RFK Jr.'s overhaul of US vaccine policy and the CDC's vaccine panel

Active · last development Sep 25, 2026: “CDC vaccine policy recommendations grind to a halt under Health Secretary Kennedy”

What this arc covers

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s changes to US vaccine policy: his removal of all 17 members of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee and its new recommendations on COVID-19, hepatitis B and combination shots for children, the cuts to mRNA vaccine projects, the firing of CDC director Susan Monarez and her testimony about it, his claims about autism, the resignations and letters from health officials, the lawsuits and a judge's order halting his changes to children's vaccine policy, and the confirmation of Erica Schwartz as CDC director.

Photo from Philadelphia Inquirer, with CDC vaccine policy recommendations grind to a halt under Health Secretary Kennedy (Sep 25, 2026), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Feb 19, 2025 · 54 stories · 308 independent sources (counted once each) · 583 days

Part ofRobert F. Kennedy Jr.United States Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDonald TrumpUnited States Department of Health and Human ServicesErica SchwartzUnited States SenateUnited States Food and Drug AdministrationMyanmar

Part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

  1. RFK Jr.'s confirmation as health secretaryNov 14, 2024 – Feb 12, 2025
  2. RFK Jr.'s overhaul of US vaccine policy and the CDC's vaccine panelThis arcFeb 19, 2025 – Sep 25, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 252026CDC vaccine policy recommendations grind to a halt under Health Secretary Kennedy10 articles · 8 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 0 right
Sep 14– 182026Kennedy tells anti-vaccine activists they have a friend in Trump's White House32 articles · 29 independent sources
5 left, 8 center, 0 right
Aug 27– 292026RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that19 articles · 18 independent sources
3 left, 6 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Jun 9 – 13, 2025RFK Jr's shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations101 articles · 49 independent sources
    1. Jun 9, 2025RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine panel
    2. Jun 11, 2025RFK Jr.'s newest CDC vaccine panel includes critics of COVID shots, lockdowns
  2. Aug 5 – 8, 2025RFK Jr. Justifies Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Projects With Falsehoods77 articles · 42 independent sources
    1. Aug 5, 2025RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development
    2. Aug 7, 2025Fact focus: RFK Jr.'s reasons for cutting mRNA vaccine not supported by evidence
  3. Aug 27 – 28, 2025CDC director is out after less than a month; other agency leaders resign83 articles · 48 independent sources
  4. Dec 2 – 6, 2025US vaccine advisers say not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birth89 articles · 46 independent sources
    1. Dec 2, 2025CDC advisers could reverse newborn hepatitis B vaccine recommendations
    2. Dec 4, 2025RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisory committee delays vote on hepatitis B shots for newborns
  5. Jul 30 – Aug 1, 2026Senate committee advances nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Trump’s CDC director55 articles · 38 independent sources
  6. Aug 4 – 7, 2026Senate confirms Schwartz as CDC director135 articles · 57 independent sources
    1. Aug 4, 2026Only center coverage:Senate poised to confirm CDC leader
    2. Aug 5, 2026Senate confirms Dr. Erica Schwartz as CDC director
  7. Aug 10 – 16, 2026GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy slams Trump’s childhood vaccine order, warns kids may die: ‘crazy, stupid’490 articles · 142 independent sources
    1. Aug 10, 2026Trump signs order calling for spacing out childhood vaccines, against medical groups' guidance
    2. Aug 11, 2026President Trump issues Executive Order changing childhood vaccine recommendations
    3. Aug 12, 2026Trump’s vaccine order hands some MAHA voters a win. It also gives Democrats an attack line
    4. Aug 13, 2026Trump's vaccine plan would require millions of individual shots last used decades ago
    5. Aug 16, 2026Trump’s vaccine order is counterproductive and ‘wrong on so many levels,’ GOP lawmaker says

