WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A coalition of 17 leading public health and civil rights organizations, led by the Health Equity Collaborative, sent a letter to leaders in the House and Senate calling on Congress to investigate and respond to the recent vaccine policy decisions by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The letter emphasizes his unprecedented removal and replacement of the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an advisory committee that issues official government recommendations on on the safety, efficacy, and clinical need for vaccines to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also highlights how this decision erodes science-based vaccine recommendations, increases misinformation, and jeopardizes access to life-saving vaccines.
On June 9, RFK Jr announced that he is removing all the 17 sitting members of the ACIP committee and later replaced them with eight new appointees, some of whom were linked to past vaccine skepticism or misinformation campaigns.
The Health Secretary said he took the move to restore public trust in vaccines.
He alleged that conflicts of interest in the outgoing Committee were responsible for undermining trust in vaccinations.
In the letter, organizations urged the Congress to restore scientific integrity to ACIP by reversing the removal of independent experts and ensuring future appointments reflect evidence-based standards.
They demanded legislation that underscores ACIP's advisory role, which would safeguard the committee from political interference.
The organizations urged Congress to counter vaccine misinformation by allocating resources to public education campaigns focused on historically marginalized communities.
'The recent dismantling and politically motivated restructuring of the ACIP committee is a profound disservice to public health, especially for our communities who already face significant barriers to equitable healthcare access and often rely on clear, trusted guidance,' said Amy Hinojosa, President and CEO of MANA, A National Latina Organization and founding member of the Health Equity Collaborative.
The organizations that signed the letter include Health Equity Collaborative, ALLvanza, Alliance for Aging Research, ASPIRA Association, Inc, Association of University, Centers on Disabilities, Choose Healthy Life, Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer, HealthHIV, Latino Commission on AIDS, MANA, National Consumers League, National Disability Rights Network, Partnership for Innovation and Empowerment, South Asian Public Health Association, Southern Christian Leadership Global Policy Initiative, The Balm in Gilead, Inc, and The Hispanic Institute.
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