A federal judge on Monday (March 16) blocked key components of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial effort to reshape US vaccine policy, including his plan to reduce the number of childhood shots routinely recommended.
US District Judge Brian Murphy of Boston ruled in favor of the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups, which argued that Kennedy’s policies would lower vaccination rates and jeopardize public health.
“This is a significant victory for public health, evidence-based medicine, the rule of law, and the American people,” said Richard Hughes, lawyer for the plaintiffs. “The government may appeal this decision, and we have much more work to do to achieve a full victory on the merits. But for now, we get to celebrate a rare bit of good news.”
Judge criticizes Kennedy Administration’s approach
Judge Murphy, appointed by President Joe Biden, emphasized that US vaccine policy has long been rooted in scientific methods codified into law.
“For decades, the United States had been focused on the eradication and reduction of diseases using vaccines, which were developed through a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements,” Murphy said.
He added that under Kennedy, the government “has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions.”
Advisory Committee appointments overturned
The ruling also blocked Kennedy’s 13 appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) from serving ahead of a planned March 18–19 meeting. The judge invalidated prior votes by the panel to alter vaccine recommendations.
Murphy said that because the ACIP had been unlawfully reconstituted with Kennedy-aligned officials, previous decisions—including downgrading recommendations for hepatitis B vaccines for newborns and COVID-19 shots—were also invalid.
Controversial policy changes challenged
The plaintiffs argued that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acted unlawfully when it cut the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccinations to 11 on January 5. The move also downgraded immunization recommendations for six diseases, including rotavirus, influenza, and hepatitis A.
Kennedy’s replacement of all 17 independent ACIP experts last year was also challenged, with critics arguing that the advisory panel no longer reflected a fairly balanced membership as required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
Implications for vaccine policy and public health
The court’s decision represents a significant setback for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist appointed last year by President Donald Trump to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Vaccine makers—including Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, Merck, Sanofi, and GSK—have expressed concern over the instability in US vaccine policy. Pediatricians have also reported growing skepticism from parents regarding vaccinations.
Lawyers from the US Department of Justice defended Kennedy, stating that while HHS welcomes debate, Kennedy and his officials “had broad authority to change policy to address a decline in public trust following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
