The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed multiple members of the committee that advises the agency on vaccines, including Paul Offit, a vocal critic of RFK Jr. A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that the FDA informed several members of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) their special government employee terms had expired, ending their participation in advisory work.
Dr. Paul Offit, who previously served on VRBPAC through January 31, 2027, was among those no longer listed as a member on the FDA website. Offit, who did not respond to requests for comment, expressed confusion over his removal, questioning why he was excluded despite his longstanding advocacy for vaccines. He criticized new FDA requirements mandating placebo-controlled trials for all new vaccines, calling the policy “anti-vaccine activism come to the policy side.”
Offit also accused RFK Jr. of spreading misinformation during a measles epidemic, citing his claims that vaccines cause blindness and deafness as false. He called on Senator Bill Cassidy to take stronger action against RFK Jr.’s influence but argued the senator’s efforts were insufficient. The FDA’s decision has sparked debate over transparency and the role of advisory committees in shaping vaccine policies.