U.S. health department withdraws vaccine advisory panel charter

HHS has withdrawn an April renewal of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel charter, saying the notice was issued in error and missed revised federal public-notice timing requirements.

Reuters reported the withdrawal on May 18, 2026, citing the department's administrative explanation. The move affects the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, which advises the CDC on vaccine recommendations for the civilian population.

The withdrawal means the panel will return to its prior charter framework while HHS revises the notice. The agency has not yet said when it will republish a corrected version.

What changed

The revised charter had been published on April 6, 2026. According to the reporting, HHS later concluded that the notice did not satisfy updated timing requirements for public notice and therefore had to be withdrawn.

The development is an administrative reversal rather than a policy rewrite, but it leaves open questions about the timing of any corrected charter and whether any earlier changes will be reinstated in modified form.

Why it matters

ACIP is a central part of the CDC's vaccine recommendation process. Any change to its charter can affect how the panel operates, how it is framed publicly, and how quickly the department can move on future updates.

For now, HHS has said the April renewal was invalidly issued and will be replaced through the proper process.