Judge blocks RFK Jr's changes to US childhood vaccine schedule

"Judge Brian Murphy also suspended Kennedy's appointments to an advisory vaccine panel, many of whom were vaccine-sceptics. Kennedy was a longtime antivaccine activist before joining President Donald Trump's administration. The ruling means a scheduled Wednesday meeting for the vaccine panel, called the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (Acip) will be postponed, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)."

"After taking the helm at HHS, Kennedy fired all the members of Acip, an advisory panel made up of outside experts that issues recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on who should get jabs and when. Kennedy replaced them with his own picks, who have mostly expressed a host of sceptical views about vaccines."

"Since taking office a year ago, Kennedy has sought to change and loosen vaccine regulations, including slashing the number of recommended shots for children from 17 to 11. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other large medical groups had sued, saying Kennedy's changes violated federal law."

A federal judge halted sweeping changes to childhood immunization policies proposed by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who sought to reduce recommended vaccine shots for children from 17 to 11. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other major medical organizations successfully sued, arguing Kennedy's modifications violated federal law. Judge Brian Murphy also suspended Kennedy's appointments to the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, many of whom held vaccine-skeptical views. Kennedy, a longtime antivaccine activist, had fired all existing panel members upon taking office and replaced them with his own selections. The ruling postpones a scheduled vaccine panel meeting. The Trump administration indicated it would appeal the decision, while medical groups praised the ruling as protecting children's health.

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