US-HHS destroys decades of scientific reputation – a threat to life and health

The abrupt removal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) by the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has triggered intense backlash from the medical, scientific, and public health communities worldwide. Leading experts, professional societies, and international observers warn that this unprecedented move will erode public trust, destabilize U.S. immunization policy, and directly endanger public health by increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and deaths. [1-3] Last but not least, it is a battle against science and scientists. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) wrote on its website on June 9th, 2025: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today took a bold step in restoring public trust by totally reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), an advisory committee that makes recommendations on the safety, efficacy, and clinical need of vaccines to the Centers for...