Washington, DC, June 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with a bang. Some say the move was long overdue—while others see it as a dangerous concentration of power. But what is behind this taboo-breaking move?
The Commission under suspicion
For decades, the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization and Immunization) was considered the scientific backbone of U.S. vaccination policy. But its ties to the pharmaceutical industry have been repeatedly denounced: former members held patents, worked for vaccine manufacturers, or received research funding from the same companies whose products they later evaluated. Critics accused the panel of acting not independently but of becoming an extension of industry interests.
Kennedy, known for his critical stance on the pharmaceutical complex, is now pulling the emergency brake: “The credibility of vaccination policy can only be restored through a complete personnel reform,” the minister said. His goal: transparent and patient-centered medicine – without industry influence.
Will algorithms soon replace experts?
While Kennedy promises to appoint new members based on strict independence criteria, others envision a more radical solution: artificial intelligence as an independent advisor. In an era of big data, real-time epidemiological analysis, and automated risk assessments, this no longer seems like science fiction.
But critics warn: Who trains these algorithms? What data is used? And could AI end up being programmed by the very institutions whose influence we wanted to free ourselves from? So the call for technological independence is as important as the call for human integrity.
End the “lack of alternatives”
Kennedy’s decision marks a historic turning point – away from the notion that vaccination policy is “pure science,” an unwavering consensus. In fact, it has always been politically, economically, and morally charged. The new approach opens the door to controversial debates, new research – and perhaps even treatments that are not automatically promoted by lobbying pressure.
What is threatening – and what is possible?
Of course, firing all members also carries risks: loss of knowledge, structural disruption, and uncertainty in medical practice. But it also offers an opportunity: a vaccination policy that once again serves patients instead of shareholders.
Kennedy has sent a powerful message: healthcare decisions can no longer be made behind closed doors by experts with conflicting interests. The question now is whether he can create a new model – or will the digital leviathan take over?
Summary:
The dismantling of the old ACIP is a liberating step, but not the end. The United States faces a fundamental overhaul of its vaccination policy. Whether this leads to greater freedom or an AI-driven healthcare system will be decided in the coming months.
