Kennedy Advisory Panel Backs Thimerosal-Free Flu Shots

The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), recently reconstituted by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with several vaccine skeptics, has voted to recommend that only thimerosal-free, single-dose flu vaccines be used for all Americans, despite longstanding scientific evidence of the preservative's safety. The decision, made by the new seven-member panel, was influenced by a presentation from a former anti-vaccine group leader and did not involve the standard CDC data review. Thimerosal has already been removed from almost all U.S. childhood vaccines since 2001 and remains present in less than 5% of flu shots, mainly in multi-dose vials. Experts warn that the policy could increase costs, reduce access in some areas, and further erode public trust, especially as flu vaccination rates decline. Public health professionals have expressed alarm, arguing that the move validates debunked safety fears. The panel's actions signal a shift in official policy toward anti-vaccine priorities, with potential implications for future immunization practices.