WASHINGTON — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. amended the charter of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Monday, following a federal court ruling that blocked his earlier overhaul of the panel.
The notice published in the Federal Register renews the ACIP charter and modifies language on member selection. The updated text states that ACIP members “shall be selected and appointed by the HHS Secretary,” according to the document. The previous charter had said members “shall be selected by the Secretary.”
The change comes after U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston ruled on March 16 that Kennedy’s replacement of the panel’s 17 members last year likely violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The judge stayed the appointments of 13 members chosen by Kennedy and invalidated votes taken by the reconstituted panel.
Kennedy fired the previous ACIP members in June 2025 and appointed new ones, many of whom have expressed skepticism about vaccines. The panel had voted on changes including ending the universal recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and altering recommendations for the combined measles-mumps-rubella and varicella vaccine.
The court ruling also blocked broader changes to the childhood immunization schedule announced in January. Medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, challenged the actions, arguing they bypassed required procedures and expertise standards.
An HHS official confirmed the postponement of an ACIP meeting that had been scheduled for mid-March. Details on the status of prior panel members remain unclear.
In the charter renewal, the department broadened criteria for membership expertise, according to reports on the document. The move appears to expand the HHS secretary’s authority to appoint members directly.
Kennedy has said the changes aim to restore public confidence in vaccine science. Critics, including the suing medical groups, contend the overhaul undermined the panel’s independence and scientific balance required under federal law.
A spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics called the March ruling “a major victory” for evidence-based processes, according to published accounts. The Trump administration had argued that the secretary holds broad authority over advisory committees.
The ACIP provides recommendations to the CDC on vaccine use, which influence immunization schedules and insurance coverage. Its meetings and votes had been suspended following the court order.
As of Monday, no new meeting date has been announced, and the panel’s operations remain affected by the ongoing legal proceedings. The case continues in federal court.