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Feb 2025Jun 2025Oct 2025Feb 2026May 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Feb 17, 202515019
Mar 24, 2025921779
Apr 7, 202548342
Apr 14, 202528541
May 12, 20252208
May 26, 20251519586
Jun 9, 202513268115
Jun 23, 20251206
Jul 7, 202544111
Jul 28, 202515127
Aug 4, 20251014481
Aug 18, 2025714151
Aug 25, 20251320885
Sep 1, 202510196110
Sep 8, 20252407
Sep 15, 20251019293
Oct 6, 20251327
Dec 1, 2025923395
Dec 15, 202513113
Mar 16, 20261010748
Apr 13, 202656341
Jul 6, 20260228
Jul 13, 2026114353
Jul 20, 202603013
Jul 27, 2026149977
Aug 3, 2026171116150
Aug 10, 2026395933481
Aug 17, 202625012
Aug 24, 202646119
Sep 14, 202658031
Sep 21, 202602010

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

25% left · 57% center · 18% right of 308 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 54 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. February 2025

    Feb 19Kennedy says panel will examine childhood vaccine schedule after promising not to change it10 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
  2. Feb 20– 21A CDC vaccine committee meeting, the first of Kennedy's tenure at HHS, gets postponed9 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  3. March 2025

    Mar 24– 25Trump picks acting CDC director Susan Monarez to lead the agency23 articles · 19 independent sources
    2 left, 9 center, 3 right
  4. Mar 29– 30Top vaccine official resigns from FDA, criticizes RFK Jr. for promoting 'misinformation and lies'57 articles · 35 independent sources
    7 left, 14 center, 5 right

  5. April 2025

    Apr 10– 11RFK Jr. pledges HHS will determine cause of autism by September42 articles · 23 independent sources
    4 left, 8 center, 3 right
  6. Apr 14– 16Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says US autism cases are climbing at an 'alarming rate'11 articles · 11 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 1 right
  7. Apr 16– 17RFK Jr. calls autism a 'preventable disease,' launches environmental study32 articles · 13 independent sources
    2 left, 5 center, 4 right

  8. May 2025

    May 14What to expect at RFK Jr.’s first Senate hearing as health secretary8 articles · 8 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 0 right
  9. May 27CDC ends Covid vaccine recommendation for healthy kids and pregnant women21 articles · 17 independent sources
    4 left, 8 center, 1 right
  10. May 27RFK Jr. cuts COVID vaccine recommendation for healthy kids, pregnant women16 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
  11. May 27– 30FDA: COVID-19 vaccine choice in pregnancy is personal5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 0 right
  12. May 27– 30CDC continues to recommend COVID vaccines for children, contradicts Kennedy44 articles · 35 independent sources
    11 left, 11 center, 4 right

  13. June 2025

    Jun 9– 13RFK Jr's shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations101 articles · 49 independent sources
    12 left, 23 center, 8 right
  14. Jun 9RFK Jr. says he is removing all 17 members of CDC's vaccine advisory committee19 articles · 15 independent sources
    3 left, 7 center, 0 right
  15. Jun 26CDC scientists push back on vaccine presentations casting doubt on immunization safety6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  16. July 2025

    Jul 7Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy change11 articles · 11 independent sources
    4 left, 4 center, 1 right
  17. Jul 30Susan Monarez confirmed as Trump's CDC director27 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right

  18. August 2025

    Aug 5– 8RFK Jr. Justifies Cuts to mRNA Vaccine Projects With Falsehoods77 articles · 42 independent sources
    10 left, 12 center, 4 right
  19. Aug 7RFK Jr.’s vow to overhaul vaccine injury program echoes grievances of anti-vaccine movement6 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
  20. Aug 19– 20US pediatricians' new COVID-19 shot recommendations differ from CDC advice41 articles · 25 independent sources
    4 left, 11 center, 1 right
  21. Aug 20– 21750 HHS employees send signed letter to RFK Jr. asking him to stop spreading misinformation12 articles · 10 independent sources
    3 left, 5 center, 0 right
  22. Aug 27– 28CDC director is out after less than a month; other agency leaders resign83 articles · 48 independent sources
    8 left, 20 center, 8 right
  23. Aug 28RFK Jr faces calls to quit as CDC chief fired and senior staff resign: ‘an embarrassment’9 articles · 9 independent sources
    6 left, 0 center, 2 right

