Judge Blocks US Government From Slimming Down Vaccine Recommendations

Federal judge halts Health Secretary Kennedy's order to end broad vaccine recommendations for children

Mar. 16, 2026 at 9:28pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for children, and said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in revamping the key vaccine advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Why it matters

The judge's decision halts an order by Kennedy to end broad recommendations for children to be vaccinated against diseases like flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A/B, meningitis, and RSV. Medical groups had raised concerns that the changes would undermine protections against these illnesses.

The details

The original lawsuit, filed in July, focused on Kennedy's decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The lawsuit was later amended to address Kennedy's actions concerning ACIP, which he fired and replaced with a group including several anti-vaccine voices. The judge said Kennedy's reconstitution of ACIP likely violated federal law, and ordered the appointments and all decisions made by the reformed committee to be put on hold.

  • On January 1, 2026, Kennedy announced an order to end broad recommendations for children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A/B, meningitis, and RSV.
  • In July 2025, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston, initially focused on Kennedy's decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women.
  • In 2025, Kennedy fired the entire 17-member ACIP panel and replaced it with a group including several anti-vaccine voices.

The players

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The U.S. Health Secretary who announced an order to end broad vaccine recommendations for children and reconstituted the key vaccine advisory committee, ACIP, with several anti-vaccine voices.

Judge Brian E. Murphy

The federal judge in Boston who temporarily blocked the U.S. government from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for children and said Kennedy likely violated federal procedures in revamping ACIP.

American Academy of Pediatrics

A leading medical group that raised alarms about the vaccine recommendation changes and amended the lawsuit against the government.

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

The key vaccine advisory committee that advises public health officials on vaccine recommendations, which Kennedy fired and reconstituted with anti-vaccine voices.

Andrew Nixon

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who said the department looks forward to the judge's decision being overturned.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“ACIP as currently constituted cannot meet. How can a committee meet without nearly the entirety of its membership?”

— Richard Hughes IV, Attorney representing the American Academy of Pediatrics

“HHS looks forward to this judge's decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing.”

— Andrew Nixon, Department of Health and Human Services spokesman

What’s next

The ACIP committee meeting scheduled for this week to discuss COVID-19 vaccines and other issues has been postponed due to the judge's order.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between public health officials, medical experts, and the government over vaccine policies, with the judge's ruling temporarily blocking the Health Secretary's efforts to scale back recommended childhood vaccinations against the advice of leading medical groups.