Trending Now - RFK Jr.'s Vaccine Stance Faces GOP Pushback Amid Concerns

WHO:

Retsef Levi, appointed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation task force.

Colette Delawalla, founder of Stand Up for Science.

Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, former head of Israel’s public health services.

Nadav Davidovitch, epidemiologist and public health physician.

Lonni Besançon, assistant professor in data visualization at Linköping University.

Jess Steier, executive director of the Center for Unbiased Science & Health.

Elizabeth Jacobs, professor emerita at the University of Arizona.

Colette Delawalla, founder of Stand Up for Science

Ole Skøtt, dean of health sciences at the University of Southern Denmark

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Joao Bernardo Vieira, Guinea-Bissau’s foreign minister

Yap Boum II, senior official at the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Landry Dongmo Tsague, director of primary health care at Africa CDC

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary

Retsef Levi, appointed adviser and chair of the COVID-19 immunization workgroup at ACIP

Jessica Malaty Rivera, infectious disease epidemiologist and science communicator

Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, former head of Israel’s public health services

Nadav Davidovitch, epidemiologist and public health physician

Lonni Besançon, assistant professor in data visualization at Linköping University

Jess Steier, executive director of the Center for Unbiased Science & Health

Elizabeth Jacobs, professor emerita at the University of Arizona

Dr. Jake Scott, infectious diseases specialist and clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine

WHAT:

Levi claimed that COVID-19 vaccines are the “most failing medical product in the history of medical products.”

A modeling study published in 2022 in the Lancet estimated that COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 20 million lives in the first year they were available.

A 2022 study co-authored by Levi found that emergency medicine calls for myocarditis increased among vaccinated individuals aged 16 to 39 in Israel.

Levi's research has been criticized for being misleading and lacking basic scientific standards.

A July 2025 article co-authored by Levi claimed the Pfizer vaccine carries a higher mortality risk than Moderna, but it was published as a preprint and not peer-reviewed.

The published agenda for ACIP’s March 18th and 19th meeting indicates the committee will focus on COVID-19 vaccine injuries, long COVID, and potential changes to vaccine recommendation methodologies.

The US allocated $1.6 million to the hepatitis B trial, with matching funding from the Pershing Square Foundation and the Bluebell Foundation.

The University of Southern Denmark has paused “all work related to the study” while it is reviewed.

The WHO released a statement on February 13th, 2026, outlining its “significant concerns” over the study’s “scientific justification, ethical safeguards, and overall alignment with established principles for research involving human participants.”

The US House committee on energy and commerce detailed concerns about the hepatitis B trial in a letter dated February 6th, 2026, calling the trial “ethically disturbing and scientifically unsound.”

Retsef Levi was appointed to lead a task force on COVID vaccine recommendations in July 2025.

Levi claimed COVID-19 vaccines are “the most failing medical product in the history of medical products.”

ACIP is set to meet on March 18th and 19th, 2026, to discuss COVID vaccine injuries and long COVID.

A 2022 study co-authored by Levi found increased emergency calls for myocarditis among vaccinated individuals aged 16 to 39 in Israel.

The Israeli Ministry of Health questioned Levi's research methodology and interpretations.

A July 2025 article co-authored by Levi claimed the Pfizer vaccine has a higher mortality risk than Moderna.

A survey published by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 22% of respondents understood “shared clinical decision making” as “taking the vaccine may not be a good idea for everyone but would benefit some.”

WHERE:

The meeting of ACIP will take place in the United States.

The trial is taking place in Guinea-Bissau.

The meeting of ACIP will take place in the United States.

Levi holds dual citizenship in Israel and the United States.

WHEN:

The meeting of ACIP is scheduled for March 18th and 19th, 2026.

The US House committee on energy and commerce sent a letter on February 6th, 2026, regarding the hepatitis B trial.

The WHO stated on February 11th, 2026, that it was “unethical to proceed with this study.”

The US House committee sent a letter on February 6th, 2026, regarding the hepatitis B trial.

The University of Southern Denmark paused the study on February 19th, 2026.

Levi was appointed in July 2025.

ACIP's meeting is scheduled for March 18th and 19th, 2026.

A study co-authored by Levi was published in 2022.

WHY:

Concerns have been raised that the hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau could serve as a prototype for future studies under Kennedy’s administration.

Concerns were raised about the ethical implications of the hepatitis B vaccine trial, with fears it could serve as a prototype for future studies under Kennedy’s administration.

Levi's appointment and the overhaul of ACIP were part of a broader strategy by Kennedy to reshape vaccine recommendations.

Critics argue that Levi's research promotes an anti-vaccine agenda and undermines public trust in vaccines.

HOW:

The ethics committee in Guinea-Bissau charges a fee for each study review, which could influence approval of protocols.

Levi's research has been criticized for methodological flaws and lack of peer review.

Levi defended his work by stating it follows a rigorous, evidence-based process and engages experts in discussions.

(UPDATED March 12, 2026 01:27 UTC)

Retsef Levi has been appointed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead a new COVID-19 vaccine recommendation task force, which includes notable figures like Colette Delawalla and Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis. Levi has made controversial claims about the COVID-19 vaccines, calling them the “most failing medical product in history,” despite studies suggesting they saved nearly 20 million lives in their first year. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, is set to meet in the United States on March 18th and 19th to discuss vaccine injuries and long COVID, amid ongoing concerns about the ethics of vaccine trials, such as the hepatitis B trial in Guinea-Bissau.

(UPDATED March 11, 2026 23:06 UTC)

In a significant development, the US has allocated $1.6 million to a hepatitis B trial taking place in Guinea-Bissau, but the University of Southern Denmark has paused all work related to the study amid growing concerns. The World Health Organization expressed serious reservations about the trial's scientific justification and ethical safeguards in a statement released on February 13, while the US House committee on energy and commerce labeled the trial as "ethically disturbing and scientifically unsound" in a letter dated February 6. As the ethics committee in Guinea-Bissau reviews the study, concerns linger that the trial could set a troubling precedent for future research under the current administration.

(UPDATED March 11, 2026 19:18 UTC)

In a significant development, Retsef Levi has been appointed to lead a task force on COVID vaccine recommendations as part of a broader strategy by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape vaccine policies. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, is set to meet on March 18th and 19th to discuss concerns surrounding COVID vaccine injuries and long COVID, amidst ongoing debates about the efficacy and safety of these vaccines. Critics have raised questions about Levi's research methodology, which has been accused of promoting an anti-vaccine agenda, while he defends his work as evidence-based and rigorous.