RFK Jr.’s New Vaccine Panel Loses Member Ahead of First Meeting

The health secretary named eight members to the panel in June; it now has seven.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 24, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

A doctor who was named to a federal advisory panel has decided not to serve, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on June 24.

“Dr. Michael Ross decided to withdraw from ACIP [Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices] during the financial holdings review required of members before they can start work on the committee,” an HHS spokesperson told news outlets in a statement.

“The sacrifice to serve on ACIP varies from member to member, and we appreciate Dr. Ross’s willingness to go through this rigorous process.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named eight members, including Ross, to the committee earlier in June, after dismissing all 17 members of the panel.

The committee advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines and is set to meet in Atlanta on June 25 and June 26.

The CDC website listing members does not show Ross as a member of the panel. Ross could not be reached for comment.

Ross, who holds a medical degree, previously worked as a professor at George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth University, spokespersons for the schools confirmed to The Epoch Times. His résumé also includes time as a member of a CDC panel that offered advice on preventing cancer and research into breast cancer prevention.

Ross is listed as an operating partner at Havencrest Capital Management, a biotechnology company that has invested in companies involved in vaccine development and autism therapy.

Ross’s biography on Havencrest’s website describes him as “a serial CEO and physician leader with over 35 years of executive experience in leading private healthcare and life science companies.”

Kennedy, when announcing Ross as a new member, said that “his continued service on biotech and healthcare boards reflects his commitment to advancing innovation in immunology, reproductive medicine, and public health.”

Kennedy told members of a congressional panel in Washington on Tuesday that the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices was “rife with conflicts at the pharmaceutical companies.” An Epoch Times review found that some of the people removed by Kennedy voted on vaccines despite receiving or recently receiving money from firms that stood to benefit from the votes.

Kennedy also defended his new hires, telling lawmakers that “none of them are anti-vax” and highlighting the experience of the chair, longtime epidemiologist Martin Kulldorff, and a member, Dr. Robert Malone, who helped invent messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), which is utilized in COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna.

He added, “We have scientists, immunologists, toxicologists, every kind of medical discipline you would want on that committee.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said earlier in the week that new members hold scientific credentials but that “many do not have significant experience studying microbiology, epidemiology, or immunology.”

“In particular, some lack experience studying new technologies such as mRNA vaccines, and may even have a preconceived bias against them,” he said.

Cassidy, the chairman of the Senate Health Committee, called for this week’s committee meeting to be delayed until more members are named.