Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s aggressive overhaul of federal vaccine guidance has hit a roadblock as a federal judge blocks many of his changes. With the White House reportedly reining in his anti-vaccine rhetoric ahead of the midterms, what’s next for US vaccine policy remains uncertain.

Syra Madad, chief biopreparedness officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, warns that Kennedy’s tenure has increased vaccine hesitancy and led to a rise in preventable illnesses like measles. In January, he announced sweeping changes to the childhood immunization schedule, reducing the number of routine vaccines from 17 to 11 without scientific justification.

A lawsuit filed by medical groups challenged these changes, with a federal judge ruling that new ACIP members were unlawfully appointed and voiding their decisions. The Trump administration has vowed to appeal, further delaying vaccine policy.

Without a functional Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), public trust in vaccines is eroding, and new vaccines face delays. The future of US vaccine policy under President Trump’s term remains an open question as the country grapples with ongoing uncertainty.