U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named eight new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), replacing all 17 members he dismissed earlier this week. Among them is Dr. Robert Malone, a former mRNA researcher who rose to prominence for his criticism of COVID-19 vaccines and pandemic-era policies.
Dr. Malone, who now runs a wellness institute and maintains a popular blog, became a central figure during the COVID-19 pandemic by promoting alternative treatments and questioning vaccine safety. He is widely credited with popularizing the term “mass formation psychosis,” describing it as a psychological condition in which large populations become hypnotized by a unifying narrative driven by fear. Malone has claimed this phenomenon led millions to take COVID-19 vaccines, which he has suggested may cause vaccine-induced AIDS-like conditions.
The restructured ACIP now includes critics of previous federal vaccine policy, including members tied to the Great Barrington Declaration and the National Vaccine Information Center. While Kennedy has not indicated whether more members will be added, the current panel is set to meet later this month to vote on recommendations for vaccines including those for COVID-19 and flu.
Kennedy has accused the previous committee of being too closely aligned with vaccine manufacturers and pledged to reform how public health recommendations are made.
