Leading Medical Groups Sue US Health Secretary Over COVID-19 Vaccine Rollback

Six leading medical and public health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Physicians (ACP), and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), have filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for rescinding COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant people and replacing the expert Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with individuals promoting anti-vaccine views. The lawsuit alleges that Kennedy's actions are scientifically unfounded, procedurally unlawful, and pose an ethical danger by undermining federal scientific oversight and dismantling evidence-based immunization policy. Health experts warn this shift has already led to increased vaccine hesitancy among adults and the worst measles epidemic in over 30 years in the United States. Plaintiffs claim that Secretary Kennedy's changes have caused confusion and anxiety among patients and healthcare providers, with pediatricians expressing grave concern about the erosion of trust in vaccines. The lawsuit seeks injunctions to block Kennedy's directives and restore the COVID-19 vaccine to immunization schedules, emphasizing the threat these policy rollbacks pose to public health. Medical leaders describe the administration's actions as a full-scale assault on the country's immunization infrastructure and warn of preventable harm to children and vulnerable populations.