Recent personnel and process changes to several key federal advisory committees (FACs) among the nation’s health agencies have raised concerns about the role of expert input in federal policymaking and the future of public health norms. In a new insight, Health Care Policy Analyst Nicolas Montenegro explains how these changes to FACs could have serious implications for U.S. health care, including the impact on consumer choice and public trust.

Key Points:

• In June, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. made the unprecedented decision to dismiss all 17 panelists on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
• FACs provide essential, external subject matter expertise that guides substantive and effective policy, crucial for protecting consumer choice and maintaining public trust.
• Impeding FAC operations at federal health agencies threatens consumer access to vital treatments and may erode public confidence in the health care providers and their governing institutions.

Read the analysis.