US doctors withdraw from CDC vaccine committee, as RFK Jr appoints Bhattacharya as ... - The BMJ
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has withdrawn from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), warning that recent changes "undermine the committee's scientific integrity and evidence-based approach to vaccine policy." The withdrawal follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s dismissal of all 17 ACIP members in June 2025 and the subsequent appointment of new members. Separately, Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, has been named acting director of the CDC in addition to his existing role, as several senior CDC leaders departed the agency.
US doctors withdraw from CDC vaccine committee, as RFK Jr appoints Bhattacharya as acting director
BMJ 2026; 392 doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s422(Published 02 March 2026) Cite this as: BMJ 2026;392:s422
Janice Hopkins Tanne
New York
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has withdrawn from an influential advisory committee on immunisation practices over changes to national recommendations.
It warned that the changes “undermine the committee’s scientific integrity and evidence based approach to vaccine policy.”1
Meanwhile, Jay Bhattacharya, head of the National Institutes of Health, has been appointed acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in addition to his existing role, as several other senior leaders left the agency.
The ACOG stepped away from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the CDC on vaccination.
US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr—whose Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees the CDC—dismissed all 17 members of the ACIP in June 2025, subsequently appointing several new members, some of whom …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £184 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
- For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:£50 / $60/ €56 (
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.
Sign in to leave a comment.