous. We will have to work harder," added Emilia Ismael, who serves as the Development and Strategic Partnerships Director at El Centro Hispano.

Ismael stressed the value of work performed locally by community groups and organizations.

"I think that a lot of that success has to do with the community work, with a community outreach on the ground because people will develop trust when they have close sources (and) relationships that can help them navigate all the noise and all the information that is out there," said Ismael.

Brewer said he was concerned about how the decision would be interpreted by healthcare professionals.

"The group I'm really worried about is health care providers. Those folks really do look to ACIP for advice on what is the best thing to do with vaccines. And they change their behavior, their recommending behavior, based on whatever the committee says, which is in itself based on whatever the recent evidence is. Regaining the trust of health care providers is going to be the top priority for the new ACIP," said Brewer.

Kennedy, who has previously expressed skepticism over vaccine safety, had pledged during his confirmation process that he would not touch the ACIP, a point cited by Republican Senator Dr. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana as he voiced his support.

In a post on X, Cassidy wrote:

"Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion. I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case."

"Vaccines save lives, they save several million lives a year. We have to make sure that vaccines are available, that they're accessible, that they're affordable, that vaccines are something that are part of our routine life," said Brewer.

American Medical Association President Dr. Bruce A. Scott wrote:

"For generations, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has been a trusted national source of science-and data-driven advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Physicians, parents, community leaders and public health officials rely on them for clinical guidance, public health information, and knowledge. Today's action to remove the 17 sitting members of ACIP undermines that trust and upends a transparent process that has saved countless lives. With an ongoing measles outbreak and routine child vaccination rates declining, this move will further fuel the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses."

In a statement, NCDHHS wrote:

"NCDHHS is aware of the recent news regarding the HHS Secretary's announcement that all current members of the CDC's nonpartisan Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice are being removed and will be replaced, potentially before the next ACIP meeting later this month. As these changes are made, NCDHHS will continue to monitor the situation and remains committed to ensuring that North Carolinians have accurate and actionable information and access to life-saving vaccines."

"We're making it even harder for folks to navigate in this moment in time. And that is not what our health leaders should be doing. They should be building trust. They should be making sure that they're not sowing confusion or casting doubt," said Cohen.