HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced the appointment of two new members to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Both are physicians who have specialized in pediatrics.
The two new members are Dr. Sean G. Downing, a physician specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics, and Dr. Angelina Farella, a pediatrician and owner of A Brighter Tomorrow Family Health and Wellness in Webster, Texas.
HHS said these appointments reflect the commitment of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to transparency, rigorous science and diverse clinical expertise in guiding immunization policies.
"ACIP must scrutinize the evidence openly, ask hard questions, and earn the nation's confidence through transparent deliberation," Kennedy said by statement. "Dr. Downing and Dr. Farella bring decades of real-world experience caring for children, adults, and families – and that frontline perspective is essential to making recommendations that are grounded in gold-standard science and worthy of public trust."
ACIP provides recommendations to the CDC director and HHS secretary on the use of immunizations for the control of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The appointments follow a lawsuit by 15 states over a new vaccine policy to eliminate seven childhood immunizations from the vaccine schedule.
RFK Jr., "an anti-vaccine activist," and the CDC stripped seven childhood vaccines of their universally recommended status in favor of "senseless complexity that will make children sicker and strain state resources," the lawsuit said.
In June 2025, Kennedy fired all 17 ACIP voting members and replaced them with a majority of his own "anti-vaccine acolytes," the lawsuit said.
Friday's HHS release said that in June 2025, Kennedy reconstituted ACIP to restore public trust in vaccines.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has withdrawn from an advisory committee on immunization practices over changes to national recommendations, according to The BMJ. It warned that the changes "undermine the committee's scientific integrity and evidence based approach to vaccine policy."
Downing is a Florida-licensed physician who has practiced primary care for more than two decades, including internal medicine and pediatric concierge care.
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org