In a new blog post, Dr. Jeffrey A. Singer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, warns that the recent overhaul of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) highlights the danger of government guidelines.

Last June, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dissolved the 17-member ACIP panel and appointed new members, some skeptical of vaccines. Leading medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases Society of America, have criticized the move as chaotic and lacking transparency.
 
In June, the new panel voted to eliminate thimerosal-containing flu vaccines, a decision many experts say ignores scientific consensus and could reduce access.
 
“The issue isn’t thimerosal or COVID shots,” Singer said. “The problem is that government guidelines often become de facto mandates. These decisions should come from independent medical societies, not political appointees. Breaking the government’s monopoly on medical truth strengthens science and protects patient choice.”
 
To reach Dr. Singer about this topic, please feel free to reach out to Emily Salamon at esalamon@​cato.​org