In this alternate reality, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken office and swiftly implemented sweeping reforms to America’s vaccine policy. These changes, which have riled many in the public health community, Kennedy kicked all 17 current ACIP experts off of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Earlier this month, he appointed a new seven-member panel to the commission. The decision on the move was enough to cause Dr. Fiona Havers, a former senior CDC vaccine adviser, to resign… particularly the new direction of the committee that she strongly opposed.
Kennedy’s actions are the latest front in his overall agenda that he has promoted for years. Prior to that in 2014, he wrote a best-selling book advocating for the instant removal of mercury from vaccines. He zeroed in particularly on thimerosal, a preservative that anti-vaccine groups have long associated with multiple health problems. More recently, Kennedy took to social media platform X to air his fears about the purported threats posed by thimerosal. His pronouncements have led to bitter disputes in the medical establishment.
Vaccine Policy Changes and Resignation
The changes that Kennedy recently slipped in have trumpeted alarm bells for public health officials and experts. His new vaccine advisory panel voted 5-2 to recommend that all Americans should get seasonal influenza shots free from thimerosal. This decision plays right into the hands of long-cherished anti-vaccine advocates, like Children’s Health Defense, which Kennedy founded. This fringe group has been behind the campaign to connect thimerosal with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders for the last 20 years.
Dr Fiona Havers—whose departure sparked the initial media attention—quit in protest when Kennedy changed the language of the vaccine policy. She criticized the new committee’s decision-making process, stating, “With the vote on thimerosal this afternoon, the new committee has turned the ACIP process into a farce.” Havers’ departure underscores the tension between traditional public health recommendations and the new direction under Kennedy’s leadership.
Dr Cody Meissner, a member of the advisory panel, voted in the negative on the recommendation about thimerosal. He expressed concerns about administering vaccines containing thimerosal to healthy children, stating, “The risk from influenza is so much greater than the nonexistent — as far as we know — risk from thimerosal.” He further noted, “So I would hate for a person not to receive the influenza vaccine because the only available preparation contains thimerosal.”
Thimerosal and its Use in Vaccines
As a note, Thimerosal will mainly be used in multi-dose vials of flu shots in the United States. Prepare for the 2024-25 flu season to come! According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), less than 5 percent of seasonal flu shots still use thimerosal. That’s because almost all flu shots are thimerasol-free. The FDA has reiterated that there is no evidence that thimerosal in vaccines is harmful.
None of these cumulative studies have convinced anti-vaccine advocates to stop claiming that thimerosal is a neurotoxin. Lyn Redwood, formerly associated with Children’s Health Defense, presented data to Kennedy’s panel arguing against the use of thimerosal. Her claims bolster the anti-vaccine movement’s continuing attack on vaccine safety and public health policy.
Whatever the future holds for Kennedy, his recent actions have already profoundly reshaped vaccine policy. Public health advocates have called attention to his documented anti-vaccination zealotry. His opposition to vaccines and alliances with extremist anti-vaccine movements make it unclear which way public health policies will be directed if he leads the CDC.
Future Directions for ACIP
The ACIP usually meets three times a year, and their next meeting is in the third quarter. This first meeting of 2023 will surely cover persistent issues surrounding vaccine safety and efficacy as guidelines continue to shift and change.
Kennedy pushed for and supports thimerosal-free influenza vaccines. This mighty transformation can serve as a rallying call to go further and win the hearts and minds of those still vaccine hesitant. This controversial new situation has caused an uproar among public health experts. They’re concerned that it may lower vaccination rates and jeopardize the safety of all Americans.
