type: timeline_event
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expanded a key federal vaccine advisory panel to include more critics of vaccines who have contradicted mainstream medical guidance. Both new appointments—Kimberly Biss and Adam Urato—are OB-GYNs who were outspoken critics of coronavirus vaccines during pregnancy. One new appointee stated: "I was not anti-vaccine. I am now."
The appointments came as part of broader changes to the CDC under Kennedy's direction. In January 2026, CDC officials revised the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule, reducing the number of universally recommended vaccines from about 17 to roughly 11. Several vaccines—including flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, some meningococcal vaccines, and RSV—are no longer broadly recommended.
Since taking office in February 2025, Kennedy has overseen a dramatic reshaping of HHS agencies, including eliminating thousands of jobs and freezing or canceling billions of dollars for scientific research. Within two months of taking office, Kennedy announced a sweeping restructuring that would shut down entire agencies, consolidate others into a new one focused on chronic disease, and lay off some 10,000 employees on top of 10,000 others who had already taken buyouts.