Several physician groups are suing or speaking out against U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over several issues related to vaccine guidance and research grants.
Here are five things to know about the recent controversies:
1. On Aug. 21, the Society of General Internal Medicine and the North American Primary Care Research group filed a lawsuit against Mr. Kennedy over the stoppage of research grants administered by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The lawsuit centers around the downsizing and staff firings within AHRQ, a part of President Donald Trump’s plan to restructure HHS.
2. In July, AHRQ notified grant applicants that the agency had no more grant administration staff and had no ability to issue any grant funding, according to the lawsuit. The agency also said it was uncertain whether it would spend the funds Congress appropriated and that the agency had previously budgeted for fiscal 2025.
3. The lawsuit asserts that the “cessation of AHRQ’s grantmaking process violates the statutory and regulatory requirements governing the agency’s grantmaking process. It has resulted in an unlawful impoundment of millions of dollars that Congress expected and instructed AHRQ to spend on grantmaking and other research functions.”
4. In regards to vaccine guidelines, The American Academy of Pediatrics released its immunization guidelines Aug. 19, recommending that all children ages six months through 23 months receive COVID-19 vaccination. This guidance openly defies Mr. Kennedy’s May decision to end the recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. AAP also filed a lawsuit in July against Mr. Kennedy, arguing that his May announcement violated longstanding norms governing U.S. immunization policy.
5. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology followed suit Aug. 22, saying it would continue to advise pregnant people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In a statement, ACOG said that it is “well-documented that respiratory conditions can cause poor outcomes during pregnancy, with pregnant women facing both severe illness and threats to the health of their pregnancy.”
