Judge Blocks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Childhood Vaccine Overhaul

U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy issued a preliminary injunction on March 16, 2026, blocking Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services from implementing a reduced childhood vaccine schedule. The ruling halts a January 2026 directive that would have decreased universally recommended vaccines from 17 or 18 down to 11, removing recommendations for diseases including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, RSV, and influenza.

Judge Murphy ruled that the administration likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. He characterized the government's actions as "arbitrary and capricious," specifically citing the June 2025 decision to fire all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replace them with appointees who lacked meaningful vaccine expertise. The court stayed the appointments of 13 new members and invalidated recent ACIP votes, including the removal of the newborn hepatitis B vaccine recommendation.

The legal action follows a July 2025 lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups. Consequently, a scheduled ACIP meeting in Atlanta was postponed. While Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the administration would appeal the "lawless" decision, the ruling is seen by medical professionals as a critical step in restoring science-based federal vaccine policy.