RFK Jr. Rewrites CDC Vaccine Panel Rules After Court Loss

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lost in court, then used a charter renewal to give himself sweeping control over the CDC’s vaccine safety panel. The new rules let him pick anyone he wants for the positions.

Kennedy heads the department overseeing the CDC. The charter change expands his authority to appoint panel members without the usual constraints that existed before. It’s a significant shift in how the influential vaccine advisory group will be staffed.

The move comes after a legal defeat on a related matter. Rather than accept the court’s decision, Kennedy used an administrative process to rewrite the rules governing the panel itself.

The CDC vaccine panel advises the government on immunization policy. Who sits on that panel matters. Kennedy’s new authority means the composition could shift dramatically based on his choices.