The lawsuit contends that coordinated actions were designed to mislead, confuse, and gradually desensitize the public to anti-vaccine and anti-science rhetoric.
Relative to before the pandemic, the number of vaccinated participants fell 10% among children and 4% in adults in pandemic year 1, dropping 19% and 14%, respectively, the next year.
Experts warn that the federal vaccine advisory group's decision to revisit childhood immunizations and its controversial vote on thimerosal will undermine confidence in vaccines.
Leaders also committed $4.5 billion in additional financing.
Also, the group recommends Merck's RSV preventive for babies and weighs in on the upcoming season's flu vaccines.
In a pre-recorded video delivered to Gavi leaders, Kennedy accuses the group of ignoring vaccine safety concerns and said the US government will withhold financial support.
Global rates for several vaccines declined sharply in 2020, and had not returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels as of 2023.
Among the findings, 90% of Democrats, 68% of Republicans, and 66% of MAGA supporters agree with school vaccine mandates.
The announcement comes ahead of a summit that aims to raise at least $9 billion for Gavi, which helps provide vaccines to low-resource areas.
This week's meeting of ACIP is likely to mark its end—for now—as a vaccine advisory body.
