RFK Jr.'s Vaccine Agenda Faces Skeptical Boston Judge

Biden-appointed judge has blocked Trump administration policies in the past

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s efforts to reshape federal vaccine policies are set to go before a federal judge in Boston who has previously ruled against the Trump administration on several high-profile cases. The judge, Brian Murphy, was appointed by President Biden and has drawn the ire of Trump for blocking parts of his hardline immigration agenda and other policies.

Why it matters

Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, was appointed by Trump to oversee vaccine policies, raising concerns that he will undermine public health by increasing barriers to vaccination and fueling distrust in shots. The case before Judge Murphy could have major implications for the future of the nation's childhood immunization schedule and the makeup of the key advisory panel that shapes U.S. vaccine practices.

The details

At Friday's hearing, medical groups are expected to ask Judge Murphy to block the CDC from implementing a revised childhood immunization schedule and prevent Kennedy's handpicked vaccine advisory panel from meeting. The plaintiffs argue the CDC acted unlawfully in reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines and downgrading immunization recommendations for several diseases. They also challenge Kennedy's decision to remove and replace all 17 independent experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with vaccine skeptics.

  • The hearing before Judge Murphy is scheduled for Friday, February 12, 2026.
  • The reconstituted ACIP panel voted in September 2025 to abandon the U.S. government's broad recommendation for COVID-19 shots and in December 2025 to remove the recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine.

The players

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health and Human Services Secretary appointed by former President Trump, who is a longtime anti-vaccine activist.

Judge Brian Murphy

A federal judge in Boston appointed by President Biden, who has previously ruled against policies of the Trump administration.

American Academy of Pediatrics

One of the medical groups challenging Kennedy's vaccine agenda in the lawsuit before Judge Murphy.

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What they’re saying

“I'm sure when you imagined your first months on the bench, you expected a quiet start, where you'd learn the ropes. But as the saying goes, sometimes the judiciary has plans for you.”

— Ed Markey, U.S. Senator (Video remarks at Judge Murphy's swearing-in ceremony)

What’s next

The judge is expected to rule on the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction that would block the CDC's revised vaccine schedule and the ACIP panel's upcoming meeting.

The takeaway

This case highlights the high-stakes battle over vaccine policies in the U.S., with a Trump-appointed official seeking to reshape federal guidance in ways that could undermine public health, facing off against a Biden-appointed judge who has proven willing to rule against the former president's agenda.