Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks as President Donald Trump signs executive orders in May. (Annabelle Gordon/For The Washington Post) By Lena H. Sun and Lauren Weber

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday he was removing the entire membership of the influential vaccine advisory panel that makes immunization recommendations for the United States, an unprecedented move by Kennedy and escalation of his overhaul of federal vaccination policy. Subscribe for unlimited access to The Post You can cancel anytime. Subscribe

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy said he decided to retire the 17 independent vaccine experts from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices because the panel has been “plagued

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