  24. September 2025

    Sep 1Former CDC directors say RFK Jr. is endangering Americans' health7 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  25. Sep 1– 4Ousted CDC chief warns that RFK Jr. is politicizing public health13 articles · 9 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 3 right
  26. Sep 3– 6RFK Jr. testifying at Senate hearing about CDC, vaccine policies48 articles · 18 independent sources
    6 left, 8 center, 3 right
  27. Sep 3– 6RFK. Jr’s family members say he is a ‘threat’ to Americans’ health and call for his resignation28 articles · 18 independent sources
    0 left, 6 center, 3 right
  28. Sep 4– 6Kennedy tries to defend COVID-19 vaccine stance in raucous Senate hearing18 articles · 18 independent sources
    3 left, 9 center, 2 right
  29. Sep 10Fired CDC director Susan Monarez to testify before Senate7 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 0 right
  30. Sep 15– 20Kennedy's vaccine advisers weigh COVID-19 shot recommendations30 articles · 20 independent sources
    3 left, 7 center, 1 right
  31. Sep 16– 19CDC advisers vote to recommend against combo vaccine for young kids, delay vote on newborn hepatitis B shot9 articles · 7 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 0 right
  32. Sep 16RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel expected to recommend delaying hepatitis B shot for children6 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right
  33. Sep 17Ex-CDC chief to testify RFK Jr. pressed her to endorse vaccine recommendations42 articles · 26 independent sources
    6 left, 7 center, 2 right
  34. Sep 18– 19Kennedy's advisory panel recommends new restrictions on MMRV vaccines10 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right

  35. October 2025

    Oct 9– 10RFK Jr. suggests circumcision is linked to autism. Here8 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 2 right

  36. December 2025

    Dec 2– 6US vaccine advisers say not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birth89 articles · 46 independent sources
    9 left, 22 center, 3 right
  37. Dec 2– 4CDC vaccine advisory committee meets to discuss hepatitis B shot, childhood immunization schedule9 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  38. Dec 17CDC formally stops recommending hepatitis B vaccines for all newborns14 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right

  39. March 2026

    Mar 16– 17Federal judge halts RFK Jr.’s changes to children's vaccine policies49 articles · 36 independent sources
    10 left, 10 center, 7 right

  40. April 2026

    Apr 16– 17Trump nominates Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, to serve as CDC director42 articles · 23 independent sources
    5 left, 6 center, 3 right

  41. July 2026

    Jul 8– 11RFK Jr. IS planning to release a COVID-19 vaccine injury list8 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 2 right
  42. Jul 15– 16CDC nominee says she won't betray science — and also backs Kennedy's actions54 articles · 30 independent sources
    11 left, 4 center, 3 right
  43. Jul 23– 24Senate committee postpones vote on whether to advance CDC director nominee13 articles · 13 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
  44. Jul 28– 31Trump Pushes RFK Jr. to Cut Childhood Vaccines Over Autism6 articles · 6 independent sources
    3 left, 1 center, 1 right
  45. Jul 30– Aug 1Senate committee advances nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Trump’s CDC director55 articles · 38 independent sources
    9 left, 7 center, 2 right

  46. August 2026

    Aug 2– 4RFK Jr. pushed falsehoods on COVID and vaccines during a CNN interview. It got heated as Dana Bash challenged him.35 articles · 32 independent sources
    4 left, 1 center, 17 right
  47. Aug 4– 7Senate confirms Schwartz as CDC director135 articles · 57 independent sources
    15 left, 11 center, 4 right
  48. Aug 10– 16GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy slams Trump’s childhood vaccine order, warns kids may die: ‘crazy, stupid’490 articles · 142 independent sources
    39 left, 58 center, 33 right
  49. Aug 10– 11Trump and RFK Jr. Repeat False and Misleading Vaccine Claims3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  50. Aug 17– 24Kennedy's quiet hunt for autism culprits stalls as Trump orders baseless changes to childhood shots5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  51. Aug 19– 20New CDC director acknowledges agency problems in first large staff meeting8 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right
  52. Aug 27– 29RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that19 articles · 18 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 1 right

  53. September 2026

    Sep 14– 18Kennedy tells anti-vaccine activists they have a friend in Trump's White House32 articles · 29 independent sources
    5 left, 8 center, 0 right
  54. Sep 25CDC vaccine policy recommendations grind to a halt under Health Secretary Kennedy10 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 0 right