A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s overhaul to vaccine policy, including the childhood vaccine schedule and his restructuring of a key vaccine advisory committee.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of Boston issued an opinion on Monday, March 16, 2026, siding with the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups who challenged the Department of Health and Human Services, arguing that Secretary Kennedy’s changes violated federal law.
Months after his confirmation, Secretary Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appointed several new members, many of whom are skeptical of established medical research on immunizations.
The ACIP has recommended immunization schedules to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1964.
In January, Secretary Kennedy and the CDC overhauled the childhood immunization schedule, reducing the number of recommended vaccines from 18 to 11. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, RSV, dengue, and two types of bacterial meningitis were dropped from the vaccine recommendations for infants.
"There is a method to how these decisions historically have been made—a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements," Judge Murphy wrote. "Unfortunately, the Government has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions."
Judge Murphy stated that the government had “bypassed” ACIP when it changed the vaccine schedule, disregarding the committee's "technical knowledge and expertise.” Additionally, Judge Murphy noted that the new members on the committee were appointed without a rigorous interview process.
Judge Murphy’s ruling prevented a government memo from authorizing the new immunization schedule and halted the appointments of 13 new ACIP members and their votes.
Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for HHS, said the agency “looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing.”
