Trending Now - Court Halts RFK Jr.'s Proposed Changes to Vaccine Guidelines

WHO:

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, appointed by President Joe Biden

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Richard Hughes IV, attorney representing the American Academy of Pediatrics

Dr. Robert Malone, Kennedy's appointee to the committee

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated, "This decision effectively means that a science-based process for developing immunization recommendations is not to be trifled with and represents a critical step to restoring scientific decision-making to federal vaccine policy that has kept children healthy for years."

Andrew Nixon, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said, "HHS looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing."

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy

Robert F. Kennedy, Health and Human Services Secretary

American Academy of Pediatrics

Coalition of medical groups and doctors

HHS spokesman

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics

WHAT:

Judge Brian Murphy's ruling stated that Kennedy's reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) likely violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

The judge's ruling temporarily blocks the new vaccine schedule adopted by the CDC in January 2026, which reduced the number of recommended vaccines from 17 to 11.

The judge found that only six of the 15 members currently on ACIP have meaningful experience in vaccines, and three of those lack the necessary expertise to study vaccines and immunizations.

The judge stated, "There is a method to how these decisions historically have been made—a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements."

Richard Hughes IV, attorney representing the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated, "ACIP as currently constituted cannot meet. How can a committee meet without nearly the entirety of its membership?"

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said, "When Secretary Kennedy made unsupported and unscientific changes to pediatric immunization recommendations last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was mission-bound to step up and push back against these dangerous actions that have sown chaos and confusion for parents and pediatricians across the country."

Judge Murphy's ruling stated that Kennedy's reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) likely violated federal law.

The judge's order is temporary, pending either a trial or a decision for summary judgment.

The number of vaccines recommended for children was cut from 17 to 11, with several vaccines now recommended primarily for high-risk children.

The upcoming ACIP meeting was scheduled to discuss COVID-19 vaccine safety but was postponed due to the ruling.

The judge's ruling temporarily blocks an order by Kennedy announced in January 2026 to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis, and RSV.

The upcoming ACIP meeting, scheduled for March 18th, 2026, was postponed following the ruling.

A federal judge blocked changes to the childhood vaccine schedule recommended by Kennedy and HHS.

The number of recommended childhood vaccines was cut from 17 to 11.

The judge's ruling halted a government memo enacting the new vaccine schedule and the appointments of 13 new ACIP members.

The judge found that Kennedy's actions violated federal law and granted an injunction to the medical organizations.

Only six of the new ACIP members appointed by Kennedy had meaningful experience in vaccines.

WHERE:

Boston, Massachusetts (location of U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy)

WHEN:

The lawsuit was originally filed in July 2025 and was updated as Kennedy took more steps that alarmed medical societies.

Ruling issued on March 16, 2026

Lawsuit brought in 2025

ACIP meeting postponed after the ruling

WHY:

The lawsuit was updated to address Kennedy's actions concerning the ACIP and the scaling back of the childhood vaccination schedule, which alarmed medical societies.

The lawsuit was updated to address Kennedy’s actions concerning the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises public health officials on vaccine recommendations.

The lawsuit argued that HHS's decisions were arbitrary and capricious.

The judge stated that the government had "bypassed" ACIP and disregarded established methods for vaccine recommendations.

HOW:

The judge ordered the appointments of the new ACIP members and all decisions made by the reformed committee to be put on hold, stating that the government had "bypassed" ACIP and disregarded established methods for vaccine recommendations.

The judge ordered the appointments of the new ACIP members and all decisions made by the reformed committee to be put on hold.

Kennedy fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

HHS scaled back the recommended childhood vaccine schedule earlier in 2026.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 19:23 UTC)

A federal judge has ruled that President Kennedy's reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices likely violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act, temporarily blocking the new vaccine schedule adopted by the CDC in January 2026, which reduced the number of recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. The judge noted that only six of the 15 current ACIP members have meaningful experience in vaccines, and he emphasized that the government had bypassed established methods for vaccine recommendations. In response, Dr. Andrew Racine from the American Academy of Pediatrics expressed concern over the unscientific changes to pediatric immunization recommendations, stating that these actions have created chaos and confusion for parents and pediatricians nationwide.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 13:25 UTC)

In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy stated that President Trump’s reconstitution of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices likely violated federal law, putting a temporary hold on the appointments and decisions made by the new committee. The judge's order comes as the number of vaccines recommended for children was reduced from 17 to 11, with many now primarily advised for high-risk children, alarming medical societies. As a result of this ruling, an upcoming ACIP meeting intended to discuss COVID-19 vaccine safety has been postponed.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 07:22 UTC)

A judge has temporarily blocked an order from Kennedy that aimed to end broad vaccination recommendations for children against several diseases, including flu and RSV, while also postponing the upcoming ACIP meeting set for March 18. Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, emphasized that this decision is crucial for restoring scientific decision-making in federal vaccine policy, which has historically kept children healthy. Meanwhile, Andrew Nixon from the Department of Health and Human Services expressed hope that the judge’s ruling will be overturned, similar to previous attempts to hinder the Trump administration's governance.

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 23:10 UTC)

In a significant ruling issued today, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy blocked changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that had been recommended by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, reducing the number of vaccines from 17 to 11. The judge found that Kennedy's actions violated federal law, granting an injunction to a coalition of medical groups and halting the appointment of 13 new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, due to concerns over their qualifications. This decision comes after a lawsuit filed in 2025 argued that the government's actions were arbitrary and disregarded established methods for vaccine recommendations, leading to the postponement of an ACIP meeting.