12/19/2025
Recall that Secretary Kennedy fired all 17 of the experienced vaccine scientists and researchers that made up the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP develops vaccine policy for the nation. Kennedy replaced those experienced members with his own handpicked, vaccine-skeptic appointees, many of whom have no meaningful experience in vaccine development and implementation but have been immersed in a range of anti-vax initiatives for years.
At the December 2025 ACIP meeting, this new, handpicked group voted to remove the previous ACIP recommendation for a universal birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine. Hepatitis B is a devastating disease and often leads to other forms of liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The hepatitis B recommendation is over three decades old, is one of the most successful vaccine programs in history, and has brought the U.S. almost to complete eradication of the disease.
On December 16, 2025, the politically appointed, non-physician acting CDC director approved this change.
The removal of the recommendation for a hep B birth dose by the new, vaccine-skeptic ACIP, and the approval of it by the acting CDC director, were not based on scientific data or evidence. Instead, it was all driven by anti-vax politics and ideology. It will lead to more disease and more heartache, suffering and death for America’s families and children.
I was proud to participate in the attached AMA statement opposing this reckless decision and commend it to your review. All physicians, and anyone who believes in public health, must speak out against this.
