RFK Jr.'s New Vaccine Advisors Signal Big Changes

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

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Summary

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Policy, an influential CDC committee that shapes U.S. vaccine policy, has become a flashpoint in recent weeks. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members and replaced them with 7 new members — many of whom do not have deep expertise in vaccines, and some of whom have spread vaccine misinformation. NPR public health correspondent Pien Huang was at the new working group's first meeting last week. This episode, she talks with Emily about the sweeping changes they promised to how vaccine policy is made in the U.S. — and resurrected issues that have been advanced by groups that question vaccines.

Read more of Pien's reporting on this topic.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Ira Glass of This American Life.
0:02.2	Each week on our show, we choose the theme, tell different stories on that theme.
0:07.3	All right, I'm just going to stop right there.
0:08.8	You're listening to an NPR podcast.
0:10.2	Chances are you know our show.
0:11.9	So instead, I'm going to tell you, we've just been on a run of really good shows lately.
0:17.4	Some big, epic emotional stories and some weird funny stuff too. Download us,
0:22.7	this American life.
0:24.2	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:29.6	Here in the U.S., we have a vaccine schedule. So in childhood, as you may know, there's a slate
0:36.0	of routine vaccines to protect against hepatitis B or measles mumps and rebella.
0:42.0	And this continues into adulthood.
0:43.9	Think COVID boosters and the flu shot.
0:47.0	Now, that schedule is driven by recommendations of a special committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known as ACIP, or the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
0:58.9	And in June, there was a major shake-up to business as usual and the very makeup of this group.
1:06.5	My coworker, public health correspondent Ping Wong, has been following all of these developments.
1:10.8	Hey. Hey, Emily. Yeah all of these developments. Hey.
1:11.2	Hey, Emily.
1:12.1	Yeah.
1:12.6	Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of ACAP a few weeks ago,
1:18.0	and he replaced them with seven new members, many of whom do not have deep expertise in vaccines.
1:23.5	Some of them have spread vaccine misinformation.
	...

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