Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed eight new members to a federal vaccine advisory panel, together with Dr. Robert Malone, a controversial determine who as soon as claimed individuals have been “hypnotized” into believing official COVID-19 steerage.
On Wednesday, Kennedy introduced the brand new slate for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on an X submit. The panel advises each the CDC and HHS on vaccine coverage.
In keeping with Kennedy, all eight appointees are dedicated to requiring sturdy security and efficacy knowledge earlier than recommending any new vaccines. Among the many group is Malone, a former researcher concerned in early mRNA research who gained notoriety for his 2021 look on The Joe Rogan Expertise.
Within the episode, he likened COVID-19 well being messaging to mass hypnosis and made comparisons between vaccine mandates and Nazi-era medical experiments—feedback that drew widespread backlash from public well being consultants.
Following the episode, over 250 healthcare professionals signed an open letter urging Spotify to handle what they known as the podcast’s promotion of COVID-19 misinformation, in response to the Each day Beast. Malone has since defended his remarks, claiming that labeling dissent as misinformation is a tactic used to discredit reputable debate.
The opposite new ACIP members embody Dr. Martin Kulldorff, identified for opposing pandemic restrictions, and a number of other researchers and physicians with backgrounds in public well being and epidemiology. The committee’s subsequent assembly is scheduled for June 25.
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