RFK Jr. has dismantled over 75 percent of the Department of Health and Human Services' expert advisory panels, according to a new report by Public Citizen. This systematic purge, detailed in a January study, targeted critical committees like the NIH Center for Scientific Review Advisory Council, which advises on research funding allocation. Beyond NIH, the CDC lost nine committees, including those focused on vaccines, Alzheimer's disease, and health equity.

The FDA also terminated key panels covering arthritis treatments, medical imaging, and patient engagement. Interim HHS Secretary Mary Wakefield appointed 21 new members to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, at least eight of whom hold the debunked view that vaccines cause autism, sparking the formation of a competing nongovernmental advisory group. The report warns this erosion of independent expertise threatens biomedical progress, drug approval processes, and vaccine policy, leaving the US vulnerable to stagnation and corruption. All Americans should be incensed at this damage to federal health science infrastructure.