Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken swift action in his first week on the job, pulling promotional vaccine ads and indefinitely postponing a key advisory panel meeting.

Kennedy directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to remove its “Wild to Mild” flu vaccine campaign, which depicted a lion and a kitten as a metaphor for how the flu shot weakens the virus.

New: RFK Jr. announces plan to axe all paid propaganda of vaccines and pivots to having the CDC focus its communications on ‘informed consent’ —once a hallmark of practicing medicine that was arguably abandoned during the last 4+ years. Now patients will be informed of all risks… pic.twitter.com/9uLbLikeCo

— Lindsay Penney (@TexasLindsay_) February 21, 2025

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RFK Jr Says HHS Employees Are Welcoming Him With Open Arms

“One after the other, people came up to me and said, ‘I’ve been waiting for this for my whole career. We want to unleash science.’”pic.twitter.com/APf0HxnkB2

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 19, 2025

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The campaign was intended to address declining flu vaccination rates amid a severe flu season. However, Kennedy has pushed for a shift in the CDC’s approach, focusing on “informed consent” rather than persuasive advertising tactics.

In addition to scrapping the flu shot promotion, Kennedy also delayed the first meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a CDC panel responsible for providing recommendations on vaccines.

The meeting, originally scheduled for next week, would have covered guidance on immunizations for COVID-19, influenza, RSV, meningococcal disease, HPV, and monkeypox.

This postponement marks the first time in over 40 years that an ACIP meeting has been delayed outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kennedy’s actions have raised concerns among health professionals, who fear shifting the focus toward vaccine risks could lead to decreased immunization rates.

Critics worry that emphasizing potential side effects—most commonly mild reactions like injection site pain—could discourage individuals from receiving vaccines that help prevent serious illness.

No stone will be left unturned in our effort to end chronic disease. The health of our children is a higher calling for all of us. Watch my message to America and join me in this effort to Make America Healthy Again. pic.twitter.com/wj4b2h8Km4

— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) February 21, 2025

During his confirmation process, Kennedy faced scrutiny from lawmakers, particularly Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician and strong proponent of vaccinations.

Cassidy expressed concern over Kennedy’s past claims about a potential link between vaccines and autism.

In response, Kennedy assured senators that he would not alter the national vaccine schedule and pledged to give Congress advance notice of any policy changes.

However, following his confirmation, Kennedy signaled that vaccine policies could still be subject to review.

He reportedly told Health and Human Services staff that “nothing is off limits” when evaluating factors contributing to chronic illnesses in children.

The ACIP plays a significant role in shaping vaccine recommendations, with its guidance influencing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decisions and insurance coverage for immunizations.

Experts warn that delaying the panel’s work could disrupt vaccine availability and increase the risk of preventable diseases spreading.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, voiced concern over the meeting’s indefinite postponement.

“I’ve been associated with ACIP for 40 years and I don’t recall a previously postponed meeting” outside of the COVID-19 emergency, Schaffner told NBC News. “The postponement of a routinely scheduled meeting is concerning.”

The official reason given for the delay was to allow for additional public comment before the meeting is held.

Kennedy has previously laid out a policy blueprint advocating for stricter vaccine regulations.

His proposals include subjecting vaccines to the same approval standards as other pharmaceutical drugs, enhancing adverse event reporting systems, eliminating legal protections for vaccine manufacturers, and reassessing vaccine recommendations established before modern evidence-based guidelines.

While Kennedy’s approach does not explicitly reject vaccines, it has drawn criticism for echoing arguments frequently made by vaccine skeptics.

Experts point out that vaccines already undergo rigorous safety testing before approval and that highlighting potential injuries without clear statistical context can fuel unnecessary fears.

Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatric immunologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the FDA’s independent vaccine advisory committee, suggested that Kennedy’s decision to remove CDC vaccine campaigns could be part of a broader strategy to reduce the agency’s influence on immunization policy.

“They don’t want the CDC to be in a position to recommend vaccines for children. They want to eliminate their recommending status,” Offit said. “So I think this might be the first step in that.”

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