- Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, a top CDC vaccine advisor and pediatric expert, resigned – citing an inability to protect vulnerable populations, signaling internal discord over COVID-19 vaccine policies.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unilaterally removed COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, bypassing the usual advisory committee review process.
- The abrupt change sparked criticism for undermining scientific consensus, following earlier resignations like FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks, who accused Kennedy of spreading vaccine «misinformation.»
- Critics, including some experts, argue the CDC’s advisory committee lacks independence and is influenced by pharmaceutical ties, while others warn the resignations reveal internal fractures.
- The CDC now frames COVID-19 vaccines as optional for certain groups under «shared decision-making,» as tensions persist ahead of upcoming meetings to revisit vaccine recommendations.
A top member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention‘s (CDC) advisory committee on vaccines has stepped down amid a shift in the public health body’s stance on the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) injections.
Leading pediatric disease expert Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos resigned Tuesday, June 3, as co-leader of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In her resignation email sent to colleagues, she lamented her inability to «help the most vulnerable members» of the population. Panagiotakopoulos, who played a central role in shaping vaccine recommendations during the pandemic, insisted that her resignation was «a personal decision.»
Her departure follows a controversial decision by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women. This move marked a stark departure from the agency’s previous stance, which broadly recommended updated COVID-19 vaccines for everyone aged six months and older.
Historically, such changes followed a formal review by the ACIP – a supposedly «independent» panel of experts that votes on vaccine recommendations before the CDC director issues final guidance. But Kennedy announced the change unilaterally in a video message with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. (Related: CDC drops COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for healthy kids and pregnant women.)
The abrupt policy shift bypassed the CDC’s usual advisory process. It also prompted criticism from public health advocates who argue the move undermines scientific consensus.
Shakeups in FDA and CDC spark vaccine debate
Panagiotakopoulos’ resignation adds to growing turmoil within federal health agencies. In March, Dr. Peter Marks – a notable vaccine pusher – stepped down from the FDA. He accused Kennedy of promoting «misinformation and lies» about vaccines, painting the health secretary’s actions as a «clear danger» to public health.
According to Marks, he had been willing to work with Kennedy to address vaccine safety and transparency concerns. «However, it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary,» Marks wrote. Nevertheless, his departure opened the door for Dr. Vinay Prasad’s appointment as the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The CDC has since clarified that COVID-19 vaccines remain an option for children and pregnant women under «shared clinical decision-making» between doctors and patients. This nuanced shift falls short of an outright ban but reflects a more cautious approach.
Sources familiar with ACIP’s internal discussions say the working group had been considering narrowing vaccine recommendations while maintaining broader use for high-risk groups, including infants and immunocompromised individuals. But Kennedy’s intervention, however, preempted that process – leaving some experts frustrated.
Critics of the CDC’s vaccine policies, including Nebraska chiropractor Ben Tapper, argue that ACIP has long operated with insufficient transparency and ties to pharmaceutical companies. «It’s not evidence-based medicine, it’s institutional groupthink backed by corporate money,» Tapper told The Defender.
Yet Panagiotakopoulos’ departure has also drawn concern from those who see her resignation as a warning sign. «Her abrupt exit suggests internal fracture and quiet dissent,» said GreenMedInfo founder Sayer Ji.
As ACIP prepares for its next meeting later this month, where it will debate COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, the fallout from these resignations highlights a broader struggle over the role of science in public health policy. Ultimately, one thing is clear: The debate over vaccines is far from over.
Visit CDC.news for more similar stories.
Watch Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announcing that the COVID-19 vaccines are no longer in the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy kids and pregnant women.
This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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