A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily stopped several federal actions affecting the childhood vaccine schedule, including changes made under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
District Judge Brian Murphy paused the revised schedule, which reduced the number of recommended shots from 17 to 11. Murphy also suspended the appointments of 13 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee who were selected by Kennedy.
Committee actions put on hold
Kennedy had dismissed the committee’s previous members before naming the 13 new members. Murphy’s order also places a hold on votes taken by the Kennedy-appointed panel.
Those votes included an action eliminating the universal recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination at birth and a separate action narrowing recommendations for the combined MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday was postponed following the ruling.
Legal challenge
The American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine sued HHS over the policy changes. Their lawsuit alleged that the department did not comply with the Administrative Procedure Act.
Murphy wrote that the government had departed from required methods and “thereby undermined the integrity of its actions.”
Dr. Andrew Racine called the ruling a historic result for children, communities and pediatricians. Dr. Richard Besser said the decision was “a great day for children’s health.”
Administration response
The Trump administration may appeal the order. HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the department expects the decision to be reversed, adding: “HHS looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing.”