00:00In other news, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of a key committee that issues official government recommendations on immunizations.
00:12He claims that conflicts of interest on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have undermined public trust in vaccines.
00:20A vocal vaccine skeptic, Kennedy said the move was necessary to ensure that the American people receive the safest vaccines possible.
00:30He also stated that without these dismissals, Trump would have been unable to appoint a majority to the panel until 2028.
00:37Eight of the 17 vaccine experts had been appointed in January 2025, in the last days of President Biden's term.
00:45Most of the members are practicing doctors and experts affiliated with leading university hospitals.
00:51The panel is scheduled to meet on June 25th to vote on recommendations for vaccines against COVID-19, influenza and other illnesses.
01:00This is the most sweeping move yet in a series of actions by Kennedy to overhaul U.S. regulation of vaccines, food and medicine.
01:08Following the announcement, shares of vaccine makers Moderna and U.S.-listed BioNTech fell more than 1%, while Pfizer dropped slightly in extended trading on Monday.
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