Federal judge blocks RFK Jr's vaccine policies, including changes to childhood immunization schedule

A federal judge Monday blocked a series of changes Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made to vaccines, including his recent overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January lowered the number of vaccines it recommends for children from 18 down to 11, citing a loss of trust in vaccines.

The CDC said it recommends children receive vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, HPV, and chickenpox.

The federal judge in Massachusetts also placed all new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on hold and stayed all the votes that the panel has made since June, including the decision to no longer recommend newborns receive the Hepatitis B vaccine.

Judge Brian Murphy said the decision comes after previous advisory panels made decisions based on careful reviews of scientific data, which has allegedly changed under the Trump administration, according to the New York Times.

"[The review] was a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements." he wrote. “Unfortunately, the government has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions.”

He also stated that only six of the 15 ACIP members have the expertise needed for the panel.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.