Democracy Forward and National Health Law Program Send Warning of Risks of Anti-Science Meddling in Vaccine Recommendations 

Washington D.C. – A panel of ideologically-driven anti-science members could jeopardize public health by eliminating recommendations that proven and safe vaccines that prevent hepatitis B be made available for children and infants, according to a comment letter submitted today to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) by Democracy Forward and the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). 

The ACIP is scheduled to meet on December 4 and 5. On November 14, the committee quietly published an agenda disclosing that there will be presentations and discussions of hepatitis B vaccines at the upcoming meeting and, at the end of the day, “votes.” This comes after Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. summarily fired all 17 members of ACIP via a newspaper op-ed in June 2025 and replaced them with members who have little-to-no relevant experience, a demonstrated history of vaccine skepticism, and clear conflicts of interest. Before Secretary Kennedy’s politically driven elimination of the qualified board, ACIP members were widely respected members of the scientific community who possessed clinical, scientific, and public health expertise in immunization.

“We cannot allow political games to be played with people’s lives. Using handpicked anti-science extremists to eliminate vaccine requirements puts people – including and especially infants – in real danger,” said Joel McElvain, Senior Legal Advisor at Democracy Forward. “This dangerous sham of a process to eliminate vaccine recommendations without scientific reasoning cannot go unaddressed. Democracy Forward is honored to work with the trusted experts at the National Health Law Program to ensure important information about safe and proven vaccines is included in the record of the upcoming ACIP meeting.” 

“The Hep B birth dose vaccine has been extensively tested and established as highly effective at achieving full immunity from the Hep B virus,” noted Jane Perkins, Director of Litigation at NHeLP. “An ACIP recommendation that ignores the science will recklessly subject infected children to a lifetime of acute and chronic conditions and needlessly shorten their lives.”

Democracy Forward and NHeLP’s comment letter identifies a series of procedural irregularities and numerous violations of law in the process ACIP is using to pursue this dangerous political agenda. The letter also incorporates the expert advice of the Hepatitis B Foundation, which makes clear that Hepatitis B vaccines are safe and effective. 

The comment letter can be found here.

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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.