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RFK Jr. names 8 new members to CDC vaccine advisory committee

RFK Jr. appoints eight new members to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, days after firing the panel's 17 sitting members.

Alivia Kaylor, MSc
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Published: 12 Jun 2025

Yesterday, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named eight new appointments to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, just days after removing the panel’s 17 sitting members.

Kennedy made the announcement via X, stating the new appointees would bring "top scientists with fresh perspectives" and that the panel would no longer serve as a "rubber-stamp."

Although two appointees bring prior federal vaccine advisory experience, several others lack direct expertise in the field and have personal or professional ties to groups or narratives critical of vaccines.

Newly appointed ACIP members

The eight newly named ACIP members include the following:

  • Joseph R. Hibbeln, M.D. A psychiatrist and nutritional scientist, Hibbeln is a former NIH researcher with expertise in fatty acid nutrition. He co-authored a 2018 study examining mercury exposure during pregnancy in response to now-debunked claims that vaccines caused autism.
  • Martin Kulldorff, Ph.D., Dr.h.c. A biostatistician and epidemiologist, Kulldorff is a former Harvard Medical School professor and co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which argues against broad COVID-19 public health restrictions. Kennedy’s announcement referred to him as a medical doctor, though Kulldorff’s LinkedIn profile does not list a medical degree.
  • Retsef Levi, Ph.D. A professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Levi specializes in operations management and healthcare risk analytics and has publicly called for an immediate halt to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination programs.
  • Robert Malone, M.D. As a physician and biochemist who contributed to early mRNA technology research, Malone has since become a leading figure in promoting widely discredited claims about COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. His career includes roles as director of clinical affairs at Avancer Group, faculty positions at the University of Maryland and Kennesaw State University, and leadership posts at Atheric Pharmaceutical and Alchem Laboratories focused on infectious disease therapeutics and vaccine development.
  • Cody Meissner, M.D. A pediatric infectious disease specialist, Meissner is one of two appointees with prior federal vaccine advisory experience, having served on both ACIP and the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). He has publicly opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children and pregnant women and disclosed past industry relationships during his prior federal service.
  • James V. Pagano, M.D. A board-certified emergency physician, Pagano brings decades of clinical experience and has served on multiple hospital committees. He has also written two fictional medical novels available online.
  • Vicky Pebsworth, OP, Ph.D., R.N. A registered nurse and researcher, Pebsworth formerly served on VRBPAC and has been affiliated with the National Vaccine Information Center, an advocacy group promoting vaccine exemptions and raising concerns about vaccine injuries. She has publicly said that her interest in vaccine safety began after her only child experienced long-term health problems following a 15-month vaccination visit.
  • Michael A. Ross, M.D. A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and professor at George Washington and Virginia Commonwealth universities, Ross has served on several private healthcare boards. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is currently chief medical officer at Manta Pharma, an implantable device company, and a part-time operating partner at Havencrest Capital Management, a private equity fund.

Four of the appointees, including Kulldorff, Malone, Meissner and Pebsworth, were also acknowledged in the dedication of Kennedy’s 2021 book The Real Anthony Fauci, which promoted unsubstantiated claims about federal vaccine policy.

Upcoming ACIP meeting

Kennedy has said the panel overhaul was needed to address alleged conflicts of interest among prior members, though he has not provided specific evidence to support those claims. Some new appointees, including Meissner, have previously disclosed financial relationships tied to past advisory roles, while Levi’s and Ross’s current or recent industry ties raise additional concerns.

The next ACIP meeting is scheduled for June 25–27, when the committee is expected to vote on recommendations for the 2025–2026 COVID-19 boosters and seasonal flu vaccines. No formal meeting agenda has been published as of June 12.

With only eight members currently appointed, the 19-member ACIP lacks the quorum required under its charter. Legal experts note that Kennedy would need to authorize temporary participation by ex officio federal health officials for the committee to move forward with official votes.

Alivia Kaylor is a scientist and the senior site editor of Pharma Life Sciences

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