Health organizations commence legal action against Kennedy, top health officials under Trump's administration, alleging unauthorized modifications to Covid-19 vaccine guidelines.
In a remarkable turn of events, a group of prominent medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), among others, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges the "unlawful, unilateral vaccine changes" made by Kennedy regarding COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant people.
The lawsuit stems from HHS Secretary Kennedy's decision in May 2025 to rescind previous COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for these groups. This move included dismissing 17 members of the CDC’s independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—the federal body responsible for vaccine schedules—and replacing them with new appointees known for opposing vaccine mandates. The plaintiffs allege that Kennedy acted arbitrarily and capriciously, bypassing established scientific processes and disregarding the evidence base.
The medical groups seek preliminary and permanent injunctions to halt Kennedy’s new vaccine guidelines and a declaratory judgment that these changes are unlawful. They maintain this legal action is necessary to defend public health, uphold evidence-based medicine, and restore trust in vaccine policy.
The lawsuit comes as Kennedy, along with FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, appeared in a video stating there was insufficient data to show benefit from COVID vaccines in healthy children and pregnant people, noting that many countries had stopped recommending the shots for children. However, the administration's stance has been met with criticism from the original study authors who say their findings were misinterpreted.
Dr. Sindhu Srinivas, president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, expressed concern about the decision to stop recommending Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women, stating that it has no evidentiary basis in obstetrics or infectious disease. She emphasized the importance of maternal immunization in reducing complications for mothers, fetuses, and infants, including from Covid-19 and other illnesses.
Similarly, Dr. Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Disease Society of America, argued that Covid-19 is not a trivial disease for children and that all deaths from Covid are unacceptable, especially when vaccines are available that are safe and effective in preventing severe disease and death. She also highlighted the importance of parents' ability to choose vaccination for their children to protect them from Covid-19.
The lawsuit is unprecedented, and its implications extend beyond the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Jason Goldman, president of the American College of Physicians, stated that Kennedy's actions have led some people to question the safety and effectiveness of all vaccines, causing confusion and fear among patients. He added that changes to CDC guidance about the Covid-19 vaccine may result in insurance not covering the cost of the shots, making them too expensive and limiting access to good protection.
Asuka Koda of our company contributed to this report. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Massachusetts on Monday. The medical groups maintain that the defendants have limited who can get COVID-19 vaccines and undermined overall vaccine confidence. This, they argue, poses a significant threat to public health and the success of the immunization system.
In the first meeting of the newly appointed committee, they studied well-established vaccines and guidelines, the childhood and adolescent immunization schedules, and the vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. However, the high number of measles cases in 2025, as noted by Dr. Yvonne M. Kressly of the American Academy of Pediatrics, serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of altering the routine childhood immunization schedule.
In summary, the lawsuit arises from the unilateral and controversial changes to COVID-19 vaccine policy for vulnerable populations by HHS Secretary Kennedy, which medical experts contend are not grounded in sound science and have disrupted established vaccine advisory processes. The medical associations involved in the lawsuit hope to restore evidence-based medicine and public trust in vaccine policy.
- The lawsuit filed by several medical associations, including the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics, challenges the unilateral vaccine policy changes regarding COVID-19 for children and pregnant individuals, which they allege were made arbitrarily and capriciously without following scientific processes.
- The medical groups argue that the changes to the vaccine policy, made by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., pose a significant threat to public health and the success of the immunization system, as they have limited access to vaccines and undermined overall vaccine confidence.
- The lawsuit extends beyond the COVID-19 vaccine, as changes to vaccine policy can lead to confusion and fear among patients, causing them to question the safety and effectiveness of all vaccines. This, the medical associations maintain, can have potential consequences on established vaccine advisory processes and the overall immunization system, including an increase in cases of preventable diseases like measles.
