Kennedy Appoints Five New Members to Federal Vaccine Advisory Panel
Kennedy Appoints Five New Members to Federal Vaccine Advisory Panel
LN24 / 34 minutes
September 16, 2025
2 min read
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed five new individuals to a restructured federal panel that provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine-related policies.
The announcement comes just ahead of the panel’s scheduled meeting this week, where members are expected to review vaccine recommendations for hepatitis B, measles-mumps-rubella-varicella, and COVID-19. The session is drawing significant attention due to its potential impact on national vaccination policy.
In June, Kennedy removed all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices and began assembling a smaller group more aligned with his stance on vaccines. The revamped committee will now consist of 12 members, including the five newly announced.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the following individuals are joining the committee and will participate in this week’s discussions:
Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a paediatric cardiologist who has researched myocarditis linked to COVID-19 vaccines and previously supported treatments for COVID-19 that were not endorsed by major public health agencies.
Dr. Catherine Stein, an epidemiologist at Case Western Reserve University, known for opposing vaccine mandates on college campuses in 2022.
Hilary Blackburn, a pharmacist from St. Louis, Missouri, and the daughter-in-law of U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn.
Dr. Raymond Pollak, a semi-retired transplant surgeon with expertise in immunology.
Dr. Evelyn Griffin, an obstetrician from Louisiana who has publicly criticized COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
An internal document from the CDC earlier this month indicated that seven new members were expected to be named, but two individuals previously under consideration — Joseph Fraiman and John Gaitanis — were not included in this latest round of appointments.
