I study conflicts of interest. Here’s why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire Ridding the government of industry interests need not rely on the indiscriminate wielding of axes

https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/12/rfk-jr-acip-vaccine-advisory-committee-conflicts-of-interest-expert/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--D4mFqX7iRE4qwUehv_UIgtv5I7qXVEELe_BN-VwHQomqJyTJgBrBkk-OTx6Zvjme94oIEwqIuGTdOZ4lNPLUW7n-lhQ&_hsmi=366507755&utm_content=366507755&utm_source=hs_email Why RFK Jr.’s approach to the vaccine advisory committee could backfire If Kennedy wants to “clean up the corruption and conflicts” at HHS, he is going about it the wrong way, writes Genevieve P. Kanter, an economist at the University of Southern California. Kanter studies conflicts of interest at federal agencies. She says that the purpose of advisory committees is to have external experts offer independent advice to the government on technical and scientific issues. Purging vaccine experts may remove members with industry ties, but not without a cost. Studies show that committee members with industry relationships tend to publish more and higher-impact articles, suggesting they can bring more expertise to the table. For more insight into why these existing relationships matter and why Kennedy’s purge could backfire, read more from Kanter.