Vaccine Playbook Rewrite: Who’s In Charge?
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By
September 19, 2025
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9 min
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has initiated significant changes at the CDC, including the dismissal of its director and a restructuring of its vaccine advisory committee, which has raised concerns among state officials and medical societies about the reliability of federal vaccine recommendations. With states like California and Florida crafting their own guidelines, there is a looming possibility of divergent vaccination policies across the U.S. This fragmentation, along with financial implications related to insurance coverage, poses risks to public health efforts and could hinder vaccine accessibility.
1. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reshaped the CDC, firing its director.2. States are developing their own vaccine guidelines, diverging from federal recommendations.3. Financial implications may lead to increased costs for vaccines not recommended by the CDC.4. Massachusetts mandates insurers cover state-recommended vaccines.5. New groups are forming to challenge CDC guidance and support vaccine accessibility.
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