The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the US market "within months," according to Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist and close associate of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Malhotra, who advises the Kennedy-aligned lobby group Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Action, told The Daily Beast that Kennedy's views are echoed by "influential" members of President Trump's family.
Policy Changes Already Underway
Since assuming his post, Kennedy has implemented sweeping changes to HHS policy that reflect his decades-long history of vaccine opposition. In May, the Secretary pushed to have routine COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and healthy pregnant women removed from CDC guidelines. A week earlier, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, alongside Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research director Vinay Prasad, unveiled a new risk-based framework for approving COVID-19 vaccines, focusing only on recipients who are at risk of the disease rather than pursuing widespread vaccination.
Kennedy has also restructured key advisory bodies. In June, he emptied the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices before reforming the committee days later with members of his choosing, some with anti-vaccine views that align with his own. Earlier this month, Kennedy scrapped more than 20 contracts under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which had been awarded to companies and organizations advancing mRNA vaccine research, canceling $500 million in mRNA vaccine funding.
Scientific Basis for Skepticism Questioned
The skepticism from Kennedy's circle is reportedly rooted in a 2022 peer-reviewed paper in the journal Vaccine, which claimed a 16% higher rate of "serious adverse events" among those receiving mRNA vaccines. However, this study has been widely dismissed by the scientific community due to methodological concerns and claims of bias.
Kennedy has called the COVID shot "the deadliest vaccine ever made" and stated without offering supporting evidence that "the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu."
Timeline and Implementation
Malhotra indicated that the withdrawal could happen "in a number of stages," including a review by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. "But given the increased talk of vaccine injuries in the past few weeks among the administration, it could also come with one clean decision," he said.
The cardiologist, who has become close to Kennedy in recent years, plans to meet with Trump to press his case. "I think [Trump will] get it, because it's in his interest to," Malhotra said. "He can create a lasting legacy by doing so."
Growing Opposition and Criticism
Kennedy's actions are drawing significant criticism from health professionals and organizations. The American Academy of Pediatrics continued to recommend COVID-19 vaccines for all children aged 6 to 23 months, regardless of risk profile—a direct contradiction to the CDC's current guidelines.
Over 750 current and former federal health employees published an open letter arguing that Kennedy is "complicit" in the erosion of public trust in health authorities. This growing mistrust, according to the letter, culminated in a shooting incident at CDC headquarters in which one police officer was killed.
Official Response
In response to the criticism, HHS stated Kennedy was "standing firmly with CDC employees." White House spokesman Kush Desai added, "Any discussion about HHS policy should be dismissed as baseless speculation."
A White House spokesperson told The Daily Beast that the Trump administration continues to abide by "Gold Standard Science" and is "committed to radical transparency" regarding decisions affecting all Americans. "Unless announced by the Administration, however, any discussion about HHS policy should be dismissed as baseless speculation."
