Democrats on the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee have opened an investigation into the decision by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to dismiss all members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
In July, Secretary Kennedy removed all 17 members of the ACIP — a key advisory body responsible for reviewing vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and providing immunization recommendations to the CDC. He subsequently appointed new members, several of whom are reported to be vocal vaccine skeptics.
In a letter the US Senate Democrats warned that the move could undermine vaccine access and public confidence in immunization programs. “The harm your actions will cause is significant. As your new ACIP makes recommendations based on pseudoscience, fewer and fewer Americans will have access to fewer and fewer vaccines,” they stated.
The probe, led by HELP Committee Democrats, follows Republican Chairman Senator Bill Cassidy’s reported refusal to back a bipartisan inquiry. A spokesperson for Senator Bernie Sanders, a senior Democrat on the committee, confirmed the decision to proceed unilaterally.
Lawmakers are demanding detailed information on the dismissals by August 12, including any identified conflicts of interest among the ousted members, and how these differ from prior disclosures. Although Secretary Kennedy cited “conflicts of interest” as the reason for the firings, no specific evidence has been provided.
The senators are also seeking clarification on who was involved in the removal decision—both inside and outside government—specifically inquiring about the role of Lyn Redwood, a known critic of vaccine mandates and former leader of a group previously founded by Kennedy. Redwood delivered a presentation at the newly reconstituted ACIP’s first meeting.
The inquiry further requests all communications and documents related to the selection and vetting of the new committee members, as well as confirmation that they meet federal ethics guidelines.
“As you give a platform to conspiracy theorists, and even promote their theories yourself, Americans will continue to lose confidence in whatever vaccines are still available,” the letter said. It was signed by Senators Sanders, Tim Kaine, Maggie Hassan, John Hickenlooper, Ed Markey, Andy Kim, Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Angela Alsobrooks.
Kennedy has defended the overhaul, stating that it was aimed at restoring public trust in vaccines. However, the senators cautioned that such actions risk further eroding the nation’s ability to combat vaccine-preventable diseases. “Millions more lives are at risk,” they warned.
