Kennedy Appoints Two Vaccine Critics Who Question Antidepressant Safety During Pregnancy To CDC Advisory Panel

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named two obstetrician-gynecologists with documented histories of challenging mainstream medical views on vaccines and antidepressant use in pregnancy to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s primary vaccine advisory body, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Who Were Appointed

Dr. Adam Urato, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who has practiced in the Boston area, and Dr. Kimberly Biss, an obstetrician-gynecologist based in St. Petersburg, Florida, join a reconstituted ACIP that Secretary Kennedy assembled after dismissing the committee’s previous membership in June.

What They Have Said

Both physicians have raised concerns that run counter to broad scientific consensus:

• Dr. Kimberly Biss has publicly questioned COVID-19 vaccine safety. In 2023 she testified before a GOP-led House subcommittee that some patients in her practice experienced severe menstrual irregularities after vaccination, which she said, in a few cases, led to surgeries including hysterectomies. She also reported an increase in miscarriage rates in her practice from 2020 through 2022 and suggested vaccines could be a factor.
• Dr. Adam Urato has expressed skepticism about administering influenza, RSV and COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to add warnings to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), arguing they cause pregnancy complications and can alter fetal brain development.

Response From Officials And Experts

HHS referred media inquiries about the appointees' past statements to a departmental press release. Secretary Kennedy defended his choices, saying ACIP "serves as Americans’ watchdog for vaccine safety and transparency" and that the new members "bring the scientific credentials, clinical experience, and integrity this committee requires."

“ACIP serves as Americans’ watchdog for vaccine safety and transparency,” Kennedy said in a statement.

Public-health experts have pushed back on several claims associated with the appointees. Pediatrician and vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit publicly disputed Dr. Biss’s testimony about vaccine risks and her comments on pediatric COVID deaths and breastfeeding. Independent, large-scale studies show COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization across age groups.

Evidence And Contested Claims

On antidepressants, the scientific literature is nuanced: large studies have not established a definitive causal link between maternal SSRI use and autism or major birth defects. Some studies report a modestly elevated risk of miscarriage for certain medications, while others find no association. On vaccines in pregnancy, many robust studies support the safety and benefit of influenza and COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant people and their newborns, though rare risks (for example, myocarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination) have been documented. Importantly, the risk of certain complications is higher after infection than after vaccination.

Changes At ACIP Since The Overhaul

The panel assembled by Secretary Kennedy has already altered several long-standing recommendations. In September, the reconstituted ACIP voted to recommend COVID-19 vaccines primarily for people 65 and older and those with underlying conditions, a pivot from earlier guidance recommending vaccination for everyone aged six months and older. In December, the panel recommended reversing the decadeslong policy of universally vaccinating all newborns against hepatitis B immediately after birth, instead advising discussion between clinicians and parents when mothers test negative for hepatitis B.

In an unprecedented move, Secretary Kennedy last week revised the childhood immunization schedule without consulting the full advisory group. The new schedule reduces the number of universally recommended vaccines for children, lowering the number of targeted diseases from 18 to 11 and advising parents to consult their doctors about flu and COVID-19 vaccines rather than issuing universal recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics has criticized the changes and encouraged families to follow its established schedule.

Implications

Critics say the appointments and policy shifts risk undermining public confidence in vaccine programs and could complicate efforts to maintain high vaccination coverage. Supporters argue the changes increase transparency and reduce conflicts of interest. The appointees did not respond to requests for comment following their ACIP appointments.

Bottom line: These appointments mark a significant shift in the composition and direction of ACIP, and they come amid wider debate over how to balance safety concerns, evolving evidence, and public-health priorities.

This article is based on reporting originally published by NBC News and summarises public statements, committee actions, and the current scientific consensus where applicable.