Chairman of vaccine committee leaves for new HHS job

NEW YORK -- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial vaccine advisory committee will be meeting later this week under a new chairperson, federal officials announced Monday. Martin Kulldorff is leaving the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to take a leadership role within the Department of Health and Human Services, officials said. Dr. Kirk Milhoan, who has blamed vaccines for causing cardiovascular disease, will become the new chair. He had been appointed to the committee in September. Later this week, the committee is scheduled to discuss the pediatric vaccine schedule and hepatitis B shots given to newborns. HHS officials issued a press release praising Kulldorff and his work while leading the panel but did not answer additional questions about the changes.