The vaccine advisory committee appointed by U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has voted to change recommendations on childhood vaccines, sparking concern among public health experts and major medical groups.
In a contentious two-day meeting this week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8–3, with one abstention, to stop recommending the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children under four years old. Instead, the panel advised that children receive separate shots for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and for chickenpox. The decision diverges from long-standing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which had allowed parents and physicians to choose between the combination or separate doses.
The CDC presented data showing the MMRV vaccine carried a slightly higher risk of fever-related seizures in children aged 12 to 23 months. While the seizures are generally rare and resolve without lasting effects, the panel said the concern warranted restricting the use of the combined shot in younger children. Critics, however, argued that the move could reduce parental choice and add confusion to vaccine schedules.
Initially, ACIP also voted to continue covering the MMRV vaccine under the federally funded Vaccines for Children program, which provides free or low-cost vaccines to about half of U.S. children. But after confusion among members and criticism from pediatricians, the panel reversed itself the next day, removing the MMRV from coverage for children under four.
The committee postponed a separate vote on the hepatitis B vaccine schedule, which is currently recommended to begin at birth. Some ACIP members suggested delaying the first dose until at least one month of age unless the mother tests positive for hepatitis B. CDC scientists pushed back, citing data showing that a universal birth dose is the most effective way to prevent mother-to-child transmission and protect infants from unrecognized risks. The vaccine has long been credited with drastically reducing infections in the United States.
ACIP also debated COVID-19 vaccine guidance. The panel rejected a proposal requiring prescriptions for the shot but shifted away from broadly recommending it for the general population.
The recent appointments to ACIP—after Kennedy removed all prior members earlier this year—have fueled controversy. Several new panelists have expressed skepticism about vaccines, prompting backlash from major medical organizations. The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others, criticized both the committee’s composition and its decisions, warning that the new guidance undermines public trust and conflicts with scientific consensus.
While only advisory, ACIP recommendations carry significant weight in shaping U.S. vaccination practices. Public health officials warned the latest moves could erode long-standing protections against diseases once considered under control.